The Ref Stop

End of season review

2022/23 Final!
Middles: 12.5! AR: 7
Yellow: 38 Sin Bins: 4 Red: 5 Penalties: 4?

Just over 3 yellows a game is fairly consistent with previous seasons for me, but everything else has interesting aspects!

20 games total is way down on most other seasons I've been a referee, but it's also one of the first times in years where I've been confident that I'm happy to continue next season without any hint of doubt. 3-4 games a month (not counting many games I had booked but were called off over the winter) is definitely my sweet spot and I know that if I just don't worry about climbing the ladder for another season, I can sign up for a similar quantity and be happy.

First time I've ever had to stop a game mid-way through - stand by the decision to start as I think we would have gotten through the game with no further rain, but a heavy downpour at around 25 minutes caused the surface to go downhill. One of my reds was in that game: a player who slid in with no control and put his studs into an opponents knee, then another player going flying with noone else near him a few minutes before half time and I knew we had to call it.

That did end a run of red cards though - went most of the season with just 1 on my tally from an early game, then had the last 4 in just 5 matches, plus witnessing 2 from the line in that run as well. I'm happy with all the calls, but think I certainly could have bottled at least 2 of them down to yellows in previous seasons, so that feels like improvement for me.

Overall, not very impressive stats, but a season that feels like it went really well for me aside from a failed attempt at the promotion scheme. Looking forward to the next one!
 
The Ref Stop
⚽️ 204
Middles: 168
A/R’s: 36
🔴: 11
🟡: 43
The good….11 cup semifinals inc a National Cup semifinal, 3 cup finals & officiated in a game with over 40 million watching (BT Sport were contracted by Mola TV in Indonesia). Dennis Wise is the club President, Des Walker the Director of Football & Lee Hendrie did the halftime analysis in a full on studio 🤣. We were filmed in the changing room etc then it was like the Champions League doing the walk to the centre circle to do the lineup & handshake. No pressure then 🤣🤣

The bad….breaking my knee playing 8 a side & not realising then doing 11 games in 6 days on it…just thought I’d stretched something so lethered it with Voltarol before each game…ended up in a full leg brace for 6 weeks, only just out of it.
Only 204 Flynny lad, I'd have you down for at least 300 games.... 👀 👀
 
He knows I’m always available so that helps 🤷🏼‍♂️🤣
Do lots at SSV for Stockport County….they have loads of games during the week as they have lots of different teams + evening games, they’re always looking for officials mate 👌🏻
Do you go to Stockport RA?
 
My signature is out of date so:

Middles: 22
Lines: 2
Yellows: 10 (three sin bins)
Reds: 2
Postponements due to weather: 7

The good:
A league cup final in my first full season in a new county, feeling ready to push for my first promotion, great culture in the league I spend most of my time in

The bad:
New CFA seems to have much less comms than my old one (i.e. none unless contacted) and one game so bad for dissent I have decided not to ref men's football next year
 
My signature is out of date so:

Middles: 22
Lines: 2
Yellows: 10 (three sin bins)
Reds: 2
Postponements due to weather: 7

The good:
A league cup final in my first full season in a new county, feeling ready to push for my first promotion, great culture in the league I spend most of my time in

The bad:
New CFA seems to have much less comms than my old one (i.e. none unless contacted) and one game so bad for dissent I have decided not to ref men's football next year
How have you averaged less than 0.5 yellows a game?? 🤯
 
How have you averaged less than 0.5 yellows a game?? 🤯
Most of my games were U15 and U16 girls games where the ability varies hugely and the pace is slower. A clumsy trip is usually the worst, I’ve genuinely had one reckless tackle and a couple of persistent infringements, the rest came in the ladies games which again are pretty tame. I think I’ve given one for dissent and one for SPA. The rest came in the two men’s games I did.
 
Did the Referee course at the end of January.

Middles: 42 (I was on paternity leave...)
Cautions: 45 (I think the majority of these are for kicking the ball away or standing on the freekick)
Reds: 4 (Two in one game for a stamp followed by a Zidane chest headbutt)
Sin Bins: 5 (I completely underused this, I should of implemented it a lot more and it is something I will improve on next year)
Penalties: 22

Lines: 2 (1st was a promotion final play off, the second was a final, I do not recommend anyone doing this, get your practice in, I went under the radar but I didn't feel confident and it ruined my experience)

4th Official: 2 (best gig ever, just note the bookings on field and try and build rapport with the benches)

Learning points - Penalties are something I need to get right more, the only way to do this is by sprinting really hard and wide to get in the box. I found when I did this, and had a great view and I was in close proximity I never got much dissent (possibly because it is easy to make the right decision), but when I misread the game or wasn't fit enough for the 90th minute sprint, it ruined the whole game, because you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.
 
Total of 41 middles with 28 yellows and 5 reds by my count

Also done 27 lines this season though which is where I feel I've had the most improvement as I'd only done about half a dozen in the 3 seasons before then
 
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