The Ref Stop

1st game recap

Ref_otter

Ref_otter

New Member
Level 7 Referee
good evening

I did my first game yesterday, it was a baptism of fire, I decided to jump straight into it and go for the Sunday League instead of working my way up.

The game went really well in the first half. The away team took an early 2-0 lead before the home team fought back. The first half I had a massive problem with offsides as neither team fancied putting someone on the line for me. I pulled both captains at half time and explained from my position I cant see an offside clearly. I said unless I'm 100% sure I cant give it. Both captains were spot on, only thing the asked is that I dropped deeper and in line at set pieces so I can see the offside. Good advice from them that worked really well.

The second half ... wow ... it started off really well both teams playing well and going for the win, that is until about twenty minutes in. The away team winger, who was having a right game, took the defender on. The defender fell flat on his backside and swiped the at the ball with his leg. I blew for the foul straight away as it was a careless tackle no doubt. The winger then pushed the defender in the face twice then obviously a mass Con broke out. A player from the home team threw a fist at the away player, but I could not see who it was. I pulled the winger over and gave the red card for violent conduct. His problem wasnt the red card it was that someone had threw a fist at him and I wasnt sending another player off. I completely understood why he was fuming, and felt a bit low having to red card him for a push in the face but not being able to send off someone for punching him.

From this moment I feel the away team lost interest in the game, they were more bothered about having a go at me. I ended up sending someone to the "sin bin" after the mass con for asking if I was taking the Pee and saying I was a joke. I later booked another away team player for kicking the ball away. To rub salt into the wound I had to give a pen against the away team who already felt like I'd let them down for a foul by their keeper on the striker.

The away team understandably felt I had been unfair. Their manager was respectful and spoke to me after the game and asked for my view on things but was aggrieved none the less.

Going forward, do you think that it was right to send off the away player for a shove to the head if I couldnt send off the player who had tried to punch him in response ? Would a yellow card have been better or do you think it would have been the same that they would have wanted me to match the punishment for the unknown player ?

Do you have any tips for trying to regain control of the match after something like this happens or is it a case of "the games gone" ?

What is a better way to catch offsides with no linesman ? I'm not in the state that I can be beating the ball up the pitch getting into a position to see the offside AND being in a position to referee the game correctly (i dont know anyone who is) ?

I was called a cheat but couldnt identify the aeay player to discipline them, in this case would you let it slip because of the mass con incident or would you send the player off non the less ?

I also heard one player, again unknown shouting homophobic slur, not directed at anyone but in general. It was "f*****g f****t" on more than one occasion, how would you deal with this in the actual game not knowing who it is ? I've reported it to the league, is that the right thing to do or should it have been misconduct. Again I dont know who it was but it was 100% a player.

Thanks for any advice.
 
The Ref Stop
Ref_otter said:
Going forward, do you think that it was right to send off the away player for a shove to the head if I couldnt send off the player who had tried to punch him in response ?
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Yes. Act on what you see correctly. Can't act on what you don't. It may help if you explain that to those who feel hard done by.

Ref_otter said:
Do you have any tips for trying to regain control of the match after something like this happens or is it a case of "the games gone" ?
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Slow the game down as much as you can for a while. Call every small foul. Deal with every bit of dissent (not necessarily yellow but it can be). Get the captains involved if it continues. If you feel there may be an escalation/retaliation afters, talking to captains immediately after the incident can be appropriate.

Ref_otter said:
What is a better way to catch offsides with no linesman ?
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Impossible task. Getting wider and deeper in your diagonal runs can help but you'd have to be very fit not to compromise falling behind play.

Ref_otter said:
I was called a cheat but couldnt identify the aeay player to discipline them, in this case would you let it slip because of the mass con incident or would you send the player off non the less ?
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Never let anything audible to everyone slip. If during mass con and you can't identify player, bring it up with captains if you are talking to them. You can't send someone off if you don't know who they are. If during general play, in the next stoppage, get the player with your best guess as who it was. Let them know you do not tolerate it. You are letting it go because you are not sure if it was him but if you did, it would be a send off. Make sure every one sees that you are taking action.

Ref_otter said:
I also heard one player, again unknown shouting homophobic slur, not directed at anyone but in general. It was "f*****g f****t" on more than one occasion, how would you deal with this in the actual game not knowing who it is ?
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Same as above. Ignoring things and letting them slip only makes it worse. There are very few you can ignore, for example low level one off whines said under the breath, usually if the game is well under control.
 
Sounds like you were right to send the player off, no doubt there. With regards to seeing fists fly but not knowing who it was, I agree that you should call the captain over and talk to them. Given the size of the conflict, I would've called both managers and captains over and made it clear why I had given the decisions I did (ie couldn't see who threw the fists) and that if that sort of thing happened again or the game didn't calm down, there would be a serious risk of abandonment.

With regards to offsides, sounds like you're doing the best you can. I personally hate officiating without assistant referees and it makes calling offside very difficult (although sometimes the standard of CAR is really poor). You did the right thing in explaining things to the captains, but going forward make it part of your pre-match routine to talk to the managers and captains about offside. Explain that without assistant referees, calling offside is difficult. It might be an idea also to make the decision pre-match that if you're unsure you'll go with the defender or attacker and again, explain that to the teams beforehand and then ensure you're consistent with it.

To regain control, clamping down on those verbal outbursts will help. Use the captains (and managers if severe, like the homophobic verbal) and say you're hearing what's going on and that it needs to stop. You can also, in some certain circumstances, give "team" yellow cards. If a team (Man City) make 11 small fouls with 11 different players, doesn't mean every player gets 3 goes before getting booked. After a few fouls / verbals you can make it clear that due to the culmination the next one is going in the book. Same with the verbals, explain that you can hear things, not sure who it is, but your tolerance level is now been reached and the next verbal, if you know who it is, is going in the sin bin (dissent) or getting a yellow / red.
 
TSHudson said:
You can also, in some certain circumstances, give "team" yellow cards. If a team (Man City) make 11 small fouls with 11 different players, doesn't mean every player gets 3 goes before getting booked. After a few fouls / verbals you can make it clear that due to the culmination the next one is going in the book.
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Think you might get a bit of incoming for that one mate ... ;) :D
 
On comments you hear but can't identify the perpetrator. Captains in and lay the law down around it being unacceptable and that if you don't know who it is, you can't act on the individual, but you can make a general misconduct report about both teams if it continues.

After a mass con or a big incident, I get the captains in and tell them I've got them in to just give everyone a little longer to calm down, and that they need to keep hold of their players as my tolerance level for more shenanigans is much lower than before.

What normally happens is players then start shouting "can we get on with it" which is a sign they are interested in playing and not kicking the **** out of each other, a point that I make to the captains as I let them go!
 
As One says, getting all offsides right is impossible at this level. Try using field markings ie nearness to half way line, centre circle, penalty area compared to defenders. This helps when they’re close together. If the player possibly keeping him on is on the other side of the pitch it’s much harder.

If you’re not sure it’s better to give a wrong offside than not penalise and a goal results. Players will soon forget, but a goal possibly wrongly awarded is a game changer.

Again, slow the game down to regain control.

Well done for coming on here and asking for help.
 
markref said:
As One says, getting all offsides right is impossible at this level. Try using field markings ie nearness to half way line, centre circle, penalty area compared to defenders. This helps when they’re close together. If the player possibly keeping him on is on the other side of the pitch it’s much harder.

If you’re not sure it’s better to give a wrong offside than not penalise and a goal results. Players will soon forget, but a goal possibly wrongly awarded is a game changer.

Again, slow the game down to regain control.

Well done for coming on here and asking for help.
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If the don't want to provide AR's tell them to get on with it!
 
I did try explaining that if I saw who threw the punch there was no two ways they'd be walking too. I dont think it really helped as then it became "well why didnt you see" all the advice will be really helpful in my next game I'd quote you all and respond but it's all been really helpful in self reflection.

I should have spoke about the red card when it happened to both managers and captains. It didnt escalate any bad behaviour between the teams just towards me. Looking back and taking the comments into consideration using my communication might have helped me.
 
TSHudson said:
Sounds like you were right to send the player off, no doubt there. With regards to seeing fists fly but not knowing who it was, I agree that you should call the captain over and talk to them. Given the size of the conflict, I would've called both managers and captains over and made it clear why I had given the decisions I did (ie couldn't see who threw the fists) and that if that sort of thing happened again or the game didn't calm down, there would be a serious risk of abandonment.

With regards to offsides, sounds like you're doing the best you can. I personally hate officiating without assistant referees and it makes calling offside very difficult (although sometimes the standard of CAR is really poor). You did the right thing in explaining things to the captains, but going forward make it part of your pre-match routine to talk to the managers and captains about offside. Explain that without assistant referees, calling offside is difficult. It might be an idea also to make the decision pre-match that if you're unsure you'll go with the defender or attacker and again, explain that to the teams beforehand and then ensure you're consistent with it.

To regain control, clamping down on those verbal outbursts will help. Use the captains (and managers if severe, like the homophobic verbal) and say you're hearing what's going on and that it needs to stop. You can also, in some certain circumstances, give "team" yellow cards. If a team (Man City) make 11 small fouls with 11 different players, doesn't mean every player gets 3 goes before getting booked. After a few fouls / verbals you can make it clear that due to the culmination the next one is going in the book. Same with the verbals, explain that you can hear things, not sure who it is, but your tolerance level is now been reached and the next verbal, if you know who it is, is going in the sin bin (dissent) or getting a yellow / red.
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Really good advice thank you. Something I will use if/when the situation comes again
 
Ref_otter said:
Would I report that under the misconduct section ? I've made the league aware. Do you advise emailing CFA ?
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Yes misconduct part of wgs, make sure you provide all details and say you could not identify the perpetrator.
If you have already submitted wgs for the game, just email the discipline people at county.
 
Ref_otter said:
Would I report that under the misconduct section ? I've made the league aware. Do you advise emailing CFA ?
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TBH, the way in which you've described it, it sounds as though the comment shouted was just used in a derogatory/insulting manner rather than directly abusing somebody for their perceived sexuality. It's your call, but if it were me, unless one of the players/coaches/spectators actually complained to me about it, then it's just something I heard and I'd not bother the CFA with it.
 
Kes said:
TBH, the way in which you've described it, it sounds as though the comment shouted was just used in a derogatory/insulting manner rather than directly abusing somebody for their perceived sexuality. It's your call, but if it were me, unless one of the players/coaches/spectators actually complained to me about it, then it's just something I heard and I'd not bother the CFA with it.
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I agree. There's room for context with the word 'faggot', because it's not unusual for this word to be used in generalised contempt with no reference to sexuality. That said, UEFA and the FA have this protocol of reporting everything. As referees, we could end up being reported ourselves for not alleging homophobia for this kind of gutter talk. Use of certain phrases and their meaning varies so much regionally, leaving us stuck in the middle of hypersensitivity and genuine prejudice
 
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Big Cat said:
As referees, we could end up being reported ourselves for not alleging homophobia for this kind of gutter talk. .... leaving us stuck in the middle of hypersensitivity and genuine prejudice
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Correct again.

I'll always "cover my arse" as a referee where this sort of thing is concerned, in the same way that I would act accordingly and report anything I saw or heard that I think ticks that particular box. I won't make work for myself or my CFA however by "reporting" something that is effectively reduced to hearsay and actually achieves nothing outside of allowing some statistician to compile a list of "facts" based on nowt but speculation and pandering to the whim of the permanently offended. I've better things to do than help somebody create "fake news"
 
I received this recently from Kent CFA

In light of recent high profile events and to ensure all parties are familiar with the expected processes please find attached copies of the protocol for dealing with discriminatory abuse together with supplementary guidance for your use and attention.

Whilst much of the advice is geared towards the National League System (higher levels of the game), the message is quite clear;

  • Should you hear/witness this behaviour, then report it.

  • Should an accusation be raised to you, that you did not witness/hear, you must still report it. The guidance notes are very detailed, and should help support what you do.

Please, simply ensure issues are raised with the Kent FA via the Whole Game System, creating a misconduct report on the situation.

I think the decision as to the seriousness of the comments lies with the CFA. I would report it to cover my arse.
 
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