A&H

Mass confrontation - spectator misconduct

M

Middleman

New Member
Level 4 Referee
Long time reader, first time poster. My first encounter with a mass confrontation and a spectator getting involved at the weekend. Fiery open age game, red v blue. Played on an enclosed 3G pitch, so sidelines close to the action.

It was a close, niggly affair requiring a few words to players and a couple of cautions for AA (handbags really), but nothing that had blown up significantly.

Score was level with about 10 to go, when blue defender commits a foul a few yards away from the touchline where all the people are. There's a brief exchange of words between the players, resulting in the blue player striking the red around the head. As I'm whistling and getting closer, one of the spectators comes onto the pitch, grabs the blue player around the collar/neck and shoves him away.

This causes a bit of a scene, but no other major misconduct. Once it settles down, I have the spectator leave the vicinity (for everyone's safety to stop it boiling over on the sides), then show the RC to blue player. I was surprised just how fast everything happened and for a moment I almost forgot which blue player to dismiss!

Red manager and blue club sec congratulate me after game on how I handled it. I say to red manager that I'd have to report the spectator, but now I realise in the midst of everything, I didn't get a name.

Do I just report the misconduct as 'spectator from [team]'?
Was there also cause for abandonment or did I deal with it sufficiently?

Apologies for the ramble.
 
The Referee Store
Sounds like you handled it very well.

No you don't need name of spectator - club will be charged with failing to control spectators.
 
Absolutely fine. The spectator's name is not your concern, nor in reality is which team he is there to support. You just report that a spectator became involved and describe what happened, it is the home club's responsibility to control any speccies on the sideline.
 
As Paul said, it is the club that is at fault. Never inquiry as to the name of the spectator, that only creates more problems for you.

On the abandonment, if it is just one spectator and you think it is safe to continue, then do so. If likely to be more problem with the same person or others - at local league level, go home.
 
Thanks for the replies. One more thing... Do I mention the spectator incident as part of the RC misconduct report, or not, seeing as it had no bearing on the RC offence? I assume the spectator misconduct goes on its own report.
 
Middleman said:
Thanks for the replies. One more thing... Do I mention the spectator incident as part of the RC misconduct report, or not, seeing as it had no bearing on the RC offence? I assume the spectator misconduct goes on its own report.
Click to expand...

Correct, seperate misconduct report for that one. While he may have got involved in the original incident, it is technically two separate incidents to report.
 
You know that most 3G facilities have a rule that states spectators must remain outside the fence?
 
Are you referring to league rules, or rules set by the owners of the facility?

League rules have no stipulation that I can find, nor was there any notification at the venue as to this (written or given to me by staff).

However, due to these events, it may well be something I request in future in any case.
 
A league that I have officiated in before has had it's own rules regarding spectators being outside of the 3G pitches, so may be any idea to pass onto your league?
 
if there is a fenced off area get the spectators outside stops problems, as the others have said it sound like you dealt with things well
 
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