Archer
🟨 C1 (BE)
That reminds me, can I have those DVDs back?
Back to suits?!
- Thread starter JW17
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Homemade DVD’s***
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I completely agree people should look neat and tidy in general, but it’s a 2 way street. Clubs love moaning about this kind of stuff, but there’s an awful lot of in-house stuff they need to sort themselves……..
I only started doing adult football the year after Covid so was never exposed to the suits. Tracksuit just makes sense to me and like @RefereeX said, I don't like using the showers in the changing rooms unless they are basically in a different room. I can understand there will be a lot of pushback from the officials.
This might not even work in favour of the clubs as I am expecting a lot more facility related issues to be reported to the league that previously would not have been.
This might not even work in favour of the clubs as I am expecting a lot more facility related issues to be reported to the league that previously would not have been.
Also, just to add, that’s is no requirement for a tie. The league rule is now shirt, trousers and shoes. No ties/ suit.
I was advocating the removal of the formal dress requirement long before COVID was a thing, not just for games but also for meetings. When I got into CFA councils and committees it was suited and booted, now it is completely relaxed, if I’m going from work I’ll be in jeans and a smart t-shirt.
And I think that work thing is entirely relevant, until a couple of years ago I’d spent my entire career since moving to London in 1997 in an Investment Banking environment. Back then it was strictly suited and booted, even for IT, now it is none of that and jeans are the norm. I left financial services in 2022 and now work in the head office of a large retailer, the CEO wears jeans and a shirt pretty much all the time. Society has moved on, so football should as well.
I suspect it is the minority ruining it for the majority though, similar to working from home. If people are turning up to games looking messy in shorts it will draw attention to it and make people think about moving back to the old system. The same as people never going to the office has led, in part, to companies forcing staff back in. If everyone had gone in a couple of days a week they probably wouldn’t need to have taken action. We’ve had a minimum one day a week in the office policy, one person who lived less than a mile from the office went in once in 8 months, it is things like that that ruin it for everyone, just as someone turning up to a game in shorts would.
And I think that work thing is entirely relevant, until a couple of years ago I’d spent my entire career since moving to London in 1997 in an Investment Banking environment. Back then it was strictly suited and booted, even for IT, now it is none of that and jeans are the norm. I left financial services in 2022 and now work in the head office of a large retailer, the CEO wears jeans and a shirt pretty much all the time. Society has moved on, so football should as well.
I suspect it is the minority ruining it for the majority though, similar to working from home. If people are turning up to games looking messy in shorts it will draw attention to it and make people think about moving back to the old system. The same as people never going to the office has led, in part, to companies forcing staff back in. If everyone had gone in a couple of days a week they probably wouldn’t need to have taken action. We’ve had a minimum one day a week in the office policy, one person who lived less than a mile from the office went in once in 8 months, it is things like that that ruin it for everyone, just as someone turning up to a game in shorts would.
Exactly my point, people like that will kill it for everyone
Smart tracksuits foster an undercurrent of familiarity between match officials and participants, formal wear fosters an undercurrent of difference.
Anyone breaking dress code by wearing shorts etc needs to be robustly warned that it is not acceptable.
Anyone breaking dress code by wearing shorts etc needs to be robustly warned that it is not acceptable.
I can't think of anything more backwards than going back to suits. We've thankfully moved on from suits and they're just another barrier nobody needs.
I remember my first step 6 line. Getting changed in a dirty portacabin, dressed in a suit. Bizzare. I watched a step 6 game my mate was playing in a couple of weeks later, and looking from the outside in, watching 3 officials trapse around a glorified playing field in suits just looked ridiculous. Nobody appreciated it.
Now for a cup final, I've no issue with the competition requesting shirt and tie. It's their final. But equally if I'm given the option then it's smart tracksuit. And I insist on a smart tracksuit. I did a step 6 middle a couple of years ago where one of the ARs turned up in a battered pair of tracksuit bottoms and a very faded black (now dark grey) shirt. He wasn't the most athletic chap, so let's just say people were talking about him before the game in a derogative way before we started. He then faced mountains of abuse for 90 minutes when he didn't award a ball over the line from a 35 yard shot that hit the bar. He could never have seen it from his position, the decision wasn't an issue to me, but he hadn't helped himself with his scruffy clothes and that caused him and me issues in the clubhouse afterwards.
So smart tracksuit it is. It's not to much to ask and it's far better than suits.
I remember my first step 6 line. Getting changed in a dirty portacabin, dressed in a suit. Bizzare. I watched a step 6 game my mate was playing in a couple of weeks later, and looking from the outside in, watching 3 officials trapse around a glorified playing field in suits just looked ridiculous. Nobody appreciated it.
Now for a cup final, I've no issue with the competition requesting shirt and tie. It's their final. But equally if I'm given the option then it's smart tracksuit. And I insist on a smart tracksuit. I did a step 6 middle a couple of years ago where one of the ARs turned up in a battered pair of tracksuit bottoms and a very faded black (now dark grey) shirt. He wasn't the most athletic chap, so let's just say people were talking about him before the game in a derogative way before we started. He then faced mountains of abuse for 90 minutes when he didn't award a ball over the line from a 35 yard shot that hit the bar. He could never have seen it from his position, the decision wasn't an issue to me, but he hadn't helped himself with his scruffy clothes and that caused him and me issues in the clubhouse afterwards.
So smart tracksuit it is. It's not to much to ask and it's far better than suits.
I agree with you (in terms of Step 5 & 6), though if a league asks for suits, but let’s say at least shirt or shirt & tie & trousers, then that’s what I suggest should happen. By not doing so places the Referee/AR position on the league at risk. For those who totally disagree with the policy & decide to resign over the issue then that’s their prerogative. My view would be to keep talking about the matter in the hope that things can change for next season or even mid season.
Though for some leagues it’s current & not in the past & although I am sure discussions will continue between the League & their Referees/Assistant Referees, in my opinion their decision should be respected, even if it is just shirt & trousers & not necessarily a suit/tie.
Runner Ref
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Shirt and trousers is basically the same thing as suit and tie. Due to the state of some venues, you’ll potentially get mud on your pants. In a tracksuit, no bother, comes off easily. In suit pants, potentially means a dry cleaning bill. Whereas players are turning up in whatever they like.
A tracksuit with a tie would be a better option!
Overall I agree with you, though if just shirt and trousers, then the trousers are likely to be made of polyester or cotton or even a mixture of both which are easily washable, though if a suit, then more potential for the trouser to be of wool or a wool mix, which is likely to be dry clean only. I think what we have is a one-off Supply League who are trying to get some standards back after being let down by a few & once this happens, perhaps they will go back to tracksuits.
Runner Ref
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Are the same supply league ensuring all clubs turn up in suit/shirt and pants?
Leagues have far bigger fish to fry than looking at how referees arrive and leave.
I’m afraid all I know is about the Referee & the AR & all came about because of complaints by certain clubs to the League. I agree with you that the Leagues will have bigger fish to fry, though not only do they have to look into any complaint brought to their attention, Referees/AR only get one first impression, though that could be upon arrival, on entering the FoP or from the first blast of the whistle.
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You could have referred turn up in a 3 piece suit and still look scruffy.
It doesn’t matter what you tell people to wear, those who take pride in their appearance will look smart. Those who don’t care, won’t care, regardless of suit, tracksuit, birthday suit or shorts
