Tolerance for abandoning a match

[george.g]

Hi,

Had my first open age middle on Saturday, on the county cup. I'm 16, but my height means I can often get away with looking a couple of years older, but I do wear my yellow armband.

Had a sinbin 36mins in for someone shouting 'f*cking **** that ref, on a f*cking power trip, shocking ect..' from a fair distance away.

All was ok, one caution for C1 - AA in the 76th minute.

Then, in the 84th minute, the game boils over, and a mass confrontation starts, leading two 2 red cards and a yellow, as a tried to pick out the key offenders. However, spectators (and possibly the manager, couldn't work it out considering he was wearing all black with his hood up like the rest of them) ran onto the pitch and threw punches during this time. I was confident in my ability to resume that match, so did so, showing 2 more cautions to subs/managers for dissent.

Afterwards, my match day coach was incredibly supportive, and mentioned he would've abandoned the game, but was more than complimentary for me continuing it, and my report came back great, pointing out my potential in refereeing amongst other stuff, so I'm pleased.

Was wondering if there is any clear cut 'abandon it' offences relating to this type of incident, except for the assault of a match official.

Cheers

 

[ChasObserverRefDeveloper]

You can only judge each of these situations on the day, asking yourself:
1. Is there a risk of assaults on players, match officials, club officials or spectators?
2. Have players calmed down after the fisticuffs?
3. How long is left on the clock?
4. Are the captains and coaches likely to assist the referee by settling their players?
5. How calm do you feel?
6. How safe do you feel?
Well done on completing this game - can we assume you reported the reds, yellows, and the misconduct, including the spectators (and possibly the manager)?

 

[george.g]

Thanks for those 6 points, it's nice to just have a few things to look at and get in mind when making that decision.

Well done on completing this game - can we assume you reported the reds, yellows, and the misconduct, including the spectators (and possibly the manager)?

Yes, sent through all 7 cards, and 2 separate misconduct reports, but unfortunately was unable to confirm the identity of the manager clearly. my assessor also sent through a misconduct report, about not only the incidents mentioned above, but them breaking my Linesman Flags (FA are replacing these) and other issues. RDO has contacted me, and waiting to hear back from the discipline team

Baptism through fire I guess!

 

[st john]

Well done on getting through that match. Like mentioned above you have weigh up the safety of everyone before resuming a game and get a feeling of the likelihood of it all going off again. If you think some haven't calmed down then finish the game and explain thats why you did so
I'm aware of three matches in a local junior league being abandoned this weekend, 2 at U14 and 1 at U12's. Its time the leagues started to hand out sterner punishments and quicken the whole discipline system up. I know some Referees have stopped handing their flags out because of the number of times they've had to replace them.

 

[RustyRef]

Sounds challenging and you managed it well.

After it all kicks off it will normally be instinctive if it isn't going to be possible or safe to restart. Has it settled down after the cards were issued, were external participants involved in the melee, have sent off people and any externals now gone, etc? I had a county cup game years ago where it all kicked off after one player punched another and he retaliated and loads then piled in, I thought I'd got it all sorted after reds and yellows so restarted. The instigator then walked back out of the changing room, someone shouted "get him", and both teams legged it off the pitch, out of the park and down Palmers Green High Street. At that point, even if they came back, there is zero chance I'm restarting, and as it happened the police were called. The question I asked myself after is should I have restarted in the first place, but at the time it felt safe to do so.

 

[Macca]

If in one of my matches, an outside agent enters the field and assaults or tries to assault another person, that's it, I'm done. I'm not continuing a match where a crime was just committed. If an outside agent will throw punches at a player, they will just as likely throw punches at a ref.
BTW: I'd also have sent off the player who made the comment on 36 mins.

At any age, it's incredibly difficult without the experience, but doubly so for younger or newer ref's who want to proceed through the ranks. Fair play to you coming here looking for advice on next time rather than doubting your choice of doing open age games.

 

[Kes]

I had a county cup game years ago where it all kicked off after one player punched another and he retaliated and loads then piled in, I thought I'd got it all sorted after reds and yellows so restarted. The instigator then walked back out of the changing room, someone shouted "get him", and both teams legged it off the pitch, out of the park and down Palmers Green High Street.

Sorry, I know it probably wasn't much fun for you but that reads quite funny to me!! Like something from an old Benny Hill sketch.

Must be the way you tells em ...

 

[george.g]

If in one of my matches, an outside agent enters the field and assaults or tries to assault another person, that's it, I'm done. I'm not continuing a match where a crime was just committed. If an outside agent will throw punches at a player, they will just as likely throw punches at a ref.
BTW: I'd also have sent off the player who made the comment on 36 mins.

At any age, it's incredibly difficult without the experience, but doubly so for younger or newer ref's who want to proceed through the ranks. Fair play to you coming here looking for advice on next time rather than doubting your choice of doing open age games.

I refuse to let one experience spoil the fun and enjoyment I get from refereeing, would rather take my positive feedback from the match-day coach, and keep trying to get my promotion this season.

I guess the incident in the 36th never felt like OFFINABUS language to me, the initial shout of dissent was enough for me, and it was when he was coming towards me and I pulled out my book did he say about the power trip, but I shrugged it off.

Interestingly my assessor commented multiple times about my tolerance, generally prompting coming on here in the first place.

Appreciate the comments from everyone

 

[ChasObserverRefDeveloper]

I refuse to let one experience spoil the fun and enjoyment I get from refereeing, would rather take my positive feedback from the match-day coach, and keep trying to get my promotion this season.

I guess the incident in the 36th never felt like OFFINABUS language to me, the initial shout of dissent was enough for me, and it was when he was coming towards me and I pulled out my book did he say about the power trip, but I shrugged it off.

Interestingly my assessor commented multiple times about my tolerance, generally prompting coming on here in the first place.

Appreciate the comments from everyone

Based on the updated description here of the 36th minute incident, I would have expected a red card.
The first words were spur of the moment, but the follow up comments were not, and were a personal insult aimed at you.

 

[george.g]

Based on the updated description here of the 36th minute incident, I would have expected a red card.
The first words were spur of the moment, but the follow up comments were not, and were a personal insult aimed at you.

Interesting, would you be suggesting S6 for the 'power trip' comment. I guess it's a comment I've head quite a few times across different levels of football, and socially, so had never felt much offense to.

(I will add the player that said that walked for Violent Conduct later on, not that it makes a difference to this incident here)

 

[santa sangria]

We refs do not need to be a hero.

Red cards, mass con, fan attack… on your own (young ref or not)… common sense says… Take no unnecessary risks with your own ssfety and abandon via the calmest exit route possible.

I applaud the OP for having the calm and self confidence to complete this match… but… this is surely over the red line and we must abandon these matches.

 

[ChasObserverRefDeveloper]

Interesting, would you be suggesting S6 for the 'power trip' comment. I guess it's a comment I've head quite a few times across different levels of football, and socially, so had never felt much offense to.

(I will add the player that said that walked for Violent Conduct later on, not that it makes a difference to this incident here)

I would send off for a comment like that, in the context that you described (i. e. not a knee jerk reaction)
The report can include both lots of language if detail is needed to support the dismissal.
I know a lot of colleagues on here ignore such comments, others reduce it to dissent, and it is entirey at the discretion of the referee on the day.

 

[Anubis]

Interesting, would you be suggesting S6 for the 'power trip' comment. I guess it's a comment I've head quite a few times across different levels of football, and socially, so had never felt much offense to.

(I will add the player that said that walked for Violent Conduct later on, not that it makes a difference to this incident here)

Try going into Asda and shouting the phrase quoted at the cashier if she id's you for drinks/ciggies

or shouting at the Mcds boy because your big mac with no cheese slice, contained a cheese slice

life ban, and asked to leave,

Why? Because you have verbally abused someone simply carrying out their duty..

not entirely sure why a referee would tolerate it when carrying out their hobby, far less job, but there you go,

supppse we are masters of our own downfall, we are given the tools but if we choose not to use them, thats really on us.

A lot of talk on other threads about authorities doing little, but when we as officials also do nothing, we reap what we sow

 

[george.g]

A lot of talk on other threads about authorities doing little, but when we as officials also do nothing, we reap what we sow

Yeah, honestly, first open age game, trying to find my boundaries of what i find acceptable or not was tough, as it's a step up even from U18.

I'd rather have this conversation here, and try and understand the points to develop on, rather than go in and set a high tolerance level.

Interestingly the players comments after the mass con were along the lines of 'its a mens football match, why are you calling all these little fouls and getting your cards out', so they had a very different expectation of football to me.

Appreciate your comments regardless, just trying not to make the 'mistake?' again

 

[RustyRef]

Sorry, I know it probably wasn't much fun for you but that reads quite funny to me!! Like something from an old Benny Hill sketch.

Must be the way you tells em ...

To be fair, I didn't at any point feel threatened, no one had a problem with me or my assistants, and I just ended up watching on with a mixture of confused and mildly amused looks on my face. I've previously described it as something out of Benny Hill, so you have hit the nail right on the head. The most painful thing was the subsequent disciplinary hearing, which took almost 2.5 hours, not including travelling there and back. Both clubs had several heavy books thrown at them, there wasn't just the match official reports, but the Met Police had also made representation to the CFA as they had to send a riot van (unsurprisingly the shoppers on Palmers Green High Street hadn't reacted too well to a bunch of idiots in football kit chasing each other). These days I suspect the hearing would have been passed straight to Wembley given the severity of it.