The Ref Stop

Violent conduct, booking?

The Ref Stop
markref said:
A mate of mine was a player on a local Sunday league team - he was probably the best player on the league and scored a lot of goals in the top division. I saw him at work one Monday morning after he’d played against a team with a reputation for dirty tricks, and he showed me his arms. They were black and blue because they were so bruised. The team had taken it in turns to pinch him, trying to get him to react so he’d get sent off. They frequently did this sort of thing to get an advantage.
I had the return fixture, so was watching out for it. I caught the goalkeeper kicking the ball out to his right back with his left foot, and followed the track of the ball, before looking back and catching the keeper kicking the forward with his right foot. Obviously dismissal and penalty.

As you say, it’s hard to spot, but if you’re aware not impossible. If you know this is a possibility then try not to get caught up with play and occasionally look at the problem player out of the corner of your eye. If you look directly at him he won’t do it, but if he doesn’t know you’re on to him he may. If you get a position where the play is between you and him then you can scan both at the same time and may catch him.

If you see him and don’t send off then you’re risking match control, and not even trying to catch him is playing into his hands. If he always gets away with it there’s no downside for him. If he gets seen and sent off it’s a risk and he may stop. Even just obviously looking at him occasionally means he will know he may not get away with it so is less likely to do it.
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Pinching? Wow things have changed since I played and we used to take it in turns stamping on players feet at corners. Alot of teams used to do that. Everyone thinks you see alot of movement in the box at corners because players are trying to get away from the opposition defender to score. It was often to stop your feet getting stamped on!

Can't ever remember seeing anyone being pinched though. If you pinched someone in Sunday League 20 years ago you'd probably be knocked out. How things have changed (and for the better!).
 
Ben448844 said:
Pinching? Wow things have changed since I played and we used to take it in turns stamping on players feet at corners. Alot of teams used to do that. Everyone thinks you see alot of movement in the box at corners because players are trying to get away from the opposition defender to score. It was often to stop your feet getting stamped on!

Can't ever remember seeing anyone being pinched though. If you pinched someone in Sunday League 20 years ago you'd probably be knocked out. How things have changed (and for the better!).
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The old tactic for defenders used to be to run their studs down the attacker's achilles whilst play was down the other end. Excruciatingly painful so guaranteed to get a yelping response, and by the time the referee turns around the attacker will be getting angry and seeking revenge.
 
Ben448844 said:
Pinching? Wow things have changed since I played and we used to take it in turns stamping on players feet at corners. Alot of teams used to do that. Everyone thinks you see alot of movement in the box at corners because players are trying to get away from the opposition defender to score. It was often to stop your feet getting stamped on!

Can't ever remember seeing anyone being pinched though. If you pinched someone in Sunday League 20 years ago you'd probably be knocked out. How things have changed (and for the better!).
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This would actually have been more than 20 years ago. The team were absolutely awful and routinely kicked opponents off the ball to get them sent off, but they kept getting spotted doing it and sent themselves. The manager was always coming up with ways to get an advantage, so suggested they pinched opponents instead.

They were also a team you didn’t mess around with. The manager’s son, Archie, was an absolute psycho. They played a team in the county cup, who at the time had a major sponsor, so had a semi-pro team and big support at Sunday league level. Archie didn’t like the crowd shouting so told them to shut up or he’d do them and 300+ people shut up! They intimidated the opponents and won the game. I refereed the final and they lost, which was obviously my fault!
 
Ben448844 said:
Pinching? Wow things have changed since I played and we used to take it in turns stamping on players feet at corners. Alot of teams used to do that. Everyone thinks you see alot of movement in the box at corners because players are trying to get away from the opposition defender to score. It was often to stop your feet getting stamped on!

Can't ever remember seeing anyone being pinched though. If you pinched someone in Sunday League 20 years ago you'd probably be knocked out. How things have changed (and for the better!).
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Getting off topic I know but I see a lot of youth players at corners twisting their body to disguise an elbow at the player behind them. A stern word that I know what they're doing stops it 9 times out of 10.
 
OnlyUseMeWhistle said:
Getting off topic I know but I see a lot of youth players at corners twisting their body to disguise an elbow at the player behind them. A stern word that I know what they're doing stops it 9 times out of 10.
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Yeah there will always be issues at set pieces. You've got around 16-18 players all in a tiny space who've been battling against each other. Things will happen. Like you say the key is to let everyone know you're on it and I also like to let people know that I'm "not afraid to give it so don't do anything stupid" or words to that effect. I dont use that in every game but if set pieces are an issue it often helps
 
Ben448844 said:
Yeah there will always be issues at set pieces. You've got around 16-18 players all in a tiny space who've been battling against each other. Things will happen. Like you say the key is to let everyone know you're on it and I also like to let people know that I'm "not afraid to give it so don't do anything stupid" or words to that effect. I dont use that in every game but if set pieces are an issue it often helps
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Absolutely, there's a time and a place. Had a particularly naughty game at the weekend. One defender liked to lift up both elbows and push away the attacker with them - and the GK liked to push at anything moving or not. At the last corner with seconds to go I screamed at them not to do anything stupid.
 
I smell some serious BS in this thread and many others. L6 you say? Not convinced you have picked up a whistle. Either way, time to hit the ignore button so I don't have to read anymore of this drivel! :confused:
 
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