Checking studs and jewelry pre-match (first game)

[Big Cat]

You mean doing the job properly?

A black or white viewpoint. I strive to do the best possible job i can with every appointment. It's just the studs thing which i see as a pointless pedantic check. Go on... admit it.... the same thought has crossed your mind at some point when nobody was looking...

 

[Sheffields Finest]

I’ve found a few metal objects over the years and the obvious Dog feces mounds! Great to see who’s got the job as the Lumpa Humpa!

 

[Big Cat]

Lumpa Humpa!

In English S'il vous plait

 

[Sheffields Finest]

In English S'il vous plait

Pooper scooper!

 

[Big Cat]

Pooper scooper!

I'm a bit slow. I've faced a turd the size of King Kong's finger and guess who dealt with it? Not the players. But i still didn't check any studs

 

[Padfoot]

A black or white viewpoint. I strive to do the best possible job i can with every appointment. It's just the studs thing which i see as a pointless pedantic check. Go on... admit it.... the same thought has crossed your mind at some point when nobody was looking...

Because it’s a black and white requirement.......it’s not optional. If you don’t do it, you’re not doing the job properly.
Not an opinion....a stone cold fact.

 

[Ref Luke 2203]

Player equipment checks are a requirement. Simple as that. You are right in saying most of the time you will have no issues with player equipement. But what about that one off match where a player has a broken stud. Maybe he doesnt even know its broken. What if a player is wearing a ring with a sharp edge whoch he simply forgot to remove. He goes in for a tackle and what would be a simple foul causes serious injury. If you havent checked the players equipment then morally and lawfully you are partially responsible for simply being too lazy to do a check that takes 30 seconds per team.

 

[Justylove]

Its really simple. Most leagues, certainly where I am expect the pre-match respect handshake.

Line players up facing one of the sidelines - i usually say "Champions League Style" which normally tees up some form of joke about the music or how they play. Once lined up, go along the back of one team checking boots, then walk past them checking for rings, earrings etc, repeat for the other team.

Then get them to do the respect handshake and as they come to shake hands you can catch anything you missed the first time around.

It takes approx 1 minute.

 

[Big Cat]

Because it’s a black and white requirement.......it’s not optional. If you don’t do it, you’re not doing the job properly.
Not an opinion....a stone cold fact.

I don't need convincing that it's a black & white requirement, I need convincing that it's not an utter waste of effort. Does anyone have anything close to a horror story whereby a player was injured primarily because someone was wearing daggers on their feet

 

[Mintyref]

I don't need convincing that it's a black & white requirement, I need convincing that it's not an utter waste of effort. Does anyone have anything close to a horror story whereby a player was injured primarily because someone was wearing daggers on their feet

There's the rub......not from footwear......

 

[Padfoot]

I don't need convincing that it's a black & white requirement, I need convincing that it's not an utter waste of effort. Does anyone have anything close to a horror story whereby a player was injured primarily because someone was wearing daggers on their feet

As it’s a mandatory requirement it cannot be a waste of time.

Stop trying to find excuses for not doing the job properly and just get on with it.

 

[zarathustra]

I don't need convincing that it's a black & white requirement, I need convincing that it's not an utter waste of effort. Does anyone have anything close to a horror story whereby a player was injured primarily because someone was wearing daggers on their feet

Players have lost fingers due to wearing wedding rings etc.

And I have no doubt that there are people around who’ve suffered injuries when wearing earrings etc which get hit with the ball, or caught on someone’s clothing.

If players can get serious injuries from opponents who were just wearing undismayed blades then it stands to reason that a player could get injured by an opponent whose boots have a damaged stud etc.

As it’s a mandatory requirement it cannot be a waste of time.

Stop trying to find excuses for not doing the job properly and just get on with it.

I agree that the kit check is important, however just because something is mandatory doesn’t mean it can’t be a waste of time.

 

[Big Cat]

I have no problem with all other aspects checking kit. Only the stud check which i consider absurd

 

[Justylove]

I have no problem with all other aspects checking kit. Only the stud check which i consider absurd

A lot of players don't actually take care of their boots, many boots go into the bag at the end of a game and don't come out again until the next match. Therefore they don't actually know what condition they are In.

Granted, it's a long shot that you'll pick something up, however much like checking the nets are secured, it's something that if you don't do, you run the risk of getting caught out.

Ultimately, your choice, but as you go up through the levels, if you choose not to do it, could be the difference between promotion or not.

 

[Sheffields Finest]

What did the risk assessment say to handling boots that had last weeks crusted dog crap on? I’m sure the FA are well insured though!

 

[markref]

I don't need convincing that it's a black & white requirement, I need convincing that it's not an utter waste of effort. Does anyone have anything close to a horror story whereby a player was injured primarily because someone was wearing daggers on their feet

I had a player seriously injured by an opponent’s bladed boots in a Sunday league game almost 20 years ago.
Part way through the game the ball was bouncing between two players, five yards away from me. Both players raised a foot to kick the ball, with one of them getting there slightly quicker than the other. He kicked the ball and then his foot dropped towards the floor. As it did so his studs slid across the other player’s thigh and the blade opened the player’s leg up like a knife going through butter. There was no force involved. Blades were a new thing at the time -This was the first time I’d seen them, but the easy way it sliced the player’s leg open was shocking.
I had inspected equipment 20 minutes before and the player had actually told me they were brand new. There hadn’t appeared to be anything wrong with them, but I checked them again and realised that there is a naturally sharp edge on one of the studs.
The player was really not happy to be told to change his boots while we waited for the ambulance but as I told him, if they can do that much damage with no force then they would be really dangerous in a hard challenge. The manufacturer took his boots back and destroyed them a few days later.
The thing is, because I’d checked equipment I was covered if the injured player had tried to sue because of his injury. If I hadn’t checked I could have been in trouble because I would be accepting liability for any injuries caused by my failure to do my duty.

 

[Tino Best]

I always do a boot jewelry check and also make sure they are padded up. A lot of the time in the winter you can't see the studs due to mud but it is part of our job to check. I have told 9 years old they can't play until they have taken their earing out, Seen watches given to coaches. I am sure at some point I will see something which would cause concern. Its an easy thing to do as all players expect it. I did a game on Wednesday and because of an accident arrived at KO. All mandatory checks were still done nets checked equipment check etc, and KO was delayed until they had been done. It would have been very easy to just let these slip for that game but if the goal posts had collapsed on some one I would be in a bit of bother.

 

[Ciley Myrus]

I had a player seriously injured by an opponent’s bladed boots in a Sunday league game almost 20 years ago.
Part way through the game the ball was bouncing between two players, five yards away from me. Both players raised a foot to kick the ball, with one of them getting there slightly quicker than the other. He kicked the ball and then his foot dropped towards the floor. As it did so his studs slid across the other player’s thigh and the blade opened the player’s leg up like a knife going through butter. There was no force involved. Blades were a new thing at the time -This was the first time I’d seen them, but the easy way it sliced the player’s leg open was shocking.
I had inspected equipment 20 minutes before and the player had actually told me they were brand new. There hadn’t appeared to be anything wrong with them, but I checked them again and realised that there is a naturally sharp edge on one of the studs.
The player was really not happy to be told to change his boots while we waited for the ambulance but as I told him, if they can do that much damage with no force then they would be really dangerous in a hard challenge. The manufacturer took his boots back and destroyed them a few days later.
The thing is, because I’d checked equipment I was covered if the injured player had tried to sue because of his injury. If I hadn’t checked I could have been in trouble because I would be accepting liability for any injuries caused by my failure to do my duty.

Actually no. Because you have checked and you deemed them to be suitable, you could have been sued. Either way you cant win here. If you are taking responsibilty for someones boots being safe, and they are not, then its indeed your responsibilty.

 

[Padfoot]

Article

This is from bladed boots.....boots that I believe were not damaged.....imagine the carnage from damaged studs!

A visual check is 100% required.....no one is expecting you to touch the boots....

 

[Ben448844]

When blades first came out there was a lot of commotion around them. The modern blades boots are excellent and present a greatly reduced safety risk.

I remember my first pair of bladed boots, it felt like I was walking 3 inches off the ground! My modern bladed boots are far more substantial.

As for the safety checks. They are mandatory. At the Sunday League level I ref at, I do it briefly and informally at the same time as the jewellery check, just before I whistle for the teams to show that we are ready to play.