The Ref Stop

FA / County Cup Expectations

Ref Luke 2203

Ref Luke 2203

Active Member
Level 5 Referee
I have recently been involved as assistant in 2 FA competition preliminary round matches. These are the first FA competition matches I have been involved in and overall a very good experience being involved with higher level officials and better quality of football.

I understand a lot more of what is expected now but my question relates to the build up and alike. What are you expected to wear to the game? For a warm up or inspection, should referee kit be used or should you have proper warm up kit? After the match, is it expected you socialise be it for food or drinks on offer?

Being involved in Saturday and Sunday league football I have never thought about or experienced this and the expectation varied between each of these games from the referees perspective. Id rather know what to do next time than look unprofessional or out of place.
 
The Ref Stop
If in doubt, always enquiry beforehand - I don’t think it harms if you send the ref an email saying “just checking that we’re expected to arrive in suits?” Or something like that. I’d rather look like a fool to one person than a fool in front of everyone on matchday.
 
alexgr said:
If in doubt, always enquiry beforehand - I don’t think it harms if you send the ref an email saying “just checking that we’re expected to arrive in suits?” Or something like that. I’d rather look like a fool to one person than a fool in front of everyone on matchday.
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Definitely agree although not something I considered until yesterday. Both ref and other AR turned up suited and booted. Change of top between warm up and match. County badges worn. All this at a place I have refereed before but a lot lower standard. Just wondered what would be other referees or observers expectations.
 
The referee should be informing you what to arrive at the ground in, this will 99.9% of time be a minimum of shirt and tie but ideally a suit. If i were the referee i would be calling my assistants on the Tuesday before the weekend and this would be one of the things i requested along with what time i would like to meet, travel arrangements etc. If i haven't told you and you arrive wearing a tracksuit then that would be my fault. However as @alexgr said, no harm in being pro-active and asking if unsure.

As for warm up, it looks better and more professional to be warming up in some sort of warm up gear, this will more often than not just be a different top to what you ref in. I am not saying you have to go out and buy the 2018 warm up top from A&H but just a black t-shirt would suffice. Finally socialising after the game i would say yes, do it. It helps with team work and enables you to get feedback after the game, if nothing else it allows you to pick the brains of a higher level official for an hour or so over a pint, win/win.
 
I know from watching my local side in North West Counties the officials
A) Come suited and booted
B) Warm in at least another top
C) Stay behind for a shandy afterwards.
 
Ref Luke 2203 said:
I have recently been involved as assistant in 2 FA competition preliminary round matches. These are the first FA competition matches I have been involved in and overall a very good experience being involved with higher level officials and better quality of football.

I understand a lot more of what is expected now but my question relates to the build up and alike. What are you expected to wear to the game? For a warm up or inspection, should referee kit be used or should you have proper warm up kit? After the match, is it expected you socialise be it for food or drinks on offer?

Being involved in Saturday and Sunday league football I have never thought about or experienced this and the expectation varied between each of these games from the referees perspective. Id rather know what to do next time than look unprofessional or out of place.
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I’m officiating at a higher standard this season with better teams, pitches which have to meet certain requirements and we have to wear shirt and tie or the official FA polo shirt. I only found that out through reading the match officials’ league guide for that league so maybe try to find them for your competitions.
 
For an FA competition you must be suited and booted on arrival. There will be a warm up, and as it looks unprofessional warming up in your kit you should have a separate warm up shirt. Sometimes the referee will bring three shirts so that all officials look the same, but then you have the size issue.

After the game you really should take the referee's lead, and should stay around until he leaves. This is more advice for higher levels, but if the referee asks for a beer in the boardroom you can follow suit. If the referee asks for a soft drink then I would personally advise against asking for a beer, even more so if you have been involved in a controversial decision. It will just lead to comments and isn't worth the hassle.
 
Thank you all for the advice. Definitely something I will know for next time. Both games went well and I enjoyed the higher level and thought overall I did a good job! Both referees seemed happy by my performance. I was just caught out by the other bits outside of normal routine I am used to for a game.

Agree with the socialising bit. Always enjoy a chat to a higher level ref. Most advice given by the refs is good advice and very much appreciated too.

Will be better prepared for the next FA or County match! 😁
 
RustyRef said:
For an FA competition you must be suited and booted on arrival. There will be a warm up, and as it looks unprofessional warming up in your kit you should have a separate warm up shirt. Sometimes the referee will bring three shirts so that all officials look the same, but then you have the size issue.

After the game you really should take the referee's lead, and should stay around until he leaves. This is more advice for higher levels, but if the referee asks for a beer in the boardroom you can follow suit. If the referee asks for a soft drink then I would personally advise against asking for a beer, even more so if you have been involved in a controversial decision. It will just lead to comments and isn't worth the hassle.
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Some very good advice on offer here but I must disagree on the 'drink point. I've only been an AR in 5 matches. 3 in Saturday League football and 2 semi finals in Sunday League stuff. I've always turned up smart as requested and brought a spare warm up shirt after not doing do the first time so that's good advice. However, if I've travelled a relatively long way to spend half my Saturday running the line taking abuse from the players and fans for very little money and i want a pint/shandy after the match then I'm having one. If somebody comments on that then they are being utterly ridiculous and frankly, they're being stupid and the way to deal with stupidity is not to pander to it imo.

Please don't take this as an aggressive post as it really isn't, I'm not that type, I'm just aware that context of tone is hard on a forum and opposing opinions often come across as argumentative even when that's not the intention. I'm sure the advice from Rusty is based on previous experience and its probably very sensible and good advice but I just don't care enough about what a player may say regarding me having a pint to pander to the stupidity of it. It's the only chance I get for a beer all week!
 
Ref Luke 2203 said:
I have recently been involved as assistant in 2 FA competition preliminary round matches. These are the first FA competition matches I have been involved in and overall a very good experience being involved with higher level officials and better quality of football.

I understand a lot more of what is expected now but my question relates to the build up and alike. What are you expected to wear to the game? For a warm up or inspection, should referee kit be used or should you have proper warm up kit? After the match, is it expected you socialise be it for food or drinks on offer?

Being involved in Saturday and Sunday league football I have never thought about or experienced this and the expectation varied between each of these games from the referees perspective. Id rather know what to do next time than look unprofessional or out of place.
Click to expand...
For my very first county cup appointment on the line I turned up in my kit. I had only reffed juniour football up until this point. Felt like a right plonker when I arrived to find the ref and other AR in shirt and tie.
 
JamesL said:
For my very first county cup appointment on the line I turned up in my kit. I had only reffed juniour football up until this point. Felt like a right plonker when I arrived to find the ref and other AR in shirt and tie.
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My exact feeling this weekend! Im sure we have all been there. We live and learn.
 
JamesL said:
For my very first county cup appointment on the line I turned up in my kit. I had only reffed juniour football up until this point. Felt like a right plonker when I arrived to find the ref and other AR in shirt and tie.
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Looking at how many of us have had this experience, really makes you wonder why this sort of information isn't more readily available (particularly for new referees)?
 
Ben448844 said:
Some very good advice on offer here but I must disagree on the 'drink point. I've only been an AR in 5 matches. 3 in Saturday League football and 2 semi finals in Sunday League stuff. I've always turned up smart as requested and brought a spare warm up shirt after not doing do the first time so that's good advice. However, if I've travelled a relatively long way to spend half my Saturday running the line taking abuse from the players and fans for very little money and i want a pint/shandy after the match then I'm having one. If somebody comments on that then they are being utterly ridiculous and frankly, they're being stupid and the way to deal with stupidity is not to pander to it imo.

Please don't take this as an aggressive post as it really isn't, I'm not that type, I'm just aware that context of tone is hard on a forum and opposing opinions often come across as argumentative even when that's not the intention. I'm sure the advice from Rusty is based on previous experience and its probably very sensible and good advice but I just don't care enough about what a player may say regarding me having a pint to pander to the stupidity of it. It's the only chance I get for a beer all week!
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@Ben448844 - at your current level, there would not be a problem. However, as you move up the levels, there are different expectations on the conduct of match officials. A lot depends on your colleagues on the match - some are fine with a beer for them or you; others feel that it is unnecessary. The post match hospitality is sometimes with the teams directors, so they will form views on you. Also, at the higher levels, you will go as a team, so one of you will be driving.
 
I don't doubt any of that for a minute, but I'm not sure how having a shandy or a beer after a match can be deemed as unnecessary? Unnecessary to whom? I certainly would not expect a referee or allow them to tell me what to drink, nor would I do the same to anyone who works for me after an event or function. If a director formed a view on me because I had 1 beer after a match then I'd be amazed and I'd also think that they were being ridiculous.
 
alexgr said:
Looking at how many of us have had this experience, really makes you wonder why this sort of information isn't more readily available (particularly for new referees)?
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I always include this in my email when I first make contact with any NAR's I've been assigned - suit & tie for arrival, bring a warm-up top if you have one. Not because I personally care about either of those things, but because that seems to be what is expected.

I'll also usually mention that I haven't bothered to buy an unnecessary coloured top, so we'll be wearing black.
 
GraemeS said:
I always include this in my email when I first make contact with any NAR's I've been assigned - suit & tie for arrival, bring a warm-up top if you have one. Not because I personally care about either of those things, but because that seems to be what is expected.

I'll also usually mention that I haven't bothered to buy an unnecessary coloured top, so we'll be wearing black.
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If only there were more like you. I always check now anyway but only one referee I’ve worked with has ever mentioned it before being prompted.
 
GraemeS said:
I always include this in my email when I first make contact with any NAR's I've been assigned - suit & tie for arrival, bring a warm-up top if you have one. Not because I personally care about either of those things, but because that seems to be what is expected.

I'll also usually mention that I haven't bothered to buy an unnecessary coloured top, so we'll be wearing black.
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The majority of the refs I've worked with (as a NAR) don't bother confirming what time they want us to be at the ground/pitch etc let alon the colour of shirt to be worn etc.

For most of the league games they don't make contact at all, and it's hit an miss when people will turn up, county cup and ryman development are normally a bit better, but not much.
 
I must have got lucky when starting out then, as the first 3 or 4 times I went out with a Ref, they sent out very detailed instructions - one including a detailed discussion of the team's league form and a description of the facilities at the ground we were going to!

I've certainly noticed recently that some are less thorough than that, but I still think that it's only fair to be clear to your assistants what is required if they want to fit in with you.
 
I received an email from the ref prior to both games confirming teams, location and time to arrive. That was all the details I had. As for tops in these rounds with lower level officials, we have to wear black. I understand at higher levels this can change though so this information would be useful.

I think a general guide of expectations for things such as FA ties and County Cups should be made. Referees sometimes presume you know the basics. From now I will know whats expected and referees although it would be useful to newer refs often dont know your level and probably dont want to teach fish to swim if working with experienced AR's.
 
I once turned up at the Blades academy in the afternoon after a morning game, boots solid, socks splattered... one of the coaches asked for my boots and he cleaned them for me...different world to what I was used to really...
 
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