Context - I was allocated two youth games at the same ground for yesterday. Early game was lost due to a COVID outbreak in the away team (familiar story the last few weeks) but the home side organised a friendly, which I agreed to ref. Still needed to go for my late game anyway, so made sense.
Two reds, four yellows, two sin bins, a dismissed coach and an abandonment later, I wished I’d stayed in bed.
I let an early borderline challenge go, which with hindsight probably should have been a yellow, but aside from that the first twenty minutes was relatively uneventful. Away side went 1-0 down and immediately started to get frustrated, nothing major but little pushes, niggly fouls etc, so I started giving everything, slowed the game down and it seemed to have worked; got to HT with just a yellow for a reckless challenge by an away defender.
Blew for HT and the away coach wandered on as I was walking off (not aggressively) but preceded to tell me it was a man’s game and that I’ve ruined the Christmas of the lad I cautioned because his Mum can’t afford the fine
. Just told him that that isn’t any of my business and that I can only referee what’s in front of me. He then wandered over to his team for the team talk, during which he told them to “get into these c*nts, they’re”f**cking weak as p**s” amongst a million other expletives and just generally riled them up. I might as well have abandoned it at that point because it soon became clear that the game had totally gone and I wasn’t getting it back.
Had a yellow for a poor challenge within about a minute of the second half started, followed by a sin bin and two reds for OFFINABUS (all to away, along with a couple of yellows to home). During that time I’d had to go over to calm the away coach down (could have yellow carded at that point in hindsight). With about ten minutes to go, the away captain talked himself into a break in the sin bin, which left his team down to 8. At this point, the away coach had come onto the field screaming and shouting, so I walked over, told him to calm down and to leave the pitch immediately. I’d already decided I was going to dismiss him at that point, but he didn’t retreat and instead moved further towards me, telling me (in terms I won’t repeat) how I was ruining the game, screwing his team over and that I should have an orange bib on (home side were in orange). He clearly wasn’t calming down, so I showed the red and as I did he moved towards me again. Fearing for my safety, I blew the whistle to abandon and walked off the pitch. Full support from the home side to be fair to them and the coach asked me to make sure I reported (never in doubt) and saying to come to him and his parents if I needed any witnesses. I also had several parents come over to tell me I’d done the right thing and offered support.
I held back until the away coach had left and walked over to the other side of the field for my next game. As I waited, I spotted the coach coming back for more. From about 15 yards away he screamed some more abuse, telling me again how I’d ruined Christmas along with some other pretty disgusting stuff before walking off. Had both sets out coaches from the game next to me come over to check I was alright, which tells you how loud he was.
It‘s ruined my weekend and I’m again finding myself sat wondering why I bother. Why get out of bed to be abused at a kids football match? Reports will be going in later and then it‘s a break until the new year, but not 100% sure I’ll be back.
Two reds, four yellows, two sin bins, a dismissed coach and an abandonment later, I wished I’d stayed in bed.
I let an early borderline challenge go, which with hindsight probably should have been a yellow, but aside from that the first twenty minutes was relatively uneventful. Away side went 1-0 down and immediately started to get frustrated, nothing major but little pushes, niggly fouls etc, so I started giving everything, slowed the game down and it seemed to have worked; got to HT with just a yellow for a reckless challenge by an away defender.
Blew for HT and the away coach wandered on as I was walking off (not aggressively) but preceded to tell me it was a man’s game and that I’ve ruined the Christmas of the lad I cautioned because his Mum can’t afford the fine
. Just told him that that isn’t any of my business and that I can only referee what’s in front of me. He then wandered over to his team for the team talk, during which he told them to “get into these c*nts, they’re”f**cking weak as p**s” amongst a million other expletives and just generally riled them up. I might as well have abandoned it at that point because it soon became clear that the game had totally gone and I wasn’t getting it back.Had a yellow for a poor challenge within about a minute of the second half started, followed by a sin bin and two reds for OFFINABUS (all to away, along with a couple of yellows to home). During that time I’d had to go over to calm the away coach down (could have yellow carded at that point in hindsight). With about ten minutes to go, the away captain talked himself into a break in the sin bin, which left his team down to 8. At this point, the away coach had come onto the field screaming and shouting, so I walked over, told him to calm down and to leave the pitch immediately. I’d already decided I was going to dismiss him at that point, but he didn’t retreat and instead moved further towards me, telling me (in terms I won’t repeat) how I was ruining the game, screwing his team over and that I should have an orange bib on (home side were in orange). He clearly wasn’t calming down, so I showed the red and as I did he moved towards me again. Fearing for my safety, I blew the whistle to abandon and walked off the pitch. Full support from the home side to be fair to them and the coach asked me to make sure I reported (never in doubt) and saying to come to him and his parents if I needed any witnesses. I also had several parents come over to tell me I’d done the right thing and offered support.
I held back until the away coach had left and walked over to the other side of the field for my next game. As I waited, I spotted the coach coming back for more. From about 15 yards away he screamed some more abuse, telling me again how I’d ruined Christmas along with some other pretty disgusting stuff before walking off. Had both sets out coaches from the game next to me come over to check I was alright, which tells you how loud he was.
It‘s ruined my weekend and I’m again finding myself sat wondering why I bother. Why get out of bed to be abused at a kids football match? Reports will be going in later and then it‘s a break until the new year, but not 100% sure I’ll be back.
