Craziest Appeal You’ve Seen

[Joshref]

A recent thread about a lot of people not knowing the rules regarding being offside from a save got me thinking, what is the craziest appeal you’ve had? As in, what is the one time you’ve given an extremely obvious decision or applied what you thought was an extremely obvious law and its sparked pandemonium.

I remember a player taking a quick throw down the line whilst the team was out of position to himself and putting in a killer ball. I laughed at the stupidity of the player and blew, only for pandemonium to arise, especially from the coach, who argued every other ref this season had allowed the thrower to throw the ball to themselves. I informed them the other refs were incorrect, to which he then told me he was a qualfied Ref. When I asked him what level he was, he asked me what level I was and I told him 7, to which he told me he was a Level 8 ! He looked a bit old to be a Level 8 tho.

Also, Im surprised by the amount of times teams throw the ball back to their keeper and he picks it up. U11 game I can get it, but I’ve seen it in U16s. It’s still a back pass lads!

 

[Tealeaf]

Two weekends ago. Sent a U16 off for a punch. As blatant as you like too.

Parents from side reduced to 10 wanted opposition player who was punched to be cautioned, because “He must have done something to be punched in the first place.”

Yep. Dumbfounded.

 

[santa sangria]

My fave appeal was last season. I have cited it on here, but I will again.

Clumsy penalty given away unnecessarily. Captain and centre back not happy. Penalty is saved, but taker comes in, easily beats the GK to the ball to score, with some trifling contact because the GK is late.

I retreat towards the intersection of the goal area and goal line - because coming at me like trains are the captain and centre back... screaming blue moidah... I calmly step back and they slow down and walk into the yellow card and calm down.

Centre back is a top flight AR, captain is a second tier ref. After the game, the centre back came to the dressing room and told me he agreed with the decisions. Rejoice.

 

[ladbroke8745]

A recent thread about a lot of people not knowing the rules regarding being offside from a save got me thinking, what is the craziest appeal you’ve had? As in, what is the one time you’ve given an extremely obvious decision or applied what you thought was an extremely obvious law and its sparked pandemonium.

I remember a player taking a quick throw down the line whilst the team was out of position to himself and putting in a killer ball. I laughed at the stupidity of the player and blew, only for pandemonium to arise, especially from the coach, who argued every other ref this season had allowed the thrower to throw the ball to themselves. I informed them the other refs were incorrect, to which he then told me he was a qualfied Ref. When I asked him what level he was, he asked me what level I was and I told him 7, to which he told me he was a Level 8 ! He looked a bit old to be a Level 8 tho.

Also, Im surprised by the amount of times teams throw the ball back to their keeper and he picks it up. U11 game I can get it, but I’ve seen it in U16s. It’s still a back pass lads!

I remember a few similar instances when managers and players have said they're referees. One said they were a level 3 ref, playing Sunday morning football. He was giving me lots of abuse.
I reminded him that if he continues, and I send him off, he'd be suspended from all football activity and as someone who is a level 3 would know, that would include refereeing duties (or so I understand). It certainly wouldn't look good on his behalf.
He then backed down and said I "caught him lut".

Another manager questioned my level (6) and he said he was a 7 and very much more experienced and better qualified so I should listen. I apologised and said "you're right, you may be more experienced but level 7 is below 6. He said "you're obviously clueless, 7 is higher than 6".
Ok mate.
Reported to county as misconduct (prior to days we could caution them).

 

[RobOda]

A boring one recently;

Full back flies in, orange card challenge really, I went yellow and that was apparently very controversial for the defending team who were adamant he never touched the player.

Two seconds later, fouled player goes down right in front of the entire defence, physio on, two huge stud marked welts on his ankle that went through the shinguard.

Defending team still 100% convinced it was never a foul.

Another manager questioned my level (6) and he said he was a 7 and very much more experienced and better qualified so I should listen. I apologised and said "you're right, you may be more experienced but level 7 is below 6. He said "you're obviously clueless, 7 is higher than 6".

They're always like that aren't they?

Had a qualified referee as a manager in one of my first games this season, chatted to him pre-match and he was saying how he found the fitness test hard - fair enough, but failed to achieve the score for promotion, so it was irrelevant. A shame really. All nice and smiles. Game started, then it was a different attitude and different matter altogether.

Tried to pull a fast one with the competition rules to nullify the game by playing an ineligible sub, but I wasn't having it.

 

[LothianRef]

Had to stop play and give an indirect free kick and caution for dissent a few weeks back. Indirect free kicks - outwith offside - aren't very common so one of the comments was "is he offside?". Yeah mate I'm stopping the winger who's just run 10 yards up the wing to now pull it back for offside.

 

[Keeday]

Running the line in a step five game. Manager is going apoplectic at me regarding repeated foul throws by the same player but I’m genuinely so confused what he’s on about.

Next time I’m near the benches I ask him what he’s on about and he demos it by having the players foot half on the line and half on the pitch - when I told him that was allowed as long as any part of the foot is on the line he simply said “oh, fair enough” and didn’t say anything all game. A complete contrast of behaviour he was getting himself so wound up!

Another recent one was the defending team furious I wasn’t making a player leave the FOP after treatment despite it being a tackle that I’d issued a caution for.

 

[refeire]

I have had the caution for dissent and IDFK cause murder once. Defending player standing just outside the penalty area not wanting to shutup during their goal kick, warned them to zip it, they carried on. That's fine by me, it was right after the GK hoofed it forward, blew my whistle, IDFK back that way edge of the area and there's a yellow to calm you down. "What!? Are you actually serious!? You can't do that!" they yelled, unfortunately for them I could. Seems that it's so rarely applied that nobody actually knows it exists.

Funny enough I didn't hear from that player the rest of the game. Their manager was already on a yellow so his sideline did the dirty work to protest this.

Another bizarre one is believing the attacking team can't stand inside the D during a goal kick. Defending manager setting himself up for cardiac arrest, red faced and spitting buckets, squatting on his knees hands in the air to me .. "THEY CAAAAANT STAAAAND THEEEEEEEEERE AAAAHHHHHHHH" .. that was a match to remember.

 

[RobOda]

Seems that it's so rarely applied that nobody actually knows it exists.

Actually watched a game when I was injured this season. Old ref;

Was giving IDFK for dissent multiple times, but didn't caution them.

 

[refeire]

Actually watched a game when I was injured this season. Old ref;

Was giving IDFK for dissent multiple times, but didn't caution them.

Probably something I would have done a few seasons ago, we live and we learn

Logically though, if they have reached a threshold high enough that you are stopping play for it then of course it has to be a yellow. I can understand refs doing strange things at times though, the stress can cloud judgment and hence decision/sanction deciding ability. Which is why not allowing ourselves to be drawn into the chaos and emotion of players/managers/spectators is so important.

 

[Joshref]

Running the line in a step five game. Manager is going apoplectic at me regarding repeated foul throws by the same player but I’m genuinely so confused what he’s on about.

Next time I’m near the benches I ask him what he’s on about and he demos it by having the players foot half on the line and half on the pitch - when I told him that was allowed as long as any part of the foot is on the line he simply said “oh, fair enough” and didn’t say anything all game. A complete contrast of behaviour he was getting himself so wound up!

Another bizarre one is believing the attacking team can't stand inside the D during a goal kick. Defending manager setting himself up for cardiac arrest, red faced and spitting buckets, squatting on his knees hands in the air to me .. "THEY CAAAAANT STAAAAND THEEEEEEEEERE AAAAHHHHHHHH" .. that was a match to remember.

These 2 don’t really surprise me as much tbf. As a player, these were penalised heavily by refs. It’s only really reading LOTG properly and coming on here that’s made me realise the law.

Dont stand in goal area, whole foot behind the line, these were just basic rules in junior football for 11 years. I have seen a lot of people in shock about these as well. Dunno where the myths came from but they exist.

Talking of myths “my ball” and “leave it” always amuse me. No, that’s not an offence. Watched a ref give that a few weeks back and shook my head. No idea again where that myth came from

 

[Mooseybaby]

Some of my favs from 10 years of ref'n, mostly youth footy...

Away team manager acts as CAR (because none of his parents will do it). I had already had a look as I sensed he might flag following a half cleared corner, ball gets played to attacker on the corner of the penalty area and sure enough as expected flag goes up, I wave and say play on. Ball gets played across the area and striker sticks it in the back of the net. CAR is going mental, "that's offside ref". Explain to him it couldn't possibly be offside as his goalkeeper and 2 defenders are still stood on the goal line, just as they were when the corner was taken originally, but he's not having it and insists it's offside. Home manager chips in and says "mate, you have 3 players on the line, how is it offside?", away CAR continues to refuse to listen to reason and his own assistant ends up stepping in to tell him to pack it in!

Gave a penalty at u15s for what is best described as a wrestling move, defender with the ball at his feet decides to prevent the attacker who comes in to challenge him by grabbing him in a full on headlock with the ball still at his feet! Manager went mental at the decision as did the defender!

Got to love some of the handball shouts, best one of all as for the ball hitting a player (who was looking in the opposite direction) on the backside and his hands nowhere near the ball!

My all time favourite though was one of my son's games (wasn't refereeing). Plastic Samba goals that come in a bag, ball hits the bar and bounces about a yard or so in front of the line and gets cleared, goal is still vibrating from the shot. Shouts of goal, which the referee waves away. Parents and a few players continue shouting at the referee it was a goal, to which he responds "Didn't cross the line, play on". Ball goes out of play, whilst waiting for the ball to return, there's a shout from a parent to the referee, "Ref that has to be a goal.... because the net moved"

 

[refeire]

Talking of myths “my ball” and “leave it” always amuse me. No, that’s not an offence. Watched a ref give that a few weeks back and shook my head. No idea again where that myth came from

I think this depends on context. Under USB the law simply says "verbally distracts an opponent during play or at a restart". It is open to a wide interpretation, I personally have never actually penalised under this law. Though I'm sure I recall at a panel meeting being told that yelling at an opponent 'My ball' etc is punishable.

I have only ever been able to discern that when said in my games it was teammates speaking to each other. I believe the offence is when yelling 'my ball' at an opponent, or rather, yelling 'leave it' to an opponent and trying to come across as their teammate. I can only see myself stopping play to penalise the latter, it is dirty and most certainly unsporting.

 

[markref]

A local supply league team have an issue where they always seem to want the free kick, even if it's not in their best interests. Years ago I played advantage on half way, the player passed to the striker who shot and the keeper produced an incredible save to keep it out. Cue the manager shouting "we wanted the free kick!"

A few years later at the same ground their captain is on the ball on half way. (He's on dual registration at step 3 and step 5 and has been around the circuit a while so should know better.) He is challenged hard but fair for the ball, and plays it to their centre forward. He then screams at me that he wants the foul, so I tell him to get on with it. He then yells at me again as the centre forward beats the last defender and is one on one with the keeper. I then thought "OK, I'm not taking that" and stop play as the forward is about to go round the keeper. I brought the ball back to half way and cautioned him for showing dissent. His team are going berserk about the GSO that I'VE just cost them, so I tell them to take it up with their skipper and caution him. He then says he'll kick the drop ball back to the other team! When I told him that it's an IDFK he then asks me "are you sure you've done this before?" He didn't last the 90 minutes!

 

[one]

"where's the advantage ref?". "There was no foul to start with"

 

[Joshref]

"where's the advantage ref?". "There was no foul to start with"

Advantage brings up so many fun stories. On the flip side to yours, I played advantage with it being a 4v3 to the attacking team in their final third. Cue a “there’s no advantage there ref” scream from the attacking teams manager, followed by him screaming it even louder once more. As he began his third shout, his team took advantage of their easy attacking chance and scored!

Also, opposite of my last story, once played advantage and it led to a goal. Home manager, whose team committed the foul, was insistent that I wasn’t allowed to play advantage that close to the goal!

And one advantage saw a team have a right goalmouth scramble. They had 3 shots, blocked excellently by a defending team, before it was finally cleared. Manager begins demanding that I bring the foul back to them because the ball didn’t go in the net! No pal, your time was fouled 30 yards from goal, you still broke, you had 3 shots, and over 20 seconds passed I’m not bringing it back! That’s not how it works.

I think this depends on context. Under USB the law simply says "verbally distracts an opponent during play or at a restart". It is open to a wide interpretation, I personally have never actually penalised under this law. Though I'm sure I recall at a panel meeting being told that yelling at an opponent 'My ball' etc is punishable.

I have only ever been able to discern that when said in my games it was teammates speaking to each other. I believe the offence is when yelling 'my ball' at an opponent, or rather, yelling 'leave it' to an opponent and trying to come across as their teammate. I can only see myself stopping play to penalise the latter, it is dirty and most certainly unsporting.

Yeh apologies, was actually going to put in my original post a little (in most cases) but decided against it. A player shouting LEAVE IT or BOUNCE as an opponent is challenging for the ball is different. In a lot of cases though, there’s not an opposition player nearby, and leave it or “mine” is being used to the teammate. Still can cause a lot of arguments though with people convinced it’s a free kick.

 

[one]

Another one on advantage is when the defending team appealing I should have played advantage when I gave a foul because despite retaining posession the attacker is still surrounded by defenders with no opportunity. I'm sure we have all had it.

 

[TheRefereeFrom2003]

Another one on advantage is when the defending team appealing I should have played advantage when I gave a foul because despite retaining posession the attacker is still surrounded by defenders with no opportunity. I'm sure we have all had it.

“Why didn’t you play advantage there”
“If you guys wanted it to be advantage surely it shows there was none”

It’s one of those ref classics I think every ref has experienced. As for your question I answered that in my post about the appeals for onside because the keeper saved it.

I do always like when I ref U11s because they always seem to come out with the same crazy appeal - “surely that’s at least a red ref”

(1) It’s a mistimed tackle due a lack of ability on the halfway line. Your player l it really did the same thing 2 minutes ago.

(2) What do you mean by at least a red? That indicates not just a red, but it must be more! What more do you want me to do? We don’t have a purple card or anything!

 

[socal lurker]

I think this depends on context. Under USB the law simply says "verbally distracts an opponent during play or at a restart". It is open to a wide interpretation, I personally have never actually penalised under this law. Though I'm sure I recall at a panel meeting being told that yelling at an opponent 'My ball' etc is punishable.

I have only ever been able to discern that when said in my games it was teammates speaking to each other. I believe the offence is when yelling 'my ball' at an opponent, or rather, yelling 'leave it' to an opponent and trying to come across as their teammate. I can only see myself stopping play to penalise the latter, it is dirty and most certainly unsporting.

I’ve called this once or twice, and warned on it a few times. The ones I’ve cautioned are yells right as an opponent is trying to play the ball that actually affect the player trying to play the ball. (I wonder if we see that more here where it is pretty accepted in basketball here to yell at a player as he shoots.) to me the key is whether it affects the opponent.)

 

[socal lurker]

.

(2) What do you mean by at least a red? That indicates not just a red, but it must be more! What more do you want me to do? We don’t have a purple card or anything!

a public beating?