Strange experiences

[Ben448844]

Whilst commenting on another thread, I was reminded of strange experiences I've had with other officials on match days. The overwhelming majority of teams I've worked in have been very good indeed. Usually to the point where as a level 7 or 6 ref I've been learning from them along the way. I've had a few odd experiences on the way, ranging from funny to frankly a bit weird!

- AR to a ref who liked to hug, alot. One pre match, before and after the half time whistle. One after full time and one when we left. Bizzare!

- A young ref (really nice guy) who put his flag on the floor to write something down and forgot to pick it up.

- An experienced level 5 NAR who asked me if he could ref the match because it was going to be his last one. He didn't at it wasn't.

- Being sat in a PL academy changing room and a ref walks in (different game) asking if he could borrow some flags. None of the 3 officials (all 40+) had brought any flags.

- A ref crying in the changing room post game

- A young ref banging his head in the changing room and having to ask for the first aid kit. Blood everywhere.

 

[PinnerPaul]

I'm sure more will come to mind but for now,

1) Being asked to keep a count of the fouls by the referee (So he could counter any 'Only one way ref?' accusations)
2) Warming up with a football
3) Very awkward match with an AR and referee, whereby the AR had zero respect for the ref and queried EVERYTHING in the pre match
4) Referee who used a wipe on/wipe off board for pre match

Having said all that I'm sure many I've worked with have found things to say about me!

 

[Martiju]

Sharing a changing room with another referee before simultaneous cup games, when he asked me if I was going 'straight to penalties'. When I said no, that it was ET first, he said he wasn't paid enough for that kind of crap so he'd be saying there'd be none in his game.

 

[Big Cat]

Sharing a changing room with another referee before simultaneous cup games, when he asked me if I was going 'straight to penalties'. When I said no, that it was ET first, he said he wasn't paid enough for that kind of crap so he'd be saying there'd be none in his game.

Yeh, I remember that game!

 

[OIREF!]

I recall a Saturday afternoon refereeing at the local parks where there were 4-5 games. Myself and a fellow referee who'd done one of the other matches were getting changed when a team manager barged in accusing the other referee of all sorts of bias against his team. Turned that the other referee hadn't actually been the refereeing that game. The manager left rather sheepishly. I've not idea whether he caught up with the right referee.

 

[RustyRef]

After a supply league game the home (and losing) manager came into our changing room to complain. Mid rant, and before I had a chance to kick him out, he stopped and said "so that explains it all". Not having a clue what he was talking about I asked him what explains it all, he pointed at a can on the floor and said "well if you are drinking beer in your changing room it explains why you were so bad". It was a can of Monster energy drink, he left pretty sheepishly once I pointed that out so a minor victory for me ...

 

[RustyRef]

I'm sure more will come to mind but for now,

1) Being asked to keep a count of the fouls by the referee (So he could counter any 'Only one way ref?' accusations)
2) Warming up with a football
3) Very awkward match with an AR and referee, whereby the AR had zero respect for the ref and queried EVERYTHING in the pre match
4) Referee who used a wipe on/wipe off board for pre match

Having said all that I'm sure many I've worked with have found things to say about me!

I've worked with or observed referees that have done 1, 2 and 4. Warming up with a ball can be quite a good icebreaker with players, but I know a lot of people would see it as massively unprofessional.

 

[PinnerPaul]

I've worked with or observed referees that have done 1, 2 and 4. Warming up with a ball can be quite a good icebreaker with players, but I know a lot of people would see it as massively unprofessional.

Interesting, been refereeing for 18 years now and probably assisting on a regular basis in a 3 for 15 of those and only seen 1,2 and 4 once.

 

[RustyRef]

Interesting, been refereeing for 18 years now and probably assisting on a regular basis in a 3 for 15 of those and only seen 1,2 and 4 once.

One London level 3 and then 2B always warmed up with a ball, unless he was being observed then he didn't. I did loads of games with him, but never came across anyone else doing it.

1) I was asked to do as a 4th official, for exactly the reason you listed. That's easy as you can jot them down, not sure how comfortable I'd be doing it as an assistant though.

4) I've seen a few times when observing L4 referees, and when I stepped back to L5 a L4 I was assisting used an iPad to show diagrams, including the assistants where to stand (the phrase teaching your grandmother to suck eggs sprang to mind ... )

 

[socal lurker]

4) I've seen a few times when observing L4 referees, and when I stepped back to L5 a L4 I was assisting used an iPad to show diagrams, including the assistants where to stand (the phrase teaching your grandmother to suck eggs sprang to mind ... )

Ugh. That's like when the newbie ref tells me to stay with the 2LD and I have to work to not roll my eyes!

But I can see, at higher levels where the pregame is much more nuanced and specific to the teams involved, that a board or diagrams might be appropriate -- but for things line awareness of formations, hot spots to watch on known set plays types of issues, not on the stuff we should all know.

 

[socal lurker]

To other strange things . . . When I was watching a game before my son played, the referee was stopping play by telling the kids to stop. At a break*, I jogged out to offer him a spare whistle, assuming he had forgot his. He kept his whistle in his pocket and didn't like to use it--apparently taking far much too heart the ref class discussion about not blowing the whistle more than necessary.

________
*In AYSO in the US there is a substitution break half way through each half. Subs are only then to help track and make sure each kid plays half the game.

 

[Ben448844]

I've worked with or observed referees that have done 1, 2 and 4. Warming up with a ball can be quite a good icebreaker with players, but I know a lot of people would see it as massively unprofessional.

Ah the warm up. My first ever game on the line (which resulted in the referee crying incident). The ref told us to get in our warm up shirts. I didn't have one, never occurred to me id need one. The ref was polite with me but he was being observed and deep down you could tell he was a bit annoyed but it was an innocent error, I knew know better.

Went out to do the warm up. About 45 seconds jogging, 2 or 3 stretches and back in to the changing room! I nearly made a joke about the lack of need for a warm up shirt for that but it wasn't the right time with him being so observer focused

 

[GraemeS]

Ah the warm up. My first ever game on the line (which resulted in the referee crying incident). The ref told us to get in our warm up shirts. I didn't have one, never occurred to me id need one. The ref was polite with me but he was being observed and deep down you could tell he was a bit annoyed but it was an innocent error, I knew know better.

Went out to do the warm up. About 45 seconds jogging, 2 or 3 stretches and back in to the changing room! I nearly made a joke about the lack of need for a warm up shirt for that but it wasn't the right time with him being so observer focused

You've reminded me, I once had the exact opposite!

I was AR and the 3 of us went out and did what I would consider a pretty good warmup, pushing overdoing it if anything. And when we'd finished and were about to go back in, the other AR asked if he could stay out and do more - apparently his other hobby was ultra-marathons, so what we both considered a "good" warm up was barely enough to get his heart rate up!

 

[JamesL]

4) I've seen a few times when observing L4 referees, and when I stepped back to L5 a L4 I was assisting used an iPad to show diagrams, including the assistants where to stand (the phrase teaching your grandmother to suck eggs sprang to mind ... )

I'm sorry but this is frankly ridiculous.
If you are a level 4 and using an ipad in your prematch you need to have some serious revaluation of your pre match!!! .

 

[Jtpetherick1]

I'm sorry but this is frankly ridiculous.
If you are a level 4 and using an ipad in your prematch you need to have some serious revaluation of your pre match!!! .

Unless you're doing a game where you actively prep - tactical awareness etc - then you don't need an iPad.

 

[bester]

Was a period a couple of years ago where the FA Corers had been given mini tactical boards and were using them for prematch.

 

[PinnerPaul]

One London level 3 and then 2B always warmed up with a ball, unless he was being observed then he didn't. I did loads of games with him, but never came across anyone else doing it.

1) I was asked to do as a 4th official, for exactly the reason you listed. That's easy as you can jot them down, not sure how comfortable I'd be doing it as an assistant though.

4) I've seen a few times when observing L4 referees, and when I stepped back to L5 a L4 I was assisting used an iPad to show diagrams, including the assistants where to stand (the phrase teaching your grandmother to suck eggs sprang to mind ... )

As far as the counting fouls was concerned, I just treated like the score 1-0; 1-1 1-2 etc - luckily after I gave him the figures for the 1st half he didn't want me to do it for the 2nd 45'

 

[Kes]

1) Being asked to keep a count of the fouls by the referee (So he could counter any 'Only one way ref?' accusations)

Pointless exercise.
I'd have told him to ram it.
You're an assistant referee not a stats compilation device.

 

[one]

Had a game last weekend. Half time captain complained that the other side had a lot more free kicks than they had. He was right. It was easy to notice. My answer, you are a physical side nd they are not. Count the number of turnovers next half and you'll see have have a lot more than the other side too. You are just not getting them right all the time. He didn't really have much to say after that because he know his side was very physical.

 

[RobOda]

If you are a level 4 and using an ipad in your prematch you need to have some serious revaluation of your pre match!!! .

I know a level 7-8 (bottom rung for England I guess) who mics up and has buzzer flags for college games...

apparently his other hobby was ultra-marathons, so what we both considered a "good" warm up was barely enough to get his heart rate up!

That's why I always say 'come out and do the jogging and you can try my routine, but once I'm done you can quit or stay and do more'. Some people need a solid workout, others don't even bother. I find it somewhat annoying when I get an A/R that doesn't want to warm up.

I find it even more frustrating when I get a referee that doesn't want to warm up. I had a cup semi-final once where he didn't warm up, we stayed indoors until kick off because it was sheeting down with rain and he didn't want to go out. First ten-fifteen minutes of that match I was absolutely gassed, with my chest exploding because it was up and down that line rather rapidly as you do in the early stages and it was all in my half. Killer.

Now I just ask 'are you warming up?' no. 'Do you mind if I go and do so?' and just go and warm up on my own if need be. Least by asking, any observer shouldn't get too irate with me for doing so.

strange experiences I've had with other officials on match days.

Turned up to a game with the team of referees, a senior ref, a/r and me as the junior a/r. About twenty minutes before kick-off, another ref turns up and the game has been assigned to him. So, they ended up swapping.

First ever game on the national Youth Leagues (way back), both myself and the other A/R were fresh out of our refereeing exams, second or third season I think. Obviously they liked us to throw us in that deep, but I think it was just we were available. We had lined together before, we were both assigned one of the better referees at the time, so we were getting used to routine etc with a good ref.

Night match, referee turned up two minutes, yes, TWO minutes before kick off. Strips off into his kit, bam, out we go, no instructions, nada. Didn't even take his wedding ring off.

Worse game at the time that I had ever ran the line for, because at that time I was being coached by a rather experienced referee, so was getting forced into good habits, then along came this referee and gave a shining example of how not to do anything right. No eye contact and matching signals during the game etc. Neither of us came away happy with that game but it was a surreal experience.