“Why didn’t you speak to the lino?”

[OnlyUseMeWhistle]

Funny one for you all:

First adult game of the season yesterday, competitive first half has the home team ahead by one goal. Early in the second a player I’ve already warned twice about pushing and charging decides to charge the home team winger in the box. I blow for a penalty, cue the usual complaining and the CAR on the side claims it wasn’t in the box. I explain in closer and it definitely was and walk over to set up the penalty (there’s no spot on this pitch). Penalty is scored and home team continues to dominate second half and wins by 5 in the end.

Away manager is warned by me for repeating “awful” at me after the penalty call (basically tell him there’s no need and if he wants to chat about the call we can do it after). I then have to warn his sideline of family and friends for repeated comments basically calling me a cheat.

After the game away manager comes over, is about twice my age (and people assume I’m younger) so takes a very teacher-student tone. Telling me to listen to him repeatedly when I’m not talking. Funniest thing was him complaining I didn’t go over and talk to the CAR for his side about the penalty???? I explained they’re there for offsides and balls out of play only and if he ever sees a ref speak to a CAR about a decision like that it’s not right because they obviously have a skewed view. Another game where I probably should’ve been more card happy to stamp out the chat after the penalty but I’m getting better.

 

[lincs22]

If you had a credible view and gave the penalty, there is no benefit to speak with a CAR. You were sure in your decision - end of discussion.

On the Away manager repeating awful from the touchline, I can understand for the until the game restarts after that, it becomes dissent and you should have cautioned him. Sounds like you lack of action allowed the rest of the touchline to offer comments.

 

[OnlyUseMeWhistle]

If you had a credible view and gave the penalty, there is no benefit to speak with a CAR. You were sure in your decision - end of discussion.

On the Away manager repeating awful from the touchline, I can understand for the until the game restarts after that, it becomes dissent and you should have cautioned him. Sounds like you lack of action allowed the rest of the touchline to offer comments.

I think you’re spot on about the dissent. I had a word in front of everyone and he stopped but it clearly didn’t set the bar high enough.

 

[ChasObserverRefDeveloper]

One thing to consider - don't engage in conversation with spectators. If their behaviour is unacceptable tell the home club manager what you want done, then move away so they can deal with it.
Sounds like a local park match (no penalty marks) so not easy for the home manager.
Bear in mind the score at the time and competition rules about abandonments when deciding how to proceed. If the team stand to lose out on 3 points, that can give the away manager something to use in calming his cohort.

 

[Macca]

If a player or manager wants to ask me a question or engage in conversation at half time or after a match, I will do my best to oblige. If they have no interest in listening themselves, I simply tell them I won't be lectured at and walk away.

 

[OnlyUseMeWhistle]

One thing to consider - don't engage in conversation with spectators. If their behaviour is unacceptable tell the home club manager what you want done, then move away so they can deal with it.
Sounds like a local park match (no penalty marks) so not easy for the home manager.
Bear in mind the score at the time and competition rules about abandonments when deciding how to proceed. If the team stand to lose out on 3 points, that can give the away manager something to use in calming his cohort.

I think good advice, was a grassroots Women’s game. I did end up saying I’d call the game if the sniping continued after one of them basically said “how’re you going to make us stop?” But they were already 4-1 down.

 

[Anubis]

I think good advice, was a grassroots Women’s game. I did end up saying I’d call the game if the sniping continued after one of them basically said “how’re you going to make us stop?” But they were already 4-1 down.

Oh please, you cannot " call the game' because you dont like comments from the sideline

Thats reserved for serious threats, racial etc, not " you missed an offside'

 

[OnlyUseMeWhistle]

Oh please, you cannot " call the game' because you dont like comments from the sideline

Thats reserved for serious threats, racial etc, not " you missed an offside'

You’re right. But they weren’t saying that. They were calling me a cheat, literally saying I was paid off by the other team, and implying my locality made me biased. It was an endless stream of distracting dissent and if a player says any of that to me it’s a yellow and if they refused to leave I have little other option.

 

[Anubis]

You’re right. But they weren’t saying that. They were calling me a cheat, literally saying I was paid off by the other team, and implying my locality made me biased. It was an endless stream of distracting dissent and if a player says any of that to me it’s a yellow and if they refused to leave I have little other option.

One of the associated joys of refereeing,

should we have a utopia abuse or snide comment free environ in which to carry out our hobby? yes

the reality is, we do not.

ts simply one of the downsides to our role


by your logic, should a player go down easy, and the spectator shouts ' cheat" then what you doing.?

 

[OnlyUseMeWhistle]

One of the associated joys of refereeing,

should we have a utopia abuse or snide comment free environ in which to carry out our hobby? yes

the reality is, we do not.

ts simply one of the downsides to our role

That’s your perspective, what I learned from yesterday is that I should’ve been tougher, not softer. No one deserves that at work, other sports avoid it just fine.

 

[GraemeS]

Should the game have been called off based on those comments? No.

Should the referee have gone to the manager, asked him to deal with the offending spectators and then called off the game if the manager was unwilling or unable to? Yeah, I think that would be reasonable. We're under no obligation to accept abuse - if we want something dealt with, then it does need to be handled.

 

[OnlyUseMeWhistle]

Should the game have been called off based on those comments? No.

Should the referee have gone to the manager, asked him to deal with the offending spectators and then called off the game if the manager was unwilling or unable to? Yeah, I think that would be reasonable. We're under no obligation to accept abuse - if we want something dealt with, then it does need to be handled.

Exactly what I did, thank you!

 

[ChasObserverRefDeveloper]

Exactly what I did, thank you!

Except you said that you "had to warn" some spectators. The point several of us have made is that must not happen - let the home club deal with it, then decide your course if action.
You can report the unacceptable level of abuse, report that the manager handled it (or didn't) and if necessary abandon and report.

 

[RustyRef]

Use the tools in your pockets, your cards. If the players keep chipping away warn them, then start cautioning. "How are you going to make us stop", just say "like this" as you give her a yellow card and a spell in the sin bin. And if she carries on after that she isn't coming back out of the bin.

You can't threaten to abandon the game without using cards first, certainly not just for moaning comments. Said this many times before, it used to drive me round the bend as a RefsSec when I'd get an email after the game with the match report where the referee complains about the behaviour of a team, I then open the report and no cards issued. What am I supposed to do about it, I wasn't there, and I wasn't the one coming off the pitch having not taken the cards out of my pocket. If a referee abandoned a game without issuing cards, and it wasn't due to a threat to their safety, then I'm afraid to say they wouldn't be getting another game. Also, all abandoned games have to go to county, and your RDO isn't going to be best impressed at an abandonment for this, especially as he's probably already had someone from the league chewing his ear.

As others have said, never confront spectators. If they are bothering you just pause the game and make it clear you aren't restarting until they are quietened or removed. You don't have any jurisdiction over them, so arguably they are the ones that could say "how are you going to make us stop", but you can make the home team responsible for them.

 

[OnlyUseMeWhistle]

Except you said that you "had to warn" some spectators. The point several of us have made is that must not happen - let the home club deal with it, then decide your course if action.
You can report the unacceptable level of abuse, report that the manager handled it (or didn't) and if necessary abandon and report.

Fair enough I wasn't clear I was speaking to the Away manager about the spectators. Reported it after the game regardless.