How much do level 5 and level 4 referees get paid per match?

[socal lurker]

I don't know that refereeing is that different from being an athlete in terms of promotion--lots of blood, sweat, and tears left behind at lower levels with little financial reward until and unless one makes the big time. (At least if you make it the PL, you get paid as much as the players, don't you? )

For most, unless you're enjoying the journey on its own merits, it doesn't make a lot of sense.

(Personally, I've never sought to move up to big time. AYSO in the US is the largest youth soccer organization (up to 19U), and relies solely on volunteer refs. That's what I do, for the love of the game, to give something back, and because it beats a lot of other ways to get exercise.)

 

[RefJef]

Think that's very harsh. There obviously IS a pathway and the professional referees of today all started at grassroots level. The FA are extremely clear that it's a demanding, challenging road and only a small minority will progress all the way. However, if you do the maths, then approximately 1 in every 500 referees in England will make it to the very top. If you consider that only a certain proportion will ever apply for promotion then it's probably 1 in every 100 promotion candidates who will likely go all the way. Still a long shot ... but far from a chance in a million! Overall, I think most referees who opt for significant promotion do it mainly for the added enjoyment of officiating a better standard of football in nicer settings .. the prospect of 'fame and fortune' is just an added incentive!

Not querying you figures (1 in every 500 refs will make it to the top), but am genuinely curious as to how you arrived at that figure.

A few years ago, I wrote a blog post where I looked at the chances of a young man making it as a pro-footballer, it would be great to do something similar for referees.

(For those that are interested, the young ref I wrote of has given up his dreams of becoming a professional footballer, but is on the pathway to making it to the top with the whistle)

 

[Sheffields Finest]

30,000 active refs (complete guess but he started it) divided by 20 in SG = 1 in 1500.... Or it was when i went to school!!

There are still dreamers out there though!

 

[RustyRef]

I've said this time and time again, but if money in refereeing is vitally important for you and is more important than progressing then promotion to senior levels isn't for you. There will be times on the way up when you spend 8 hours away from home for the grand sum of £30, but if you stick with it and make it to higher levels you will get the buzz of refereeing in front of thousands of people, perhaps getting TV games, etc. At the time I was at L4 and L3 there was always weekend overtime available at work where I would earn 10 times more than I would going out refereeing, but that wasn't ever a consideration for me.

Refereeing isn't a career unless you make SG2 and it shouldn't be looked at that way. Rather it is a hobby, as right up until SG2 you will almost certainly need to have another main job to pay the bills.

 

[one]

There are a lot of referees who money is not the motivation but reward for effort is. Many put in a lot of effort with little reward. But that, just like the financial reward side of it, is not too different to the athletes. The top end of the pyramid is very narrow and many would get knocked back on the way up.

 

[Justylove]

I've said this time and time again, but if money in refereeing is vitally important for you and is more important than progressing then promotion to senior levels isn't for you. There will be times on the way up when you spend 8 hours away from home for the grand sum of £30, but if you stick with it and make it to higher levels you will get the buzz of refereeing in front of thousands of people, perhaps getting TV games, etc. At the time I was at L4 and L3 there was always weekend overtime available at work where I would earn 10 times more than I would going out refereeing, but that wasn't ever a consideration for me.

Refereeing isn't a career unless you make SG2 and it shouldn't be looked at that way. Rather it is a hobby, as right up until SG2 you will almost certainly need to have another main job to pay the bills.

Fully agree. Getting further up the pyramid, working and leading a team of 3, in front of bigger crowds at better grounds is far more rewarding than the financial gain.

 

[Sheffields Finest]

There are a lot of referees who money is not the motivation but reward for effort is. Many put in a lot of effort with little reward. But that, just like the financial reward side of it, is not too different to the athletes. The top end of the pyramid is very narrow and many would get knocked back on the way up.

The top end of any pyramid is always narrow!

 

[one]

The top end of any pyramid is always narrow!

That's what is said

 

[Mintyref]

If I remember my studies correctly.....its not narrow at the top...........more sort of pointy....

 

[RustyRef]

There are a lot of referees who money is not the motivation but reward for effort is. Many put in a lot of effort with little reward. But that, just like the financial reward side of it, is not too different to the athletes. The top end of the pyramid is very narrow and many would get knocked back on the way up.

Yep, athletes and most sports people. Not a lot of money at the bottom when you are starting out and if you want to earn big money you need to persevere to get to the top of that pyramid. Win your local amateur golf competition and you don't get a lot, work your way to the top and win the open and you become a millionaire. Not the same money at the top of refereeing, but more than enough to live on at the top and the £25 you got back when you were a L5 on an FA Vase game will seem worth it.

But just like any sporting hobby, getting to the top of refereeing is difficult and takes a huge amount of hard work, dedication and sacrifices, and probably a fair amount of luck as well.

 

[Russell Jones]

Not querying you figures (1 in every 500 refs will make it to the top), but am genuinely curious as to how you arrived at that figure.

A few years ago, I wrote a blog post where I looked at the chances of a young man making it as a pro-footballer, it would be great to do something similar for referees.

(For those that are interested, the young ref I wrote of has given up his dreams of becoming a professional footballer, but is on the pathway to making it to the top with the whistle)

I worked off around 50 professional referees out of 25,000 ... which got me to 1 in 500. Then allowed for the fact that only 20% of those registered will ever apply for promotion. So, of those that do, it's around 1 in 100.

 

[Kes]

Not querying you figures (1 in every 500 refs will make it to the top), but am genuinely curious as to how you arrived at that figure.

A few years ago, I wrote a blog post where I looked at the chances of a young man making it as a pro-footballer, it would be great to do something similar for referees.

(For those that are interested, the young ref I wrote of has given up his dreams of becoming a professional footballer, but is on the pathway to making it to the top with the whistle)

I think the young man in question was motivated highly by his dad as a footballer. The refereeing thing will definitely bear more fruit for him.

(That is, if we're talking about the same person - which I assume we are ).

 

[Wa69339]

[

How can you justify 8-10 hours ‘work’ (as other L4s have said) including travelling and duties for £30-£50. That’s illegal in most other careers! They are taking the proverbial £&@? and you either haven’t realised it or you’re in denial. Please enlighten me and others mate

I’m very much of the opinion that if you consider refereeing as ‘work’ then it’s probably not for you.
It was never advertised to me as some thing that’ll make you big bucks at local level!
I referee for the enjoyment and to maintain my involvement in local football after I stopped playing!

 

[GraemeS]

They told us at our L4 seminar that there are usually ~1000 referees at L4 and above, with the rest of the 30,000 being 5 and below. Although there are only 20 SG1 referees at a time, you also need to remember that this group of 1000 will include people who are going to become part of that 20 later in life, as well as the associated SG1 assistants, and obviously those that "only" get to SG2, L1, L2, L3 etc.

Once you become an L4, a 1 in 50 chance of being an SG1 ref, probably closer to 1 in 20 of being SG2 AR or above? That's not terrible odds once you've got to that point, but there's no point aiming for the top until you've taken that 5-4 step at least IMO.

 

[RustyRef]

PLease start a new one rather than resurrect one 8 months old.