The Northumberland Junior League

[Joshref]

I came up to Newcastle Uni in September, and kind of stopped refereeing. When I go back home, I’ll ref my brothers U13 team sometimes and I’ve done a few favours for other teams I used to ref whilst back home. But up here I’ve not done any reffing.

I thought about contacting a local team but there’s not one that close. I figured I might try it next year. Next year I’ll have a car and my house isn’t in the city centre, so distance becomes less of an issue. I could contact the local league and offer myself. Getting ready in advance, I started looking at the local junior league and found this.

Young referees fed up with abuse from spectators boycott North East games

FOOTBALL referees who are fed up with being abused by spectators and coaches during youth fixtures took a stand at the weekend and refused to…

www.thenorthernecho.co.uk

Genuinely crazy stuff, but fair play to the FA and league for this initiative. Just wondering if there’s any local refs in the area who have any idea on the situation. What made it so bad up here compared to other places? Has it got any better?

 

[es1]

When I was at uni in Newcastle I reffed the intra mural football, rarely anything other than a stroll! Not sure of the situation now but games were up near Henderson Hall (amongst other locations further out)

 

[ChasObserverRefDeveloper]

I came up to Newcastle Uni in September, and kind of stopped refereeing. When I go back home, I’ll ref my brothers U13 team sometimes and I’ve done a few favours for other teams I used to ref whilst back home. But up here I’ve not done any reffing.

I thought about contacting a local team but there’s not one that close. I figured I might try it next year. Next year I’ll have a car and my house isn’t in the city centre, so distance becomes less of an issue. I could contact the local league and offer myself. Getting ready in advance, I started looking at the local junior league and found this.

Young referees fed up with abuse from spectators boycott North East games

FOOTBALL referees who are fed up with being abused by spectators and coaches during youth fixtures took a stand at the weekend and refused to…

www.thenorthernecho.co.uk

Genuinely crazy stuff, but fair play to the FA and league for this initiative. Just wondering if there’s any local refs in the area who have any idea on the situation. What made it so bad up here compared to other places? Has it got any better?

The article is about mini soccer, where parents can be a real nuisance or a positive behaviour model. If you are 19/20, why not look at youth football (Under 13's through to Under 18's) plus Uni matches?

 

[Joshref]

The article is about mini soccer, where parents can be a real nuisance or a positive behaviour model. If you are 19/20, why not look at youth football (Under 13's through to Under 18's) plus Uni matches?

Oh I have no interest in mini soccer. . And the article mentions games featuring players 10 and under, which I’ve only done once. U6’s tournament, 4 years ago, my first gig reffing. Suffice to say that experience meant sticking to older age groups. Had far less trouble with U16s than I have U6’s.

I wasn’t asking the question because of an interest in the league, I was more asking just out of interest of the situation. I cannot believe it got so bad, at such a young age group, that so many young refs were abused they took those measures. Apologies if what I wanted out of this was misinterpreted but thanks for the advice