The Ref Stop

Checking studs and jewelry pre-match (first game)

B

benchwarmer

New Member
Hi all. Got my first match tomorrow, school football at U14 level. Reading through loads of threads on here is really helping my preparation, although I still have one query:

Do I really need to go around all 22 players (plus subs) before the match inspecting their footwear and checking their hands/neck/ears etc for jewelry? The supervisor who appointed me to the match said just turn up half an hour prior to kick off - but if I need to go around and inspect each player I feel this would take up a large part of this preparation time! And when would I do it, when they are warming up, when they are huddled round for a team talk with the manager, or do I order them to line up and get it done in one swoop? Also, when a sub is made, do I go over and check their studs and hands before allowing them on? Feels a bit overkill as it's rolling subs so I could be running over to the touchline every few minutes. Even when I'm watching the Premier League the fourth official barely even glances when the player show his studs before coming on as a sub.

Ideally I would like to get off to a good start and not have the players thinking 'he doesn't know what he's doing' as that mentality might seep onto the pitch as the game starts.

Any advice appreciated.
 
The Ref Stop
If your mind is getting preoccupied on this matter, here is what i would do (and i stress, only what I would do)

When you are saying hi to each coach, getting team lines, whatever the situation is, I would ask "what colours are you today, " or some other basic random not committal small talk then throw in "can you make sure your guys have all jewelry removed please".
Job done

if then you spot something either before kick off, or at worst, during the game, you can then instruct them as the situation dictates.

It absolutely riles me up to see a referee regimentaly lining up players on the park like drill instructors then miss numerous blatent fouls during the game

Again i stress, if I was hung up on jewelry, this is only how I would approach it.
 
Thanks for quick reply. That sounds like a reasonable request to the manager before the match, think I may go down that route. I haven't actually played a proper 11 a side match before (never good enough for my school team :p) so that's why I'm a little unsure of protocol and what the players will be expecting.
 
You prob also find the the kids are not allowed to wear jewelry during PE so a request that they dont during a football match is certainly not unreasonable.
I understand your desire to get things right from the start, thats very commendable.

There are no doubt posters on here about to reply with "line them all up and check everything" There is merit to this and it might help ensure the LOTG re jewerly are being adhered to. Its just not how I would go about it. i think my version is more "street wise and sensible"
 
I like to turn up an hour before, rather than 30 minutes. Gives me plenty of time to do the pitch inspection, get the paperwork out and have an eye on the players as they turn up. It also gives me more time to get changed and go warm up - I hope you do warm up! :)

What I do is, watch the players around the time I'm doing my warm up - assuming they're out there warming up as well. This lets me tackle immediate issues: Undershirts or undershorts of the wrong colour for example. Then I can bring it up with the manager as everyone goes in to the dressing room - nice and easy, don't need to talk to four or five different players then. From there, assuming all the paperwork is done, I'll stand outside the building exit/pitch entrance and watch as players walk through - this will be the informal check for jewellery etc.

In theory, you shouldn't need to do an additional equipment check when you're doing the substitutions, but I do so anyway because they have to come in at the halfway line and I need to take their numbers/names. Sometimes you'll miss little things like a rubber band under their sleeve, if that happens just order them off.


Where the pitch and dressing rooms are a considerable distance apart, then I tend to order the home team to be responsible for bringing the team sheet up to the pitch and I try an informal examination of the kit/jewellery either before/after my warm up, just by going round to the players as I double-check the pitch. I really hate doing last minute pitch inspections and not warming up pre-match, and it isn't feasible to go back and forth at these grounds, and players tend to trickle off, so getting them all in one place can be a pain. Plus, some teams just aren't organised, so you'll be lucky to get the team sheet back at the appointed time!
 
DO check them. It covers your own arse at the very least. Although it's not something that's ever been tested in court as far as I know, you're technically responsible for their safety. Failing to at least try and identify if any players have earrings in or broken studs could in theory leave you liable, where at least if you've attempted to look and missed something that later caused an injury, you've put in an effort and everyone involved knows you tried.

DON'T drag them in from all over the pitch in order to do it. Most teams will get together for a team-talk, or for some tight passing drills shortly before kick-off. In the case of a team-talk, hover nearby and then ask to carry out checks once the manager's done. In the case of drills, you may need to interrupt as they can go on for a while, but at least you're not annoying players by dragging them in from all over the pitch.

Go up and down a line, or round in a circle, but don't try and do it while they're milling around as you could easily miss someone. At the level we all work up, I'd check the subs with the rest of the team at kick-off and not worry too much when they come on - if they've deliberately adjusted their equipment between kick off and coming on, that's their own decision.
 
GraemeS said:
DO check them. It covers your own arse at the very least. Although it's not something that's ever been tested in court as far as I know, you're technically responsible for their safety. Failing to at least try and identify if any players have earrings in or broken studs could in theory leave you liable, where at least if you've attempted to look and missed something that later caused an injury, you've put in an effort and everyone involved knows you tried.

DON'T drag them in from all over the pitch in order to do it. Most teams will get together for a team-talk, or for some tight passing drills shortly before kick-off. In the case of a team-talk, hover nearby and then ask to carry out checks once the manager's done. In the case of drills, you may need to interrupt as they can go on for a while, but at least you're not annoying players by dragging them in from all over the pitch. Go up and down a line, or round in a circle - but don't try and do it while they're milling around as you could easily miss someone.
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Isn't this a contradiction of Law 5 clause 6 - Liability of Match Officials?
 
Big Cat said:
Isn't this a contradiction of Law 5 clause 6 - Liability of Match Officials?
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Only if we accept that the laws of football override the laws of the land - again, I don't think that's been tested in court, but I wouldn't risk it personally!
 
I never bother checking studs. I tell both managers to make sure all metal jewellery is removed and that I will caution any player I find with jewellery on. I do check shin pads, but as they're warming up, or while I'm counting players before kick off. I don't get them lined up.

I quite often find players have their wedding rings on, covered in tape. This is usually very easy to spot before kickoff without having to do a formal line up. (This is not likely to be an issue in a U14 game.)
 
You would be wrong to caution for "having jewellery on"

So unless you want to continue to be wrong in the LOTG, it might be wise to refrain from this.
 
Trip said:
I never bother checking studs. I tell both managers to make sure all metal jewellery is removed and that I will caution any player I find with jewellery on. I do check shin pads, but as they're warming up, or while I'm counting players before kick off. I don't get them lined up.

I quite often find players have their wedding rings on, covered in tape. This is usually very easy to spot before kickoff without having to do a formal line up. (This is not likely to be an issue in a U14 game.)
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Out of curiosity, why don't you check studs? I've never found a reason to tell a player there's a problem with boots but it's a 30 second task which can be completed while doing a brief. And if booking for jewellery, what code are you putting that under? Is it actually a cauntionable offence? I don't mean to be rude, but this almost seems a bit lazy ....
 
To the OP, check it all. Cover yourself. If you've done the checks but missed someone wearing ear rings, that's the players fault as they knew you were doing the check and they have intentionally ignored you. If you don't do the check, you could be questioned for not doing the job properly.

I tend to combine pitch inspection in with the checks. Teams tend to warm up on either side of the pitch so check one goal, check the players, jog to the other set of players, check them and then check the other goal. Job done.

One thing I've learnt, if you have CAR's, do their brief at the same time as the captains. This not only allows the captains to hear what they've been instructed to do, but on many occasions I've given a brief to them 5/10 minutes before KO and then they handed the flag over to their mate!
 
I do check boots, pads, colours discreetly in passing. I don't check studs because it's pointless and give an officious first impression. @benchwarmer as this is your first game, don't worry too much about the detail as you don't want to be overloaded. You'll establish your own routine in time. Just make sure you're on time, well presented and don't worry if you feel nervous; this will likely come to pass the moment you blow the whistle
 
Big Cat said:
I do check boots, pads, colours discreetly in passing. I don't check studs because it's pointless and give an officious first impression. @benchwarmer as this is your first game, don't worry too much about the detail as you don't want to be overloaded. You'll establish your own routine in time. Just make sure you're on time, well presented and don't worry if you feel nervous; this will likely come to pass the moment you blow the whistle
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I understand the reasoning behind the advice not to check boots, but surely start as you mean to go on? It may be a lot but it's all doable within a 30 minute guideline. If anything, get there earlier if you feel you don't have enough time just to cover yourself rather than negating parts of the job. Players expect boot checks anyway so I'd be surprised if it came across as 'officious'
 
QuaverRef said:
Out of curiosity, why don't you check studs? I've never found a reason to tell a player there's a problem with boots
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Well, there you go.

QuaverRef said:
And if booking for jewellery, what code are you putting that under? Is it actually a cauntionable offence?
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Wearing metal jewellery is needless and dangerous, which is almost the definition of unsporting behaviour. As it happens I've never had to do it, but I would have no problem justifying it.
 
^^^ you would be wrong ^^ its not a cautionable offence. Which means, you are making things up as you go along. Which gives the referees who are doing the correct thing an even harder time. You are also taking a match fee and not adhering to the LOTG.
 
Trip said:
Well, there you go.



Wearing metal jewellery is needless and dangerous, which is almost the definition of unsporting behaviour. As it happens I've never had to do it, but I would have no problem justifying it.
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Just because something hasn't arisen doesn't mean you shouldn't do it.


And on jewellery, if somebody catches their ear ring and the FA contact you to ask if you did the checks, what do you say? I didn't check but I just told the manager to make sure?
 
QuaverRef said:
I understand the reasoning behind the advice not to check boots, but surely start as you mean to go on? It may be a lot but it's all doable within a 30 minute guideline. If anything, get there earlier if you feel you don't have enough time just to cover yourself rather than negating parts of the job. Players expect boot checks anyway so I'd be surprised if it came across as 'officious'
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I don't check studs because the practise is dated, tedious for all concerned; and more importantly, pointless. But i do have a thorough checklist in my notebook which includes everything else under the sun
 
Big Cat said:
I don't check studs because the practise is dated, tedious for all concerned; and more importantly, pointless. But i do have a thorough checklist in my notebook which includes everything else under the sun
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Everything under the sun, expect boots and jewelry?

I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. I would be interested to know what an assessor would say on the issue though (genuinely interested, not sarcasm).
 
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