The Ref Stop

New kit free... For L3 & L4 and above refs...

Steve Fall

Steve Fall

Member
Level 4 Referee
It will be interesting to see how this pans out.
It’s brilliant to see the FA giving refs at level 4 and above free shirts and kit but it does make you wonder how this will make refs below that level feel?
It’s difficult for the FA to win on this I admit, but the next step will probably be allowing refs at that level to wear sponsors on their kit. This will probably bring in more money that it costs them for the kit and hopefully the extra income can be spent on supporting refs below that level with free kit.

Had it confrmed by my RDO - pass your fitness test etc and this should be happening.
 

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The Ref Stop
So long as they don't say you can't wear existing kit with the old badge I don't really care. I actually ordered a shirt from my county with a county badge and it arrived with the FAMOA badge instead.
 
Referees on the senior list up here have gotten free kit for years. Don’t think lower level refs will be that bothered
 
Trip said:
So long as they don't say you can't wear existing kit with the old badge I don't really care. I actually ordered a shirt from my county with a county badge and it arrived with the FAMOA badge instead.
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It says in the statement that it will no longer be produced. That says it can be worn as a legacy badge. Just like when CFAs change their badge can be worn. Just won't be available in future.
 
Why would those below 4 feel a certain way ? This is long overdue.
Many officials, particularly those at 4, have neglected to present a professional appearance and cost was frequently an excuse. Level 4s can now find themselves operating at Step 2 or even 1.

Additionally, those below Step 1 shouldn't be wearing EA branded kit. This however happens even with supply league assistants.
 
Sir Essex said:
Why would those below 4 feel a certain way ? This is long overdue.
Many officials, particularly those at 4, have neglected to present a professional appearance and cost was frequently an excuse. Level 4s can now find themselves operating at Step 2 or even 1.

Additionally, those below Step 1 shouldn't be wearing EA branded kit. This however happens even with supply league assistants.
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We wear EA branded kit at Step 2...
 
Therein lies the problem.

Step 2 officials are not given EA branded kit. You can often see a referee with EA, one AR in one version of unbranded kit and the other AR in a different era's. This is a blatant contrast to Step 1 where officials are sent the kit to be worn. I did not wear branded kit as a Step 2 AR.

This may change however for the upcoming season.
 
Sir Essex said:
Therein lies the problem.

Step 2 officials are not given EA branded kit. You can often see a referee with EA, one AR in one version of unbranded kit and the other AR in a different era's. This is a blatant contrast to Step 1 where officials are sent the kit to be worn. I did not wear branded kit as a Step 2 AR.

This may change however for the upcoming season.
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Referees are.
Assistants (level 3) aren't, we are supplied a NL badge. Obviously that is changing as we will have some kit supplied by FA now. Assume it will be un-badged and we will be able to swap badges based on the comp we are officiating at that time.
 
JamesL said:
Referees are.
Assistants (level 3) aren't, we are supplied a NL badge. Obviously that is changing as we will have some kit supplied by FA now. Assume it will be un-badged and we will be able to swap badges based on the comp we are officiating at that time.
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No chance, it will have an embroidered badge and for other competitions you will need to stick badges over it.

The cynical side of me says this is a first step in the road to sponsoring referee shirts at lower levels. They won't announce it at the same time, but this time next year it will be announced that the EA sponsorship will be extended to step 6 and above officials, or there is a new sponsor for officials operating between steps 2 and 6.

There is a reason they have done this, and it isn't just to give a new badge to L4 and above referees.
 
The first step is clearly professionalism and uniformity. I expect comms and the fat test to quickly filter it's way down to Step 2 within 3 seasons.
Level 4's have been pressured recently to keep up with training tops and newest tracksuits. Level 3s are often not much better. Usually the excuse is cost so the FA/PGMOL have stepped in.
 
RustyRef said:
No chance, it will have an embroidered badge and for other competitions you will need to stick badges over it.

The cynical side of me says this is a first step in the road to sponsoring referee shirts at lower levels. They won't announce it at the same time, but this time next year it will be announced that the EA sponsorship will be extended to step 6 and above officials, or there is a new sponsor for officials operating between steps 2 and 6.

There is a reason they have done this, and it isn't just to give a new badge to L4 and above referees.
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Makes sense... I suspect RefStop are very close to this having supplied all of the FA Competition finals with kit, and equipment.
 
I agree. RefStop have known about this for a long time and were first to remove the FAMOA badge from sale. They have an announcement coming Friday according to their page, and the FA official page is down, so I smell something coming to that effect
 
What do we think of the chances of this kit being delivered in time for the new season? 🤔
 
Email received today, it reads as though we won't be allowed to wear the FAMOA badge during games at step 2-6. Only for training and leisure wear.Screenshot_20230616_130722_Gmail.jpg
 
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