The Ref Stop

Assistant Referee Pathway

Should there be an Assistant Referee Pathway?

  • Total voters
    12
KAM

KAM

Active Member
I was doing a game on Thursday night and got talking with the ref I was with and we were saying what we preferred and I said the line & then he said he likes it in the middle fair points. But we where unsure is there actually an "Assistant Referee Pathway" ? Like you can go up the levels running the or is there just the usual promotion.

I feel there should be one for the referees out here who want to just run the line up the levels.

What do you all think?
 
The Ref Stop
Yeah I totally agree, I think you should be able to specialise as an assistant at any level, I personally prefer middles, but I have a very good friend who I work with a fair bit and he doesn't like middles, he really doesn't enjoy them, and he has considered quitting because he would have to do middles for the next 5 years at least.
 
I am happy to be assistant but would far prefer the middle! Should be an option to specialise early for those interested though I agree.
 
I love both!

I reckon they could do a separate promotion scheme from level 6 up where it's called 6A, 5A etc. and, for example, when you have a league with level 4 refs and level 5 ARs, as well as the level 5s, they could also have 6As on the line.
 
With regards to the question above, I voted yes but I don't think that means that people who want to do middles as well should be stopped doing both.
 
I think that there does need to be something in place earlier to train AR's because it is totally different to being in the middle and it is something that I would do because I love acting as an AR.
 
I wish something like this was available at a lower level. Despite very sore big toes afterwards I absolutely love running the line!!!
 
There's a fine balancing act to be had with AR pathways. I think they are a sound idea when used correctly but it has to be at the higher levels to be effective.

To my mind you have to have reached a certain level of the game as a referee to appreciate the different pressures and expectations at the top level so there cannot be a gulf between the match experiences of the officials involved.
 
I think the current system is probably the best solution, having a AR pathway from 7 would be potentially disastrous. For example, the scenario where you are the Senior AR is the Blue Square South (No 4th Official). The referee goes down after two minutes. You are expected to enter the middle having only refereed games in the lowest leagues of amateur football, this is not only unfair on the teams but also on the official.
 
Pierluigi said:
I think the current system is probably the best solution, having a AR pathway from 7 would be potentially disastrous. For example, the scenario where you are the Senior AR is the Blue Square South (No 4th Official). The referee goes down after two minutes. You are expected to enter the middle having only refereed games in the lowest leagues of amateur football, this is not only unfair on the teams but also on the official.
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In your example, the match would have to be abandoned (as was happened in a FA cup match earlier this season, as the AR was not of the required level to referee).
 
lincs22 said:
In your example, the match would have to be abandoned (as was happened in a FA cup match earlier this season, as the AR was not of the required level to referee).
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Well that I guess is even worse and creates an even larger flaw of a proposed assistants pathway from grassroots. Surely this FA Cup match would have been abandoned as the teams were not satisfied with the standard of the official? Games at every level with neutral assistants includes two ARs who are not at the required level to referee the match. For example at a Supply League game the Senior is likely to be a 5/6 and the Junior a 6/7. The senior would still take over even though you are required to be a level 4 at that level.
 
What if you had a young lad who had done games on the line and was clearly incredibly talented and enjoyed it considerably more than being in the middle. He would have to do assessments in the middle when he'd rather become an AR
 
So those people against it, would you prefer talented assistants quitting refereeing because they hate middles?
 
hattersfan said:
My question is - if they hate middles, why did they become a referee...??
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That's why I avoided the word hate in my scenario. For me, it all bubbles down to cost... NAR's won't be used as much at lower level football because a lot of clubs simply can't afford the added costs
 
you don't r
hattersfan said:
My question is - if they hate middles, why did they become a referee...??
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You don't referee before you qualify and, it does take time to see what you prefer at the start I enjoyed lines more, but I built up confidences in the middle and it is now very much the opposite.
 
jack.prescott said:
That's why I avoided the word hate in my scenario. For me, it all bubbles down to cost... NAR's won't be used as much at lower level football because a lot of clubs simply can't afford the added costs
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I have a very good friend who does hate middles
 
Specialization is only useful at a certain point. Until then, if you can't do one then you'll never be able to do the other.
 
Then maybe to sort all of this out the best option would be some AR training at grassroots level, because I know for a fact that in Hull there is no detailed training events on how to act well as an assistant, which you can tell by the standard of AR's at cup finals etc.
I'd like to think that I'm quite a good AR for my level, but I've been self taught as have almost all grassroots AR's (well not counting the intense training I got on the basic course where they told you which way to point the flag ;) )
 
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