The Ref Stop

Why did you become a Referee?

micky2001

micky2001

Well-Known Member
I've been a referee for a few months now and I keep getting asked why I wanted to be a referee and the honest answer is, I just don't know.

Why did you become a referee? Any regrets?
 
The Ref Stop
The reason why I became a referee is that I like the sport and because I can't play I thought this was my only option left for me and really also fitness I love doing it so that helps as well
 
Getting too old to play and wanted to give something back to the game. Only regret is I didn't do it 2 or 3 years ago when I first gave up playing!
 
I started refereeing firstly as a LOVE football. The decision was due to a bad injury sustained a few years ago which forced me out of playing for a while, then I moved and also work commitments that I made the decision I couldn't / didn't want to run the risk of being injured again due to a stupid tackle and / or incident, so decided what's the next best thing... refereeing! I am involved all of the time during a game (not like when I was a player!), I am confident and can speak to people as in my line of work I have to speak to Barristers and Judges on a regular basis, therefore I have respect for people and I used to be captain for all of my sides I played for, so you could say I am confident and vocal... good attributes I feel to be a good referee.

Now that I have started, I honestly wish to gave up playing a long time ago and started up refereeing as I purely love it. I feel I am made for it. I love the support network referees get from the County FA's and likewise RA's too and only what I can describe as a refereeing band of brothers which you can tell just by this website. I would add that the FA Mentor Scheme has been brilliant for me where I have obtained advice from an appointed mentor after I passed my basic course.

Reading that back it sounds like I am bigging myself up a lot ... that is not the intention, just passionate.
 
Stopped playing a few years ago and had wanted to become a referee for a while, met Howard Webb when I was a ballboy for the championship play off final and that made my final decision that it was what I wanted to do
 
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Had to quit playing pretty early (mid 20s) due to persistent injuries and after a few years of being bitter about it, decided to get back involved and a chance meeting led to me refereeing a charity 5 aside tournament (was due to play, but injured myself before hand and was instead roped into taking the whistle). It was a fricking nightmare. But, the torture of it led me to decide that I wanted to know more about it and I looked for a ref course. Wish I had started earlier, but such is life. Just really wanted to still be involved.

First time I pulled on the black I was embarrassed! I remember looking into the changing room mirror thinking "you look like a knob!" Now I have a sense of pride about the black and what it stands for.
 
My son's team were moving up to 11 a side and the league they were playing in insisted each team had at least one qualified referee. The club sent me and another dad on the course. 14 years later I'm in my last season as a referee, 6th season as a tutor and 5th season as a Supply League assessor.
 
jack.prescott said:
Stopped playing a few years ago and had wanted to become a referee for a while, met Howard Webb when I was a bellboy for the championship play off final and that made my final decision that it was what I wanted to do
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You worked in a hotel near Wembley when you met Howard? Did you carry his bags up to his room?
 
I absolutely adore football – The Beautiful Game. I’ve always wanted to be a referee, from a very young age. I knew that I was going to go nowhere with a playing career because I was extremely rubbish – I still am.


I started refereeing at the age of 13. I regularly refereed my former secondary schools’ games – I used to referee the Years below mine and run the line the Years above. At this point, the only problem was; was that I didn’t know how to become a qualified referee.


My PE teachers saw my keen interest in refereeing and said that I was rather good at it, so I started asking around and one of the teachers said that I could do a course with the London Football Association. I won The Jack Petchey Award prior and with that, a £200 grant was given to me to spend on the school. The Director of Specialism (my former secondary school was a specialist Sports College) told me not to worry about what to spend the money on, as I could use the money to pay for my referee course...


I qualified in September 2012, and I’ve never looked back.


And it is my goal and dream to make it to the very top of the Refereeing Ladder... ;)
 
Started playing when I was 10, got into the rep team and things were going great! Age 12, managed to get Osgoods in both knees, that kept me out for 2 years. Played one game, hated it, took up refereeing as still wanted to be involved in football. Never looked back, love it!
 
Seem to come natural to me - loved football as a kid and always found myself dictating the laws on the school playgrounds and park when we were having a kickabout. Having began to not enjoy playing thought I'd take it up... Although I now find myself as manager of a local mates team more than being able to referee.
 
football dad, helped out with training, ran the line, occasional ref, coach, referee
 
i started refereeing because i was inspired by my grandad, i was out every saturday/sunday with him at the age of 12, watching him, i started at 14 and i love every second of it. no regrets what so ever!
 
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