Semi final AR - First time
- Thread starter bmace3
- Start date
Nothing new!
Be yourself, listen to the referee and be honest with him/her.
Best advice, as I have been in your position now too long ago: Take a little extra time with your decisions, the referee will probably lead most of the throws so slow down and go with him, concentrate on offside that’s all yours! Good luck and enjoy, cup finals are great!
Be yourself, listen to the referee and be honest with him/her.
Best advice, as I have been in your position now too long ago: Take a little extra time with your decisions, the referee will probably lead most of the throws so slow down and go with him, concentrate on offside that’s all yours! Good luck and enjoy, cup finals are great!
First of all, congratulations on the appointment!
AR Tips... take your time and follow the lead of the man (or woman) in the middle. The ref should give you their pre-match instructions, do these (even if it's not exactly what you'd say to your assistants and everyone's happy). Lots of eye contact with the ref to take their lead.
Oh and try not to drop the ref in something they'll need to spend 3 weeks explaining their way out of... they won't thank you.
AR Tips... take your time and follow the lead of the man (or woman) in the middle. The ref should give you their pre-match instructions, do these (even if it's not exactly what you'd say to your assistants and everyone's happy). Lots of eye contact with the ref to take their lead.
Oh and try not to drop the ref in something they'll need to spend 3 weeks explaining their way out of... they won't thank you.
ChasObserverRefDeveloper
Regular Contributor
Congratulations!
If you get a chance to run a line before the semi-final, take it, even as a club AR.
On the day, let the referee know it's your first Neutral AR appointment so they can support you.
Most importantly - enjoy the day.
If you get a chance to run a line before the semi-final, take it, even as a club AR.
On the day, let the referee know it's your first Neutral AR appointment so they can support you.
Most importantly - enjoy the day.
Last edited:
This is the challenge referee appointments officers have, they get marks for referees from clubs so have a general idea how good they are. But they have no idea whatsoever how good they are on the line, especially if the competition only uses neutral ARs for semi-finals and finals. I once appointed an AR to a cup final who had an absolute nightmare, he was flagging as soon as the ball was played without waiting to see where it went, didn't know how to signal, was giving free kicks miles outside of his credible zone, and so on, and the referee had to stop the game to go and talk to him.
I don't mean this disrespectfully, but you really shouldn't be doing your first game as an AR in a cup semi-final, it just isn't fair on the teams, or indeed you. But the RefsSec presumably wouldn't know it was your first game as an AR. I would personally let him know ahead of the game, he may decide the experience will be good for you and leave you on it, or he may swap you onto the middle of a league game, but at least you would have given him the option.
I don't mean this disrespectfully, but you really shouldn't be doing your first game as an AR in a cup semi-final, it just isn't fair on the teams, or indeed you. But the RefsSec presumably wouldn't know it was your first game as an AR. I would personally let him know ahead of the game, he may decide the experience will be good for you and leave you on it, or he may swap you onto the middle of a league game, but at least you would have given him the option.
Would you not think though that RA officer's would speak to maybe the CFA, or other officers if they know them, to find out a bit about the potential AR? I'm just curious as to if that would happen.
Yeah, that would be a sensible option. Even that isn't a failsafe though, back in the day the referee used to mark their ARs but I don't think that happens now in most competitions. So the CFA would know if the referee had done games as AR, but not necessarily if they had performed well.
My first ever line was a U15 League Cup Final. I was more experienced than the other linesman, who was also on his first AR appointment, but looking back, my movement + signalling ect. was a trainwreck, lucky the game was a hammering.
My first ever line was on a London FA Senior Cup game between a contrib team and a supply league team. I was beyond hopeless, I didn't even know that the AR should hold the offside flag until the ball had been placed. Even when I got my L4 I was very, very inexperienced on the line and I really struggled (back then there was no requirement to do a certain number of lines to be nominated for L4). That's why I am a big advocate that all promotion candidates should be officiating as AR on a step 5 / 6 (supply) league.
Interesting. I've just got my L6 on the 1st March, so next season I'm going to line on Step 5/6, but this season, I felt as though I'd be a greater hinderance to officials going L4 -> 3, than an aid, and I wouldn't want to burden them with a lack of experience. That plays on my mind
ChasObserverRefDeveloper
Regular Contributor
We teach lining (as a neutral) within the basic course now, and encourage newbies to gain lining experience before any Cup Finals come along.
I agree to an extent that it’s not ideal to be doing your first line in a cup semi final… but they’re quite hard to come by for level 7s other than the sharp end of league cups. And I imagine most ref secs would rather have anyone higher than that doing middles. Not an easy solution. If this is a Sunday league cup semi then it seems fairly appropriate to me, if not ideal
Thanks all for the advice and guidance. The league sec is aware of it but still happy for me to do it.
The league have prioritised cups, then premier then div 1 for officials so most of div to will be unallocated officials for a few weekends.
I agree with challenges for ref secs with this, with most weeks a game or 2 not having an official due to a lack of them, once you start needing 3 for a match it’s like square pegs round holes isn’t it.
The league have prioritised cups, then premier then div 1 for officials so most of div to will be unallocated officials for a few weekends.
I agree with challenges for ref secs with this, with most weeks a game or 2 not having an official due to a lack of them, once you start needing 3 for a match it’s like square pegs round holes isn’t it.
PinnerPaul
RefChat Addict
I was lucky I guess in that relatively early I started doing at least 50% of my games as AR - Womens National League, Isthmian Under 18s and plenty of other ad hoc games responding to requests.
As others have said though, many cup competitions don't require neutral assistants until the semis.
Problem also is that at this time of the year these competitions bombard county FA's with requests, often at short notice.
I'm doing a schools final this afternoon - there is another one on the adjacent pitch and they wanted 7 officials in total and only got the call last week.
Midweek afternoon, 7 or so days notice, 7 officials needed - don't think you can be too fussy with who you choose tbh.
As others have said though, many cup competitions don't require neutral assistants until the semis.
Problem also is that at this time of the year these competitions bombard county FA's with requests, often at short notice.
I'm doing a schools final this afternoon - there is another one on the adjacent pitch and they wanted 7 officials in total and only got the call last week.
Midweek afternoon, 7 or so days notice, 7 officials needed - don't think you can be too fussy with who you choose tbh.
He is aware and I did let him. It’s only my first full season reffing. I’ll drop him a message and just remind him and see if he’s happy to let me carry on with it
Nowadays at least one (WNL) saves AR appointments for people going for promotion
PinnerPaul
RefChat Addict
Yes I know, hence why I don't do that many now.