The Ref Stop

First match back

Reluctant assistants; patches with less grass than a cricket pitch; chilly wind blowing the ball everywhere; player puking their guts up on the sidelines after too many drinks the night before (U18 girls!!!); 90th minute winner;

Oh how I’ve missed it.
 
The Ref Stop
Was great to be back.

in first 10 mins I was able to play a couple of good advantages - in normal times I suspect both fouled players would have stopped and called for a free kick, but you could just sense the enthusiasm of the players and they just carried playing and, although ultimately neither incident led to a goal it was worth play on.

I‘d forgotten how many decisions we are constantly making, the level of concentration needed, but I was reminded that this is why I do it - doing a difficult job well.

Then, 25 mins, a massive decision to make. Home team 1-0 up and looking the better side. But away team attack, shoot and score - or do they? Ball bounces back into play. Off the post, or the metalwork inside the goal?

Im really happy with my positioning, looking diagonally across the box. The ball has clearly gone in. I give the goal, to (understandable) complaints from home team. Easy option would have been to say I couldn’t tell if ball had crossed the line, no goal line technology here, but I’m pleased I didn’t bottle it, and gave the goal. Also pleased that after the game, chatting with some home fans, and home keeper (who had been saying no goal) home fans said it was definitely a goal (they were in a good position to see it, in line with goal line), so feel vindicated!

Knee held up, my fitness was fine, but I had forgotten how a couple of hours after a game my legs start to ache and I feel shattered - my be nodding off in front of MOTD tonight!
The
But great to be back in black, looking forward to tomorrow morning, Tuesday evening, next Saturday ...
 
Good little run out with some belated sunshine, but a somewhat unfortunate first - only time in 12 years I've got the carte rouge out in a friendly! I think my tolerance for OFFINABUS has definitely decreased over lockdown... 👀
 
Think my return may be put back a while after taking a yorker on the top of my foot yesterday :(
 
2 games in and a blister has already appeared courtesy of my new boots! Great to be back though.
 
Sunday league Div 9 game.

4 games going on including mine.

4 pegs for goalposts across all 4 pitches.
No corner flags for any pitch due to the person unlocking the clubhouse being sick.
1 of the pitches (not mine) had no nets.
2 of the 4 games not covered due to lack of referees.

My game was fine. No cards or sin bins.

Home team 3-0 up at half time. Away team score on the hour to make it 3-1.

Home team goalkeeper drops a clanger to bring it back to 3-2 and then all one way traffic as away team press for equaliser including a couple of penalty shouts and a goal mouth scramble.

89th minute another scramble and a massive appeal for ball over the line, net has rippled in the top corner, but because of lack of pegs and the wind, us the scrum of players in the net I can't be sure it's a goal and don't give it.

Game finished 3-2. Home team thnk I'm great. Away team think I'm awful.

And I get the obligatory chat with a spectator who starts with "I'm a qualified ref"

All in all, a standard Sunday morning game 🤣
 
My observation seemed to go pretty well. I missed a yellow card I should have given (observer said he wouldn't have pulled me up if I gave a red which didn't even cross my mind) but the main points were positive.

I found my concentration going in the last 10 minutes, I was pleased to blow the final whistle.
 
RefJef said:
Maybe you could have suggested that next week he takes up the whistle again to help out those games that didn’t have a ref .. ;)
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Depending on how I'm feeling I either ignore them, or start asking them what level they are. That's a really easy way to figure out whether they are bullsh***ing or not!
 
Justylove said:
Depending on how I'm feeling I either ignore them, or start asking them what level they are. That's a really easy way to figure out whether they are bullsh***ing or not!
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Just ask them something that would be simple in law, but doesn't actually exist...

I've got to think of something myself now!
 
wazztie16 said:
Just ask them something that would be simple in law, but doesn't actually exist...

I've got to think of something myself now!
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He was concerned about the lack of pegs for the goals, however didn't seem to think that corner flags were a mandatory part of the FOP....
 
There's someone I know who once tried telling me he was Level 2 but was "having a break" for a bit - turned out he had been registered as a Level 7 after doing the basic referees' course several years before and then never bothered re-registering 😂
 
I won't be back...

Missing reffing like mad (not).

Missing writing reports (not).

Missing running courses and CPD (not).

I had over 20 years of involvement "inside" football and its only when I've given it all up that I've realised, I never really enjoyed that part of football in the first place. It's been nice watching mates progress to the point where they are on Match of the Day every week. It's been fantastic being involved in tournaments in 4 countries (including England), meeting referees from across the world. It's been lovely getting involved in the development of so many referees.

I'm back to being a bog standard football fan now, who watches his team when they are on the tv, will go back to watching games (like I did last season) when we are allowed and will love football the way I did when I was a kid. The way I did when my granny got me the scores from the Mexico World Cup for my wallchart.

I wish you all well, especially those I've disagreed with. I hope the ball runs kindly for you.
 
Brian Hamilton said:
I won't be back...

Missing reffing like mad (not).

Missing writing reports (not).

Missing running courses and CPD (not).

I had over 20 years of involvement "inside" football and its only when I've given it all up that I've realised, I never really enjoyed that part of football in the first place. It's been nice watching mates progress to the point where they are on Match of the Day every week. It's been fantastic being involved in tournaments in 4 countries (including England), meeting referees from across the world. It's been lovely getting involved in the development of so many referees.

I'm back to being a bog standard football fan now, who watches his team when they are on the tv, will go back to watching games (like I did last season) when we are allowed and will love football the way I did when I was a kid. The way I did when my granny got me the scores from the Mexico World Cup for my wallchart.

I wish you all well, especially those I've disagreed with. I hope the ball runs kindly for you.
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Good luck to you Brian!
 
Very few games here unfortunately. I've had 3 observations this year and done the required number of middles so I'm understandably bottom of the list for Saturday games (plus cricket starts soon so I'll be unavailable). Looks like I'll have a couple of Sunday League games in the friendly 'World Cup style' competition that's been organised but not yet confirmed.

Back home (North) there's loads of games as leagues are continuing but here in the South West there's very little going on so I'll pick up the odd Sunday game if I can and park refereeing until next season.
 
Alex Rush-Fear said:
There's someone I know who once tried telling me he was Level 2 but was "having a break" for a bit - turned out he had been registered as a Level 7 after doing the basic referees' course several years before and then never bothered re-registering 😂
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First question would be a or b and then ask what leagues he does. Rumbled.
 
Whilst walking to inspect an obviously frozen pitch in the Saturday morning fair play league, Division 4, I had a player who started to walk alongside me. He knew I was going to call it off because it was about -2 and the ground was frozen solid and suddenly declared that he was a qualified ref and that it wouldn't go down well if he reported back to the league that I'd called it off when he thought it was playable 🤣

I asked him what level he was and he replied "2". I asked him why he left the professional game and he said he preferred playing (this was the lowest adult standard possible). I just laughed and walked off.
 
Can’t wait. Have a line this evening and sat and Sunday games this weekend.

Have a double header on Saturday... never done one before!

Just confirming - I treat both games as completely separate. Any bookings/dismissals will be reported separately?

Time to liberate myself from the added lockdown pounds!!
 
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