A&H

Feel like such a berk.

wazztie16

wazztie16

Level 4 Referee
Level 4 Referee
Blew for full time 10 minutes early in my match yest, 35 minutes each way.

Did wonder why every other pitch was still playing, and I was getting some bemused looks.

Until I was told what I'd done.

It transpired I'd added 25 minutes onto the start of the second half rather than 35,in my head. And the kids had been asking how long left, with what I thought was a few minutes, so I put 2+2 and got 14.

At that point I think it was 7-0, I asked both teams if they wanted to finish as they'd both made their way off the pitch, the game was re-kicked off, and it finished 9-1.

Even worse, had someone from the local FA there to watch some of the games, and I know he was paying attention to mine.

I explained what had happened, and he said don't worry, worse things have happened, he commented on how I'd controlled the game well, and I know full well I won't be making that mistake again.

Soo...

Anyone got any tales of their own carelessness or stupidity?
 
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I started a game with no corner flags. At supply league reserve match. Whilst being observed. Cant say I have ever blown up early though.

Can I ask, do you not restart your watch/es at each break? I start every half with 1 from 0 counting up ans 1 counting down from 45 (insert match length here)...
 
wazztie16 said:
Blew for full time 10 minutes early in my match yest, 35 minutes each way.

Did wonder why every other pitch was still playing, and I was getting some bemused looks.

Until I was told what I'd done.

It transpired I'd added 25 minutes onto the start of the second half rather than 35,in my head. And the kids had been asking how long left, with what I thought was a few minutes, so I put 2+2 and got 14.

At that point I think it was 7-0, I asked both teams if they wanted to finish as they'd both made their way off the pitch, the game was re-kicked off, and it finished 9-1.

Even worse, had someone from the local FA there to watch some of the games, and I know he was paying attention to mine.

I explained what had happened, and he said don't worry, worse things have happened, he commented on how I'd controlled the game well, and I know full well I won't be making that mistake again.

Soo...

Anyone got any tales of their own carelessness or stupidity?
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I'm sure this sort of thing is quite common early on, along with forgetting to start the watch at KO. It takes a while to subconsciously learn the duration of games in youth football. I always want my watch to start from zero for each half, even if the watch could be recording match duration in the background
 
JamesL said:
I started a game with no corner flags. At supply league reserve match. Whilst being observed. Cant say I have ever blown up early though.

Can I ask, do you not restart your watch/es at each break? I start every half with 1 from 0 counting up ans 1 counting down from 45 (insert match length here)...
Click to expand...

I keep forgetting to start my timer, so I just note down or remember the time of kick off 7pm or 730, for example.

In a full 45 each way, I know I'd alright, it's just 35 each way I've not gotten my head round yet.

I'm just gonna start writing start and end times, and obviously add on myself for stoppages
 
I have two bog standard Casio watches (£10). Telling the time is simple so let's not complicate it. I have one watch as a stop watch and the other I have just on normal 'time telling' mode.

I check the time just before we kick off and figure out what the exact time will be in 45 mins, therefore if the stopwatch stops for any reason I've got the time on the other. Works for me but may not work for you. Start times are usually on the hour so easy to figure out and the 2nd halves normally start around five to the hour due to the break so finish around twenty to.
 
As for my own stupidity. Turned up to a game with no shorts (Mrs had took them put of my bag). Fortunately I had black tracksuit bottoms on that I got from A&H and it was freezing so I just wore them.

Walked out into the middle of my first ever game with my phone in my pocket but noticed 1 min before kick off.

Spent about 15 mins trying to find the teams on WGS last night before realising I was looking at the completely wrong league (too many beers during the Derby I think!).

Booked somebody and forgot to take their name, noticed at half time and I couldn't remember whether it was the left back or left midfielder. As we were walking out to kick off I told the captain to have a word with the guy who'd got booked as the game was getting heated and id be watching him closely etc so the captain walked over to him (appreciative that if spoke to him about it) and walked straight to the offending player so I got his number and matched it to the team sheet. Phew lol. These all seemed to happen last year, no biggies this year but there's so much going on and no ARs to help out that I'm sure the next one is just around the corner lol
 
es1 said:
i've left both the only match ball and my whistle and spare in the changing rooms at half time (on a supply league game) before!
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Ooh yeah, that's a good one - I seem to have picked up the habit of leaving the ball behind at half time recently. In my last 5 or 6 games, I've had an assistant mention it to me as I was walking out of the room, and twice had to turn back to pick it up as I set foot on the pitch and realised something was wrong.

I've also got in a real mix recently regarding which of my leagues are/are not using sin bin's. Gave a dissent caution the other day and then waited to see if he walked to the side of the pitch or if anyone mentioned it - no one did and I checked when I got home and it wasn't a sin bin league, but I don't know what I would have done if someone had asked me.
 
Sent a player off last year (my first season). As it was a situation which could boil over I did it quickly before taking his details down, he proceeded to take his shirt off in anger and walk off the pitch. So I couldn't see his number either.

Has to ask his teammates for his name. Thankfully they weren't knobs and told me the truth!
 
I nearly embarrassed myself on my first top flight game as AR, in front of 10k folk, we were in tunnel ready to go out and in my head soon as we got out the tunnel I was sprinting off to check nets, final check with ref, all good to go, and we are off....us at front, players behind......
Fortunately the other AR reminded me just as I lifted my leg to be on my merry way......"mind the hand shakes at the start..".... had it not been for that I was away sprinting to the nets and would have had both teams and officials lined up for the handshake 40 yards behind me....

(at lower league senior we don't have the line up's here)
 
Years ago left my boots at home. Fortunately the home team grounds keeper found me an old pair from the shed. They were a size and half too big and very uncomfortable with a hole at the front but they did the job. Ever since I carry an old spare pair in the boot of my car. They have come handy (for me and my AR/CR) a few times.
 
I started young, and my dad would always drive me to games. It was a father-son bonding thing as he'd watch and we'd make a weekend out of it.

One of my earliest games, it transpired I left my football boots at home. Cue, dad hopping in the car to drive all the way back home to pick them up for me. He arrived 5 minutes before kick off with them, so a hasty change of boots before we commenced.

We were saved that day because I turn up 1 hour before the game, so plenty of time for the old man to drive back and forth. But that was a lesson learned that day. Check your kit bag and your boots and make sure you actually pack them!

Never had a timing issue though, but I've come close, sometimes my stopwatch 'stops' during the game from pressing against my hand/shirt sleeve etc, but so far, touch wood, haven't had both watches screw up.
 
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RobOda said:
I started young, and my dad would always drive me to games. It was a father-son bonding thing as he'd watch and we'd make a weekend out of it.

One of my earliest games, it transpired I left my football boots at home. Cue, dad hopping in the car to drive all the way back home to pick them up for me. He arrived 5 minutes before kick off with them, so a hasty change of boots before we commenced.

We were saved that day because I turn up 1 hour before the game, so plenty of time for the old man to drive back and forth. But that was a lesson learned that day. Check your kit bag and your boots and make sure you actually pack them!

Never had a timing issue though, but I've come close, sometimes my stopwatch 'stops' during the game from pressing against my hand/shirt sleeve etc, but so far, touch wood, haven't had both watches screw up.
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This is gold. I did the exact same thing for my son (I kid you not :) ). TWICE. The only difference is that he had to call me at home to take his boots to him. I have put an old spare pair in his car after the second time. LOL.
 
When I was at middle school, many years ago, we would go by coach once a week to the nearest swimming baths (as they were called at that time). I would always wear my swimming shorts to school, and put underwear in my bag. One thing those times taught me was to check, double check and then triple check - something I still do to this day. (Because yes, there was one day where I got out of the pool to change and realised I had no underwear - commando was somewhat frowned upon back then).
 
I once forgot to get a match ball from the home team. Did respect handshake, kit check and the toss. Was only when the team was lined up to kick off and he asked me if I had the ball, I realized. And guess what, the ones the home team kicked over to me were flat, so we had a delay whilst they pumped them up.

It's a mistake I've only ever made the once!
 
Left my cards in the car once, they weren't getting away with it though, I showed the imaginary ones as real ones!!! Good job it was all low key!!
 
I was on the line for a cup final. We go out for the second half, referee shouts to both keeper to check if they’re ready, then shouts to me and the other AR .... he then rubs his face and runs back to the changing room. Somebody had left their whistle in the changing room!
 
Two for me. Got to pitch N twenty something at Hackney Marshes, went to blow for the captains and realised I'd left the whistle behind. That is a long walk back.

Then in the tunnel of a supply league game checking the players. One of them looked at me and said "not putting your shirt on today then lino"? I'd gone out in my underarmour having forgotten to put my shirt on after taking the warning top off.
 
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