The Ref Stop

celebrating goals at EFL level

K

Kent Ref

RefChat Addict
Up until the last 5 years players were discouraged away from celebrating a goal in front of opposing fans and often the referee would produce a yellow for people getting as close to the fans as possible and using provocative actions / gestures.

This seems to have stopped from around 2018.

Now players regularly makes gestures and get as close to the home fans at my team's ground (Gillingham) when hey score. Making gestures with your lips, hands and getting as close as possible seem to be a type of incitement. Is this ok? Is this "celebrating a goal"? I don't think so.

Today a "fan / idiot" was expelled from the ground for racist gestures, banned from the club for life and faces criminal charges - quite rightly too.

But back to what happened with the player involved. He was warned, in front of his captain, by the referee for this today. Then when he scored again he did the exact same thing - still no card or any action by the referee.

Was there a directive issued some time ago for referees at the highest level not to stop this type of behaviour anymore?
 
The Ref Stop
Kent Ref said:
Up until the last 5 years players were discouraged away from celebrating a goal in front of opposing fans and often the referee would produce a yellow for people getting as close to the fans as possible and using provocative actions / gestures.

This seems to have stopped from around 2018.

Now players regularly makes gestures and get as close to the home fans at my team's ground (Gillingham) when hey score. Making gestures with your lips, hands and getting as close as possible seem to be a type of incitement. Is this ok? Is this "celebrating a goal"? I don't think so.

Today a "fan / idiot" was expelled from the ground for racist gestures, banned from the club for life and faces criminal charges - quite rightly too.

But back to what happened with the player involved. He was warned, in front of his captain, by the referee for this today. Then when he scored again he did the exact same thing - still no card or any action by the referee.

Was there a directive issued some time ago for referees at the highest level not to stop this type of behaviour anymore?
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There has never been a directive to have stopped a directive that never really existed. The law says it is a caution if the celebration involves ...

• climbing onto a perimeter fence and/or approaching the spectators in a manner which causes safety and/or security issues
• acting in a provocative, derisory or inflammatory way
• covering the head or face with a mask or other similar item
• removing the shirt or covering the head with the shirt

There's nothing about celebrating in front of opposition fans, and indeed for away team players that would be nigh on impossible. And no doubt the away player had been getting pelters from Gillingham fans all game so just decided to show them what he thought of though.
 
RustyRef said:
There has never been a directive to have stopped a directive that never really existed. The law says it is a caution if the celebration involves ...

• climbing onto a perimeter fence and/or approaching the spectators in a manner which causes safety and/or security issues
• acting in a provocative, derisory or inflammatory way
• covering the head or face with a mask or other similar item
• removing the shirt or covering the head with the shirt

There's nothing about celebrating in front of opposition fans, and indeed for away team players that would be nigh on impossible. And no doubt the away player had been getting pelters from Gillingham fans all game so just decided to show them what he thought of though.
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"acting in a provocative, derisory or inflammatory way"

For me, this is the conduct that is going unchecked, but used to be dealt with rigorously.
 
Kent Ref said:
"acting in a provocative, derisory or inflammatory way"

For me, this is the conduct that is going unchecked, but used to be dealt with rigorously.
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No it didn't. I had a season ticket from around 2012 at an EFL (league 1/championship) and its been happening for years. Happens at away grounds too with home teams to away fans..
Jamie Vardy could create a feature length film of his fan goading.
If you can show me where it is s actually caused a problem or are you just upset that your team conceded a goal...
 
JamesL said:
No it didn't. I had a season ticket from around 2012 at an EFL (league 1/championship) and its been happening for years. Happens at away grounds too with home teams to away fans..
Jamie Vardy could create a feature length film of his fan goading.
If you can show me where it is s actually caused a problem or are you just upset that your team conceded a goal...
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i'm very objective and a lot of this is designed to create a problem.

Why would you go 10 yards past the goalline and stand within 2 yards of the fans?
 
Kent Ref said:
i'm very objective and a lot of this is designed to create a problem.

Why would you go 10 yards past the goalline and stand within 2 yards of the fans?
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Why shouldn't they?

Shouldn't fans be able to act in a manner that isn't going to cause scenes such as the ones we saw at gillingham today
 
I wish i had a video to show you.

"celebrating" is not what players are doing nowadays at this level.

Players are goading, gesturing, making signs and getting as close as they can to supporters of the OTHER team, not their own team.

Why not go to your own fans and do all this? It' very easy to know where your supporters are at Priestfield. I know it's another 50 yards to go but players are athletes.
 
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It's usually a reaction to getting pelters from the crowd all game.
Maybe the fans should stop shouting vile abuse at the opposition, and concentrate on supporting their own teamm.
 
Was involved in a game where a player was sent off for something along these lines.
starts around 1min in (penalty, awarded, scored, then celebrated)
 
I have a feeling the red wasn't for the celebration. The player must have gestured or done something ridiculous. The reason I think this is the player doesn't protest that red.
 
Kent Ref said:
Up until the last 5 years players were discouraged away from celebrating a goal in front of opposing fans and often the referee would produce a yellow for people getting as close to the fans as possible and using provocative actions / gestures.

This seems to have stopped from around 2018.

Now players regularly makes gestures and get as close to the home fans at my team's ground (Gillingham) when hey score. Making gestures with your lips, hands and getting as close as possible seem to be a type of incitement. Is this ok? Is this "celebrating a goal"? I don't think so.

Today a "fan / idiot" was expelled from the ground for racist gestures, banned from the club for life and faces criminal charges - quite rightly too.

But back to what happened with the player involved. He was warned, in front of his captain, by the referee for this today. Then when he scored again he did the exact same thing - still no card or any action by the referee.

Was there a directive issued some time ago for referees at the highest level not to stop this type of behaviour anymore?
Click to expand...
I’m assuming the racial gesture was done after the second goal, which you wanted a card for, into which it has to be pointed the terrible idea of a referee carding a player who has just been obviously racially abused
 
Joshref said:
I’m assuming the racial gesture was done after the second goal, which you wanted a card for, into which it has to be pointed the terrible idea of a referee carding a player who has just been obviously racially abused
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Especially since players like Neal Maupay have popularised shushing or cupping ears to away fans all the time. These actions are tame by comparison
 
Joshref said:
I’m assuming the racial gesture was done after the second goal, which you wanted a card for, into which it has to be pointed the terrible idea of a referee carding a player who has just been obviously racially abused
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no it was after the 1st goal
 
Kent Ref said:
no it was after the 1st goal
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Either way (and I'm fully aware that you're not defending the reaction of the fan) - if a football supporter gets that angry about a player celebrating in front of them, even if they shush them, then that is their own problem. The same 'fans' would quite happily tell said player how rubbish he was if he missed a sitter, so a bit of stick back to the fans is fair game for me as long as they don't go right up to the barrier because then they put themselves in danger.
 
RefereeX said:
Either way (and I'm fully aware that you're not defending the reaction of the fan) - if a football supporter gets that angry about a player celebrating in front of them, even if they shush them, then that is their own problem. The same 'fans' would quite happily tell said player how rubbish he was if he missed a sitter, so a bit of stick back to the fans is fair game for me as long as they don't go right up to the barrier because then they put themselves in danger.
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You should perhaps read post #2 above, and consider whether what you describe as "a bit of stick" fits neatly within bullet point 2.
 
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