Pushed and sworn at by a player

[2touch]

I’m about 20 games into my refereeing journey (mainly OA football) and haven’t had any issues until this Saturday just gone.

Booked a player in the first half - late challenge, clear yellow.

About 10 mins before the end of the game this player gets involved in a bit of a tussle with an opposing player and reacts angrily to a challenge. He gets up and pushes his opponent and is acting aggressively so I gave the opposing player a yellow and the player in question a second yellow and sent him off.

He was annoyed that I hadn’t taken more action against his opponent (wrongly so as there was no red card offence committed) and the player then told me to F off and pushed me in the shoulder with both hands!

Everyone else present was shocked and his team mates were angry with him and did all the right things afterwards in terms of being apologetic. I called the captain over and told him to speak to his team as I wouldn’t tolerate any more disorder or the game would be abandoned. No further issues and game was played to it’s conclusion.

I submitted a misconduct report on WGS. Is there anything else I should have done? Not sure what happens next.

Any advice appreciated

 

[RustyRef]

I’m about 20 games into my refereeing journey (mainly OA football) and haven’t had any issues until this Saturday just gone.

Booked a player in the first half - late challenge, clear yellow.

About 10 mins before the end of the game this player gets involved in a bit of a tussle with an opposing player and reacts angrily to a challenge. He gets up and pushes his opponent and is acting aggressively so I gave the opposing player a yellow and the player in question a second yellow and sent him off.

He was annoyed that I hadn’t taken more action against his opponent (wrongly so as there was no red card offence committed) and the player then told me to F off and pushed me in the shoulder with both hands!

Everyone else present was shocked and his team mates were angry with him and did all the right things afterwards in terms of being apologetic. I called the captain over and told him to speak to his team as I wouldn’t tolerate any more disorder or the game would be abandoned. No further issues and game was played to it’s conclusion.

I submitted a misconduct report on WGS. Is there anything else I should have done? Not sure what happens next.

Any advice appreciated

Never great when you get manhandled by a player, hope you are OK?

When you say that you submitted a misconduct report on WGS, I presume you mean a separate report for the incident after the red card, rather than just the tick box 2nd caution report? If so he should be charged with assault on a match official. It would be worth you having a chat with your RDO tomorrow to explain what happened, they really should be contacting you anyway once the report is received, but no harm to pre-empt that contact.

 

[2touch]

Thanks for your response. Yes I’m fine thanks. Was able to continue the game with no problems - it’s a shame what happened and his teammates were telling me he wouldn’t be playing for their club again etc…

Yes I did submit a separate report. Will contact my RDO tomorrow as you suggest. It hasn’t put me off in my refereeing journey but I may consider increasing the distance between me and the player for any future red card type scenarios. I had calmly explained why he was getting a second yellow and even decided the show the oppo the yellow first so that the player being sent off could also see his opponent being sanctioned but he still just lost his rag. All part of the learning experience!

 

[ChasObserverRefDeveloper]

One thing to consider in cases of increased tension like this - standing face to face with the offender should be avoided.
Stand side by side, a metre from the player, as that reduces the risk of assault or physical contact with you.

 

[Refollie]

If a player pushes me (has only happened once in nearly 500 matches), I would (and did) abandon the match.

It’s totally up to the referee to decide what they want to do and I hope you get support from your RDO and the player is handed a significant ban. Personally my view is that I am not paid enough to be shoved around or assaulted and I will happily take my match fee and head home early at that point. I’m sure that way the team will think twice about picking that player again and your league/county FA will always back you.

 

[Refollie]

It does raise the question of how much I would accept as a fee to be shoved. Maybe £150?

 

[2touch]

It does raise the question of how much I would accept as a fee to be shoved. Maybe £150?

I once saw on holiday a barber price list that was 10 Euros for a shove but I think that was a typo!

 

[santa sangria]

Well done. Consider that it may have been more traumatic than you are realize. It’s good if you people you can trust to talk to. Not just online crazies!

 

[Samuel]

Hope you are ok now, it has already been said but it can be traumatic, and probably worse the next few days after the game. Keep your head up and I hope you receive the right support from the county.

 

[The Gump]

Hope you’re okay @Refollie - sounds like you’ve handled everything by the book.

Genuine question for others as still learning the nuances of irregular incidents - is this a situation where a second red should/could be issued, or is that irrelevant and unnecessary aa the ER will result in a charge anyway?

 

[JamesL]

Hope you’re okay @Refollie - sounds like you’ve handled everything by the book.

Genuine question for others as still learning the nuances of irregular incidents - is this a situation where a second red should/could be issued, or is that irrelevant and unnecessary aa the ER will result in a charge anyway?

You can't give a second red card. Any offences after a red card are just reported separately via extraordinary reports.

The red card communicates that a player is sent off. Once a player is sent off they can't be sent off again, as that's already happened.

Hope you are okay @2touch

 

[Tingting]

Glad you’re safe. Big misconduct when it came to shoving that player. Even more surprising was when he came at you. It was pretty obvious that he would get a red card with him on a yellow. County FA should act on it. Set him a fine or a match ban. No referee should be treated like that. Too many times this happens.

 

[2touch]

Update on this one - spoke to my RDO but have still heard nothing about a charge for the player and no discipline department has been in touch with me? Is this normal?

 

[JamesL]

Update on this one - spoke to my RDO but have still heard nothing about a charge for the player and no discipline department has been in touch with me? Is this normal?

Yes. Assume RDO rang you as a welfare check?

Usually, you will only hear anything if you are required to attend a disciplinary hearing (as a witness). Other than that county FA Will do their thing and you will be non the wiser

 

[2touch]

Yes. Assume RDO rang you as a welfare check?

Usually, you will only hear anything if you are required to attend a disciplinary hearing (as a witness). Other than that county FA Will do their thing and you will be non the wiser

Yes - RDO contacted me and all good.

Will just assume the CFA deals with it appropriately then!

 

[The Gump]

Yes - RDO contacted me and all good.

Will just assume the CFA deals with it appropriately then!

Keep an eye on the Written Reasons section of the FA site. Had an aggravated OFFINABUS earlier this season, heard nothing as wasn't needed as a witness (charge uncontested) and took about three months for the reasons to be published.