Search results

Some strange goalkeeper incidents today: Made a mistake when a keeper gained control of ball, then pushed an attacker, which would have been a penalty. Not sure why, but seeing the keeper with ball in hand deceived me into not giving it; you have to be prepared for any scenario, I guess...

This morning's match taught me that, even after many years and a gut feeling that a match is going well, one can never be fully prepared for potential incidents. I had overseen a very uneventful 30 mins of a game with the away team up 3-0 already. I had given perhaps two free kicks; I then gave...

Yesterday I was assigned two games on a large 3G pitch. Given that I lack weekly practice (not in a fitness sense, just from an officiating perspective) and do about a game a month, I might have foreseen that this might be a challenge. Omens were perhaps not good as regards treatment of referees...

I was called up to fill a few gaps this morning (my first non-friendly fixtures for 18 months due to work), and it was quite eventful. Some issues that I wouldn't mind some input on: 1) There is no way U7 mini soccer can fit into a 45-minute schedule. Either return to 20 minute halves or make...

I was already having a bad day before this afternoon fixture, and then the match turns on a huge incident at 3-1 to the away side (eventually 6-1 winners). Striker for home side is through and hits a shot with outside of the foot; I am begging it to go wide or in first time, as I am struggling...

Is anyone else of the opinion that these were far more insidious than the average 'useless referees see nothing/never give us anything' remarks? He purported to know the motivation of an elite referee in an incredibly offensive way. However, the real problem is that he may well be right, and...

I am wondering whether any of you feel you make any allowances (conscious or not) for players significantly shorter than average. I was refereeing a junior school final yesterday, and fortunately controversy was kept to a minimum. However, the losing side started to become frustrated whenever I...

In your opinion: (I)DFK for goalkeeper? Ceremonial IDFK? Goal?

Well, that was eventful. A few days ago I thanked my referee secretary for the season's work and informed him that, due to a new job, I would have to reduce my Saturday refereeing significantly from next September. With the penultimate match of the season scheduled at the ground where I seem to...

I forgot my bananas this morning, so perhaps I was running low on sugar and that rendered the end of the second half difficult. The first match was delayed due to a touch-and-go decision on a frozen pitch, so one always wonders whether the teams left waiting for 15 minutes start with...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/nov/22/beverly-hills-soccer-referee-quits-parents We have seen several of these grand statements by U.K. league secretaries in recent years, but whether these attacks ever address the problem is doubtful. May I also suggest that the woman's point about...

1) A few weeks ago I was talking to a parent before a match, and he asked my opinion on a particular scenario (he had a rugby, not football, background). At the time, from the way he described it, I didn't think offside should be given, but I will share it: -The ball is passed to a player on the...

A good match this morning; hardly any disciplinary issues, and I have been impressed by the sportsmanship at this age group this week and last. Contender for the earliest penalty I have ever given: barely a minute had been played when the away keeper completely misjudged a challenge on the...

What would your decision be a if a goalkeeper (either inside or outside the field of play) prevented the ball entering the goal by throwing a (different) ball, boot, shinguard, bottle or jersey at it? As he/she cannot commit a handling offence in the penalty area, should it be a dropped ball for...

U15 league fixture with history; conduct was broadly good, as I set out in the captains' talk, and only 2 away players had verbal warnings for fouls in the 1st half. Away captain was spoken to for another foul early in the second half, and I reiterated that a few of his players were skating on...

If, after a goal is scored, the referee realises, before play restarts, an extra person was on the field of play when the goal was scored: the referee must disallow the goal if the extra person was: a player, substitute, substituted player, sent off player or team official of the team that...

This has almost certainly been covered many times, but I'll mention it anyway. As I referee a lot of youth football, where foul throws can crop up quite often, I was revising the law and realised that the clause on where to place one's feet is ambiguous (LOTG 99.1.2). Does having part of each...

All my difficulties so far this season seem to be deriving from contentious offside calls. I trust the CAR where I have not see anything contrary to his decision, but the current bugbear is players who demand that you 'make your own decision'. They don't appear to understand the concept of...

Couple of incidents from yesterday on which I wouldn't mind a second opinion: 1) Literally in the first minute of a local derby, U15s, division 1, an away midfielder protests a throw-in decision with the words "that's cheating", as much directed at the CAR as at me. I explained to him in...