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Wondered what referees’ views were on the suggestion by a player that your marks will be low. I had an incident in my first OA game last Sunday for several years, in which a player, who wasn’t backward in coming forward, suggested my marks will be low, following my sin binning of his massive...

Absolutely. For me, a black shirt and badge means something, i.e. you have gone through a course and have knowledge of the LOTG. It's something to be proud of. A bit like a professional qualification - a standard has been met. The same can be said of a coaching badge, although some of these...

This type of reasoning perpetuates poor reffing. There should be a mandatory course at the start of every season to keep up to date with the games. Certain leagues in Worcestershire won't appoint you if you haven't attended a pre-season update course.

First OA game at grassroots for a while at the weekend. I was astonished at the low level constant swearing going on. All this wouldn't particularly bother me except for the fact that there was a junior game about to start on the next pitch. A lot of it was said when the ball was out of play...

In answer to the OP, I always tend to nip these things in the bud. I had a couple of early on nudges on high balls but as one's leaning back and one forward then no issue. Once arms are raised and there's a little push, that's when I blow and players know they're not going to get away with it.

Do you actually say 'hands down' whilst the ball is in play? Reason for asking is that I was recently watching an experienced ref on a Sunday local game and he would often say 'easy' or 'keep it calm' as there was a potential 50:50 challenge. I've not particularly noticed referees do that...

My daughter did her third middle yesterday. No chance of the away CAR giving a dodgy offside flag. She had to go up to him to ask him to put his phone away as he was checking the Villa score and not looking at the game!

Me too. I'm being underpaid.

Kes, appreciated your response. Your comment 'a sudden or unexpected card is punitive rather than educational'. I suppose YHTBT 25 years ago but the player knew what he had said, and he also knew he was taking the pIss (or rather showing more dissent etc) when he followed it up with his second...

You've disappointed me Kes. I had you down as a stand for no nonsense ref. :D On a serious note, you've caveated the cards by leaving it up to the ref, which of course I agree with. The bit that always sounds odd to me is when you then discuss the 'management' part as STFU - and that if he...

With the usual 'fair tackle', 'that's ok' comments, but if that's not working then a sharp blast and a discussion with the latest moaner usually helps all players to focus and stop larging it. If it still continues, maybe a word with the captains. Out of interest, what were your instructions to...

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I’m quietly pleased you would have done the same thing given the same set of circumstances 25 years ago. TBH though, what I did on the that day was to just follow the LOTG as I’d been taught to. I suspect that some referees would have just smiled off...

The two aren't mutually exclusive.

One. I cautioned a player 25 years ago for calling me 'a bloody joke'. I was taught to say exactly what I was cautioning him for, so I repeated what he had said. He then said, 'well you are', so I cautioned him again and sent him on his way. A - would you have done the same thing in the same...

The second scenario was the one I emailed the IFAB on, because EPL ARs simply do not follow this explicit part of the law - and nor do most professional ARs. The IFAB suggested you sometimes can't teach old dogs new tricks! I was congratulated by the tutor (a FL AR) for doing the second...

If you were to play that on though, the right arm comes out to push the donkey over. It therefore changes from a non careless charge, to a push. Moose's arm is in an unnaturally high position after the donkey was felled. It does show the ball was within playing distance though.

Re the charge - He raised his arm to push him over and therefore it's a push. I'm astonished other refs see this differently and have somehow allowed a push to be reinterpreted as a fair charge. If however, he hadn't raised his arm, isn't there a case that the moose wasn't in playing distance...

I'm always wary of the context of a stepped approach towards dissent. If I hear it and I can identify it, they're going in the book for it. I treat players with the intelligence and respect that they're aware of the LOTG re dissent. If they're not then they are soon aware of it and at least...

And there lieth the problem of backchat in games. As a community of referees we really do need to agree what constitutes OFFINABUS and everybody stick to it. Tolerance levels are then taken out of it. If anyone, let alone an u12 player, says the above to me, they're getting a red. No question...

Refs appear to be taught differently around the country/world. My daughter recently went through the course and the RDO taught her to shout advantage loudly to communicate to all that she'd seen the foul. Then, if she felt no advantage had occurred within a few seconds, she'd bring it back for...