I saw this ref a few times on TikTok and I thought it was some kinda joke, only to stumble across a whole YouTube account of videos.
North York Sports League YouTube
Normally, I’m the first to defend a fellow referee or at least understand why they do the things they do, but without intending to offend our transatlantic friends, this guy is an embarrassment to the refereeing profession.
Now, I’m not suggesting there aren’t bad officials in England—many of the players I refereed on Sunday would say I’m one of them. The key difference, though, is that most referees aim to avoid the spotlight, whereas this guy seems to actively seek it, to the point of having a YouTube channel that showcases his incompetence. I’m not really sure what purpose his videos serve, other than to highlight his shortcomings.
I should note, I’m not familiar with what’s acceptable in officiating in Canada. Maybe this style is encouraged there, as MLB umpires, for example, tend to be very extroverted in their decision-making. However, in my opinion, he embodies everything a referee shouldn’t be.
North York Sports League YouTube
Normally, I’m the first to defend a fellow referee or at least understand why they do the things they do, but without intending to offend our transatlantic friends, this guy is an embarrassment to the refereeing profession.
Now, I’m not suggesting there aren’t bad officials in England—many of the players I refereed on Sunday would say I’m one of them. The key difference, though, is that most referees aim to avoid the spotlight, whereas this guy seems to actively seek it, to the point of having a YouTube channel that showcases his incompetence. I’m not really sure what purpose his videos serve, other than to highlight his shortcomings.
- Centre circle merchant (and often seems out of breath despite lack of distance travelled)
- Loves the sound of his own voice whilst ironically clamping down on dissent
- Engages with players in a manner that’s not just unprofessional but downright offensive, including belittling players with lines like, “If you had talent, I’d listen, but you don’t, so shut it. You talk for the world and now you're the victim!”
- Decides kick off with “Guess which hand my whistle is in.”
- Constantly threatens cards and uses phrases like "I don't need to talk to you, I have cards"
- Flashes cards unnecessarily, if you are in his general vicinity you are at risk of getting booked.
- Not carrying out any name / number taking procedure, which resulted in the same player getting booked twice and failed to dismiss.
- Makes confusing calls like, "There’s no minimum distance... but he has to be 5 yards away."
- Makes incorrect calls
I should note, I’m not familiar with what’s acceptable in officiating in Canada. Maybe this style is encouraged there, as MLB umpires, for example, tend to be very extroverted in their decision-making. However, in my opinion, he embodies everything a referee shouldn’t be.
