The Ref Stop

Pre Match Level 4 and Above

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E

Egg man

Active Member
Level 4 Referee
Just Looking at some Feedback any Suggestion please from Level 4 and above Referees.

Pre-Match Instructions

Welcome, outline for today's match, including some notes about the teams and feedback.

Law 9 – Ball in and Out of Play
Goal Kicks and Corners: Ensure you're credible on your side. On the far side, let me lead. Monitor the first few goal kicks and drop kicks—no surprises, please. Communicate with the goalkeeper if they're close on drop kicks or coordinate with the left back.

Throw-Ins:
  • Take your time—make eye contact. I'll indicate direction by pointing below.
  • On your active line (from the 18-yard box to the corner) I will be looking for you to lead.
  • Approaching halfway, follow my lead or signals below. On your non-active line, mirror my signals and focus on ball-out situations.
  • Near the benches, I may need to go quickly. Maintain eye contact, and signal together
  • If we cross, drop your flag quickly don’t signal again, and we’ll proceed with my decision.
Law 11 – Offside
  • -Offside is your top priority throughout the match and yours at all times.
  • Take your time. clear signal on the buzzer, except in situations requiring quick flags (e.g., imminent collisions).
  • If I overrule, lower your flag and prepare for the next phase of play.
Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct
  • Try to adapt to my tolerance level and game tempo. Consider my positioning and only intervene when you're in a credible position and can add value to the match control.
  • In your corner, communicate with me give if needed.
  • For cautions, tap your front pocket. For send-offs, call me over with details: shirt colour (home/away), number, and offense. I'll confirm before proceeding.
Law 14 – Penalty Kicks

1. If I’m awarding it, I’ll signal clearly.
2. If I’m turning it down, I'll signal "cutting the grass" with a loud voice—please don’t intervene.
3. If I need your help, I’ll look to you. If certain, signal confidently.
  • For fouls near the box, indicate whether it’s inside or outside. Inside: Move straight down the touchline into position for the penalty. Outside: Stop, take a step or two toward the centre line.
  • You're the goal judge for keeper movements on the line signal via the buzzer for clear infractions with impact no surprises and i will made the decision
Roles and Responsibilities

Senior AR1:
  • Maintain a full match record (including goals) and oversee technical areas (limit of two standing).
  • Manage substitutions: ensure they warm up opposite AR2, not behind you. Take your time.
  • If assistance is needed, provide details (who, what happened), and I’ll decide on action. When possible, manage issues with a warning.
  • Avoid defending me for incorrect calls—let me handle it. Stay composed.
Junior AR2:

  • Eyes and ears, ensuring no misconduct is missed while AR1 and I are occupied.
  • Note the restart following any long stoppage.
Blood Injuries:
  • Check injuries on your active lines during break in play. For non-active lines, call me over if unsure.
  • Blood-stained shirts must be changed.
Mass Con
  • Position yourselves to observe effectively; enter the field only if it adds value (don’t stand together).
  • If benches become involved, don’t try to stop them. Post-incident, come together:
  • Identify players involved (Red/Home #7 punched an opponent VC, send-off). Include shirt colour, number, and offense for each individual.
AR2: Ensure you recall the restart.

Pregame Routine
  • 7 minutes before kick-off: Ring the bell and check kits, boots, jewellery, undergarments and Sock tape must match. White socks below the ankle are allowed.
  • Lead teams out together, Respect handshakes.
  • ARs break off to check nets, witness the coin toss, and prepare for kick-off.
Reminder
  • Teamwork maintain good eye contact.
  • Stay credible through positioning, work rate, and focus.
  • Enjoy the match, stay confident, smile, and make the tough calls when needed.
  • Let’s work together to get big decision right!
 
The Ref Stop
Egg man said:
Just Looking at some Feedback any Suggestion please from Level 4 and above Referees.

Pre-Match Instructions

Welcome, outline for today's match, including some notes about the teams and feedback.

Law 9 – Ball in and Out of Play
Goal Kicks and Corners: Ensure you're credible on your side. On the far side, let me lead. Monitor the first few goal kicks and drop kicks—no surprises, please. Communicate with the goalkeeper if they're close on drop kicks or coordinate with the left back.

Throw-Ins:
  • Take your time—make eye contact. I'll indicate direction by pointing below.
  • On your active line (from the 18-yard box to the corner) I will be looking for you to lead.
  • Approaching halfway, follow my lead or signals below. On your non-active line, mirror my signals and focus on ball-out situations.
  • Near the benches, I may need to go quickly. Maintain eye contact, and signal together
  • If we cross, drop your flag quickly don’t signal again, and we’ll proceed with my decision.
Law 11 – Offside
  • -Offside is your top priority throughout the match and yours at all times.
  • Take your time. clear signal on the buzzer, except in situations requiring quick flags (e.g., imminent collisions).
  • If I overrule, lower your flag and prepare for the next phase of play.
Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct
  • Try to adapt to my tolerance level and game tempo. Consider my positioning and only intervene when you're in a credible position and can add value to the match control.
  • In your corner, communicate with me give if needed.
  • For cautions, tap your front pocket. For send-offs, call me over with details: shirt colour (home/away), number, and offense. I'll confirm before proceeding.
Law 14 – Penalty Kicks

1. If I’m awarding it, I’ll signal clearly.
2. If I’m turning it down, I'll signal "cutting the grass" with a loud voice—please don’t intervene.
3. If I need your help, I’ll look to you. If certain, signal confidently.
  • For fouls near the box, indicate whether it’s inside or outside. Inside: Move straight down the touchline into position for the penalty. Outside: Stop, take a step or two toward the centre line.
  • You're the goal judge for keeper movements on the line signal via the buzzer for clear infractions with impact no surprises and i will made the decision
Roles and Responsibilities

Senior AR1:
  • Maintain a full match record (including goals) and oversee technical areas (limit of two standing).
  • Manage substitutions: ensure they warm up opposite AR2, not behind you. Take your time.
  • If assistance is needed, provide details (who, what happened), and I’ll decide on action. When possible, manage issues with a warning.
  • Avoid defending me for incorrect calls—let me handle it. Stay composed.
Junior AR2:

  • Eyes and ears, ensuring no misconduct is missed while AR1 and I are occupied.
  • Note the restart following any long stoppage.
Blood Injuries:
  • Check injuries on your active lines during break in play. For non-active lines, call me over if unsure.
  • Blood-stained shirts must be changed.
Mass Con
  • Position yourselves to observe effectively; enter the field only if it adds value (don’t stand together).
  • If benches become involved, don’t try to stop them. Post-incident, come together:
  • Identify players involved (Red/Home #7 punched an opponent VC, send-off). Include shirt colour, number, and offense for each individual.
AR2: Ensure you recall the restart.

Pregame Routine
  • 7 minutes before kick-off: Ring the bell and check kits, boots, jewellery, undergarments and Sock tape must match. White socks below the ankle are allowed.
  • Lead teams out together, Respect handshakes.
  • ARs break off to check nets, witness the coin toss, and prepare for kick-off.
Reminder
  • Teamwork maintain good eye contact.
  • Stay credible through positioning, work rate, and focus.
  • Enjoy the match, stay confident, smile, and make the tough calls when needed.
  • Let’s work together to get big decision right!
Click to expand...
One of the most boring aspects of Refereeing
My pre-match is of short duration with focus on telling my ARs what I'm sh1t at so they can concentrate on helping me out with those bits
I extend much more trust in my ARs than any other Referee I've met even. I see them as equals even if they may not be
The above is true even with an Observer present, as is the fact that I've stopped boring the cr4p out of my AR's with anything that's standard
(Unless they're L7 newbies)
The standard expectations should 'all' be in the 'guidance to referee's' section in the back of the book. Some of it is already covered

'Elite Assisting' in my games is when an Assistant quickly 'gives me an out' from any clear mistake I've made regardless of where it's happened on the FOP
 
Last edited:
Egg man said:
Law 11 – Offside
  • -Offside is your top priority throughout the match and yours at all times.
  • Take your time. clear signal on the buzzer, except in situations requiring quick flags (e.g., imminent collisions).
  • If I overrule, lower your flag and prepare for the next phase of play.
Click to expand...
Pretty detailed. You’ll adapt to things as you go along, but this is definitely a very good starting point.

Just on the bits I’ve done in bold; they contradict each other. You can’t say offsides are all yours, then say I may overrule you. They’re either all theirs (which I personally wouldn’t say) or they aren’t
 
I was always of the belief that AR2 should record the goals.

Reasoning - AR1 normally more experienced, so more aware of potential misconduct and can see the TA's, as that is where it could come from. If they record the game, they will have their head in the book at a potential KMI.

If you go down, as referee, you would agree the position from your book at that time.
 
Big Cat said:
One of the most boring aspects of Refereeing
My pre-match is of short duration with focus on telling my ARs what I'm sh1t at so they can concentrate on helping me out with those bits
I extend much more trust in my ARs than any other Referee I've met even. I see them as equals even if they may not be
The above is true even with an Observer present, as is the fact that I've stopped boring the cr4p out of my AR's with anything that's standard
(Unless they're L7 newbies)
The standard expectations should 'all' be in the 'guidance to referee's' section in the back of the book. Some of it is already covered

'Elite Assisting' in my games is when an Assistant quickly 'gives me an out' from any clear mistake I've made regardless of where it's happened on the FOP
Click to expand...
If only ARs carried out as per standard instructions unless specifically instructed. Same too can be said for some Referees eg at penalty kicks.
 
Fair point, I'll adapt that part. Over time, I'm sure it will change, but I needed a starting point as I stumbled through pre-match on the few occasions when I had NAR.
 
I think it’s a strong list. Couple of points that L4-3s include here:

Fouls in front of the AR - default is AR watches feet, R watches whole body, so R might whistle an upper body-arms foul.

Advantage - AR should not rush to signal a foul. Consider the players. Is there an advantage? I want my advantage goal. Don’t rush. Look at R if in doubt.

YC/RC offences - your choice here - tell the AR if you want chest/pocket hand signals for borderline/unsighted YC/RC. Some refs want, some don’t.

… I also think you can simplify throw-in signalling. AR should change hands downstairs first and not rush the flag. This can help eliminate risk of cross flagging.
 
Generally looks good, but one question I would have is what do you think the most important role for an AR is? I don't think anyone would disagree that it is offsides, but that is one of your shortest sections. Incorrect throw-ins rarely affect a game, yet you are going to be talking longer about those than you are offsides.
 
RustyRef said:
Generally looks good, but one question I would have is what do you think the most important role for an AR is? I don't think anyone would disagree that it is offsides, but that is one of your shortest sections. Incorrect throw-ins rarely affect a game, yet you are going to be talking longer about those than you are offsides.
Click to expand...
What would you say more about on offsides?
 
Egg man said:
What would you say more about on offsides?
Click to expand...
One additional point would be to highlight your requirements for a player in an offside position who could be in the line of sight, with both you & your active AR both having a piece of the jigsaw, whereby a conversation will need to had. What is also important is whether you want your AR to flag or not flag before the chat. Also, if no one from the defending team are appealing for an offside, then not to prolong & get on with the game.
 
Egg man said:
What would you say more about on offsides?
Click to expand...
The standard of AR’s assisting L4’s can be somewhat varied, I am always clear with my AR’s about what an offence is (for example, wide free kick goes to the near post, if a player is stood in an offside position when the kick is taken beyond the back post then they are not to be penalised - might seem overkill but I’ve seen flags go up at this level in this situation.)

Also when I want the flag in the case of an offside offence (some ARs interpret the standard “delay delay delay” brief and take forever with a flag, if there’s an offence then get it up quickly, only time to delay is when there’s a chance a player in an onside position may play the ball or the ball may run dead / in to the ‘keepers arms.

Reminder on the restart position - where the offence occurs not where the defensive line was stood

If you’re on buzzers it may also be worth telling them when / when not to utilise the button.
 
You have the main points but don’t prolong it. AR’s hear almost the same thing week in week out. They switch off and stare into space if you say too much. Short and sweet, straight to the point. Make more of a show of it if you’ve got an observer.
 
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