delete if not allowed but Ref Support has anyone come across them on social media honestly think it gives referees a bad name I did once report them to there alleged CFA over a particular post as it crossed a line for me. I only post as I’ve had a couple of clubs ask about there mad posts this is going to upset a few but I think it needs shutting down as I feel there posts are causing problems at Grassroots.
Ref Support UK
- Thread starter southernerinthenorthstill
- Start date
The main man behind Ref Support is Martin Cassidy, who is a good egg. It is a registered charity and there is many up and down the country who can see what they are attempting to achieve and receive support from tv organisations, as well as the FA including Howard Webb. However, there are also some that I have come across who do not across as well as Martin usually does.
It’s a big thing to want to shut down an organisation from social media & based on the information provided to date, many may not even be able to provide an opinion because not much information to go on.
People often call out clubs for there conduct I am just doing similar if a club posted some of the hateful and spiteful things they do they would be charged I’ve seen him say it’s a good thing when players get injured.
The idea of a national union/spokesperson for grassroots referees is really interesting and worth exploring.
Refsupport acting like they've been appointed as that and as if they speak for me does absolutely rub me the wrong way. I've never noticed anything as awful as you're suggesting, but yeah - it's just a guy with an opinion, acting like he's much more official than he is.
Refsupport acting like they've been appointed as that and as if they speak for me does absolutely rub me the wrong way. I've never noticed anything as awful as you're suggesting, but yeah - it's just a guy with an opinion, acting like he's much more official than he is.
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Must be stressful being you, reporting an organisation who is here to support referees.
My advice is to mind your own business and let others do what they want to do, IMO their socials are nothing to do with you.
Chill out pal, deal with your U12 mass cons on a Sunday
I haven't always seen eye to eye with Martin, but equally I haven't seen him post anything such as has been alluded to on here. I'm an active member of their Facebook group, so if there had been anything amiss I would have seen it.
As far as I can see they've done some very good work around looking after the interests of referees. They have obviously championed bodycams, not a cause I'm necessarily in support of, but I can see the argument for them and to their credit they have forced action in that space. And there can be absolutely no doubt that they have supported numerous referees who have been victims of assault.
I think @southernerinthenorthstill if you are going to call people out for wrong doing you really need to give an example of what they are supposed to have done.
As far as I can see they've done some very good work around looking after the interests of referees. They have obviously championed bodycams, not a cause I'm necessarily in support of, but I can see the argument for them and to their credit they have forced action in that space. And there can be absolutely no doubt that they have supported numerous referees who have been victims of assault.
I think @southernerinthenorthstill if you are going to call people out for wrong doing you really need to give an example of what they are supposed to have done.
Happy too
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If you are saying that the first post you have republished is saying as you said earlier that Ref Support is saying it’s a good thing when players get injured, then the first post clearly did not say that.
No I’m showing other instances of his poor conduct sorry I should have been clearer. That specific one was around August so I wouldn’t scroll back months however the point stands.
Does it, I can't see anything wrong in those three posts? The first is wishing the player a quick recovery and just pointing out that players faking injuries causes referees problems, the second is calling Keith Hackett out for the hypocrisy that he is absolutely guilty of, and the third is responding to fans on the cesspit that is Twitter / X. Don't see anything at all that is in any way controversial.
I do personally think they'd be best to avoid Twitter / X as on there they are engaging with the absolute worst of the referee haters, but equally they have a social media platform and probably feel they have to respond.
If you can’t see the sarcasm in the first one or what’s wrong with accusing a highly respected former FIFA referee of bias I’m appalled people can’t seriously be defending this surely.
Russell Jones
RefChat Addict
Highly respected ...
... if you can't be serious then why should anyone else be?! 
It's a registered charity so the Charity Commission can act where necessary, though I don't think any of the posts mentioned would be of concern. I do think they would be of more help to adopt a more professional tone on social media than shown in those posts.
I do get your point that the first post is sarcastic, whereby as the saying goes, is the worse form of humour. However, it’s not trying to be funny, but turning the issue the other way around from the initial comment made about the Referee by the badly injured player-perhaps understandable at the time, but to have posted his thoughts on line when in the ambulance shows he could not have been in that much pain. Perhaps not the best way to make comments, but there is nothing there for it to be shut down and overall & as someone has already pointed out, they do a lot of good/help with Referees, especially at grass roots eg the push they made with the introduction of video cams & quite a few CFA’s now trialling. I have no doubt that it won’t be long before they are rolled out countrywide. Keith is often very direct & can be scathing towards both current & ex Referees, in particular Mike Riley (who took over from Keith at PGMOL), whereby Ref Supports main aim is to defend/protect registered Referees, so I don’t think we can blame them for that in response to Keith’s view about DC. As with tv and radio, if you don’t like something then you can always turn it off. I don’t purposely look at what Ref Support are doing, but if I see a post from them on say Facebook, then I will always take time to read it. However, I much prefer the format of this forum.
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I might not always agree with Martin's tactics and strategy, but he does highlight the hypocrisy of abusing referees = okay vs referees (ie him) hitting back = not okay.
Mindful of that, I don't see anything wrong per se with any of the three examples you've put up, and he's certainly not wanting players to be injured in any of those posts.
The first post is highlighting a very serious issue, and maybe not in the right taste, but the player is putting it all on the referee when in fact player behaviour (i.e. feigning injuries) is as much if not more to blame.
I didnt always agree with refsupport (I've no social media now so no interactions at all) in their actions, or the way they fight fire with fire, and I agree with Graeme's comment about acting as though they've been appointed.
That said, they do some important work supporting referees. In the posts there really is nothing noteworthy or suggestive they should be shut down.
I didnt always agree with refsupport (I've no social media now so no interactions at all) in their actions, or the way they fight fire with fire, and I agree with Graeme's comment about acting as though they've been appointed.
That said, they do some important work supporting referees. In the posts there really is nothing noteworthy or suggestive they should be shut down.
The wanting players injured post was in August all 3 of these post would be charged if made by a club. I think the fact clubs asking about this account concerns me more than anything as him abusing people creates a attitude of us vs them.
Disagree there posts are one of the few things which make me fear for my safety as a referee if they make even one referee feel this way that’s reason to shut them down.
Wholeheartedly disagree with this.
The feelings of one person, no disrespect, is not cause to shut a whole organisation down. I don't wish to invalidate your feelings, it's not for me to tell you how to feel, however, if 1 person has the power to shut an organisation down because they feel a certain way the world would come to a halt and we may as well scrap the government right now.