Just got home, and I’m probably looking at another sub 60 mark. Never mind! The club’s mark will also be low.
It started in the 10th minute when I awarded a penalty. He definitely played the ball, but he went through the player to get it when he was one on one with the keeper. That was the first of my “soft” decisions and the first of quite a lot of cautions.
The next was a straight red for sfp. The player jumped over the ball from distance, hitting the opponent just below the knee. He was lucky his foot wasn’t grounded or it would have broken his leg. As it was, he went through the shin pad and left 6 inch tramlines down the player’s leg. Apparently that was a really soft red and it was my fault because I should have given him a free kick a few minutes before!
The team have several referees playing for them - one is a mate of mine who is on the EFL line, although he wasn’t playing today. The others feel the need to give the benefit of their experience in an attempt to undermine the referee.
Quite a lot of writing this evening, because the first player I sent refused to leave the touchline, and stood there shouting abuse at me - one of those who say “it’s a public place!” Actually it’s a school pitch, so you don’t really have a right to be there after all.
Anyway, I’ll report the player for his red card, plus refusal to leave and what he called me when I sent him and then when I asked him to go, as well as the club for failing to control him. The club will also be reported for misconduct by essentially the whole team after the final whistle when they again used some interesting language.
The team have said they’re going to tell the league they don’t want me any more, so we’ll probably be seeing each other again soon!