Buzzing the ref

[JoeyR1708]

Hi,
So I’m currently in my first full season as a referee and I’m going for promotion twice this season to get up to Level 5!

I was an assistant referee as one of the third round qualifying matches for the Women’s FA Cup a couple of weeks ago and one of the other officials asked if we were going to be using buzzers and buzzing the referee.

I had absolutely no idea what this meant! Can someone enlighten me on what he was going on about as I’m going to be doing more AR work in the Spartan South Midlands League so I think that standard would have something like this.

Thanks!

 

[GraemeS]

Some referees will own buzzer flags, which have a button on the handle of the flag that sends a signal to a receiver on the referees arm to make it vibrate, so that he knows if he's missed a flag.

Generally, the convention is to buzz to accompany offside and foul flags, when a substitution is requested from the benchside AR, when the ball has only just gone out of play and can also be used to surreptitiously signal the referee that there is something going on without giving a visual flag if you think he may wish to overrule. Flag but don't buzz for routine throw-in or goal kick/corner decisions.

Don't be afraid to ask the referee what he expects the first time you're given a buzzer flag, as there may be some regional or even individual variation in what's expected.

But don't worry too much about getting yourself a set yet - they can be comfortably over £400 for a pair + receiver, you're not actually allowed to use them below a certain level and it's the referee's responsibility to provide them if he does want to use them. Personally, I'll probably get myself a set if I get L4 - some referees will get them for their L5-L4 promotion seasons but it's definitely a waste of money before that point!

 

[JamesL]

Some referees will own buzzer flags, which have a button on the handle of the flag that sends a signal to a receiver on the referees arm to make it vibrate, so that he knows if he's missed a flag.

Generally, the convention is to buzz to accompany offside and foul flags, when a substitution is requested from the benchside AR, when the ball has only just gone out of play and can also be used to surreptitiously signal the referee that there is something going on without giving a visual flag if you think he may wish to overrule. Flag but don't buzz for routine throw-in or goal kick/corner decisions.

Don't be afraid to ask the referee what he expects the first time you're given a buzzer flag, as there may be some regional or even individual variation in what's expected.

But don't worry too much about getting yourself a set yet - they can be comfortably over £400 for a pair + receiver, you're not actually allowed to use them below a certain level and it's the referee's responsibility to provide them if he does want to use them. Personally, I'll probably get myself a set if I get L4 - some referees will get them for their L5-L4 promotion seasons but it's definitely a waste of money before that point!

I think buzzers are the exception that there is no set level where they are or aren't allowed.

But other than that, in a nutshell what Graeme said.

It is simply a communication device which alerts the referee to a signal or information from assistant referee by the pressing of a button.

To be honest as well, if I have someone who is inexperienced on the line, I'd probably tell them not to worry about buzzing anything unless they want my attention.. Id rather you concentrate on basic decisions, offside, ball out of play and direction, than remembering to press a button.

 

[GraemeS]

I think buzzers are the exception that there is no set level where they are or aren't allowed.

But other than that, in a nutshell what Graeme said.

It is simply a communication device which alerts the referee to a signal or information from assistant referee by the pressing of a button.

To be honest as well, if I have someone who is inexperienced on the line, I'd probably tell them not to worry about buzzing anything unless they want my attention.. Id rather you concentrate on basic decisions, offside, ball out of play and direction, than remembering to press a button.

I had in my head they weren't allowed at grassroots - not that it would be smart to give half of a £400 piece of kit to a CAR, but I thought that was enshrined in rules that you weren't allowed to do that even if for some reason you did want to. But TBH, the reason I didn't specify a level is because I wasn't sure, so happy to accept the correction on that!

 

[JamesL]

I had in my head they weren't allowed at grassroots - not that it would be smart to give half of a £400 piece of kit to a CAR, but I thought that was enshrined in rules that you weren't allowed to do that even if for some reason you did want to. But TBH, the reason I didn't specify a level is because I wasn't sure, so happy to accept the correction on that!

I just haven't heard of it myself.
But yes, no way a club lino getting their mitts on mine.

 

[Ross]

To be fair @JamesL id be buzzing you every 30 seconds or so just coz I can

In all seriousness though, I’ve worked with guys in the past that wanted different number of buzzes for different things, got really complicated

 

[Kref]

Hi,
So I’m currently in my first full season as a referee and I’m going for promotion twice this season to get up to Level 5!

I was an assistant referee as one of the third round qualifying matches for the Women’s FA Cup a couple of weeks ago and one of the other officials asked if we were going to be using buzzers and buzzing the referee.

I had absolutely no idea what this meant! Can someone enlighten me on what he was going on about as I’m going to be doing more AR work in the Spartan South Midlands League so I think that standard would have something like this.

Thanks!

Good luck on your double promotion, that'll be hard.

 

[santa sangria]

I think buzzers are the exception that there is no set level where they are or aren't allowed.

But other than that, in a nutshell what Graeme said.

It is simply a communication device which alerts the referee to a signal or information from assistant referee by the pressing of a button.

To be honest as well, if I have someone who is inexperienced on the line, I'd probably tell them not to worry about buzzing anything unless they want my attention.. Id rather you concentrate on basic decisions, offside, ball out of play and direction, than remembering to press a button.

Round here no one uses buzzers as so many people have bought the motorcycle type headsets that work great and come out at 300-350 and are basically cheaper and better than buzzers (with the caveat that what to say on comms is a skill to bd learnt and is am extra layer of complication for beginners).

 

[JamesL]

Round here no one uses buzzers as so many people have bought the motorcycle type headsets that work great and come out at 300-350 and are basically cheaper and better than buzzers (with the caveat that what to say on comms is a skill to bd learnt and is am extra layer of complication for beginners).

See the other thread.
We aren't allowed them. Which is a shame. I got dinged for flagging a foul, far side of goal to my position, because keeper Carried the ball out for what would be a corner, right decision, Ref tried to play advantage but could not as ball out of play.
easily solved with Comms..but messier without and I got dinged for signalling foul instead of ball out of play..with Comms I don't even need to signal.

 

[Anubis]

Makes me shudder the promo guy flogging his comms

and hey presto the very next day we have ' innocently' a new referee perplexed by buzzers

New ar has enough to sweat about with the basics, on and off the pitch, throwing in buzzers and a prematch gargle will honest only startle them more, nevermind the mere suggestion of a talky communication device

overload!

folk really need to walk before they run, the gadgets will come at the right time and place

 

[RustyRef]

The problem with using buzzers too early in your refereeing career is you risk getting into bad habits. Without buzzers when you first start working with NARs you need to get into the habit of looking at your active AR every time the ball is played forward and then again when an attacking player touches the ball. Sure, you will miss a few flags as you get used to it, but that is all part of learning.

The problem that leads to is technology fails, and if you are reliant on it you are going to be in real trouble when that happens. I've been there as an AR, and I'm sure others have, where you are stood there with your flag up for an AR, pressing the button, but the referee is routinely ignoring you. If the referee had learned his trade properly that wouldn't happen. Personally I think L3 is the right time to start using them, L4 at a push, anything below that is definitely too early.