A&H

Wrong restart :(

He said "no f*cking chance, d*ck, go to specsavers"

there is more of a tolerance to OFFINABUS because of the way swearing is used in every day language and no one bats an eye.

I know where you are coming from on this, but there's swearing as part of "everyday language" - "no f*cking chance" and minor insults - "go to specsavers" but IMHO coupling the two together and adding a personal insult (dick) I would call this direct OFFINABUS and walk him. We all have a tolerance level regarding swearing. I've cautioned a player who told me to f*ck off on the basis that it came out in the same manner that "get lost" would have done. To me, simple dissent following a decision. But to directly insult me would get a walk. It is not the colourful language of everyday folk but a direct, personal and presumably public insult of me. Red all day long.
 
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I know where you are coming from on this, but there's swearing as part of "everyday language" - "no f*cking chance" and minor insults - "go to specsavers" but IMHO coupling the two together and adding a personal insult (dick) I would call this direct OFFINABUS and walk him. We all have a tolerance level regarding swearing. I've cautioned a player who told me to f*ck off on the basis that it came out in the same manner that "get lost" would have done. To me, simple dissent following a decision. But to directly insult me would get a walk. It is not the colourful language of everyday folk but a direct, personal and presumably public insult of me. Red all day long.

Uh oh, Mick. We agree.
 
@Mick. @Ryan Owens this is one of those regional things where d*ck isn't as offensive as here as in other parts of the country and d*ckhead can actually be a polite greeting

Up Here, calling someone a cow is very offensive, but in TV shows etc, it isn't seen as that offensive since many are set in England
 
Is it necessary for someone to actually have been offended, insulted and/or abused for the offence to be complete?

Or is the offensive, insulting and/or abusive nature/intent/design of the words/gesture enough?
 
Come on gents. Bit early for arguments. Debate is good, different opinions are necessary to spark said debate. This is just a bit unnecessary?

@Padfoot - I would say its a little bit of interpretation again by ref. Does the language used fall into the OFFINABUS range rather than if a person was actually offended etc
 
Come on gents. Bit early for arguments. Debate is good, different opinions are necessary to spark said debate. This is just a bit unnecessary?

@Padfoot - I would say its a little bit of interpretation again by ref. Does the language used fall into the OFFINABUS range rather than if a person was actually offended etc

What is the OFFINABUS range?

It's perfectly possible to be offensive, insulting and abusve without using any swear words.....
 
Uh oh, Mick. We agree.
Ryan. Don't get carried away, it's not likely to happen too often.;)

What is the OFFINABUS range?

It's perfectly possible to be offensive, insulting and abusve without using any swear words.....
I would say that it all depends on whether you find it offensive etc or perceive that someone would. As I said earlier, make it personal and/or public and you are likely to walk. E.g. "You're having a laugh you blind, grey-haired old goat." will likely get a red, whereas "f*ck off you *****" to another player may not. Similarly, when directed at own team-mates, whilst in the vicinity of an occupied play park, "Come on you bunch of useless f*cking w@nkers" will likely see an early bath, especially if said after a warning for language. I personally would not be offended by the language used, but would perceive that Mrs Miggins, in the park with her little one might.

This is one of those offences that will vary between referees. That said, the players should know (sniggers) the laws and if they say anything that anyone could find offensive, etc only have themselves to blame if they get their marching orders.
 
players hate referees they can't talk to. this is a fact. what's also true is that players use stronger language on a football pitch than they often would in everyday life, so i think a little bit of tolerance has to be given. i'm not saying you have to be mates with players, but it's a lot easier when they at least know they can talk to you without risking a card.

personally i tell players i don't like the two C words (Cheat and C*nt). the only straight red I've given this season was for both of those being used together. anything else i'll probably let it go, unless it's a vicious and prolonged barrage at me. you can swear in reaction to my decisions but don't swear at me personally.
 
I'm 100% about talking to players, but when they start calling me names, it's done -- they've abused the privilege and they get grumpy no-talk ref.
 
i see your point, but players will always use colourful language on the pitch, even to their team mates.

you never hear a goalkeeper shout "i say dave, can you please mark number 7 my good man?" do you?

you're more likely to hear him shout "f*cking mark 7 dave, you f*cking c***!"

is that disrespectful or abusive? in my opinion, not necessarily. it's just the way communication happens in the game. with that in mind is it any wonder that players forget to mind their P's and Q's when talking to the referee?
 
players hate referees they can't talk to. this is a fact. what's also true is that players use stronger language on a football pitch than they often would in everyday life, so i think a little bit of tolerance has to be given. i'm not saying you have to be mates with players, but it's a lot easier when they at least know they can talk to you without risking a card.

personally i tell players i don't like the two C words (Cheat and C*nt). the only straight red I've given this season was for both of those being used together. anything else i'll probably let it go, unless it's a vicious and prolonged barrage at me. you can swear in reaction to my decisions but don't swear at me personally.

Only one straight red all season? Wow.

I normally average around the 10-15 mark........how did you manage that?
 
They shouldn't be swearing loudly to a teammate like that - the odd f*ck okay players swear, start dropping c bombs at volume and they would be getting a reminder about OFFINABUS and how it also applies to language used to their own team mates.
 
padfoot - i only refereed about 15 games this season, plus a combination of law 18 and the fact that the majority of incidents at my level result from clumsiness or genuine lack of ability rather than any malice.

monkey - i may have exaggerated to make my point, but what i'm trying to say is it's easy to forget who you're talking to in the heat of battle

for what it's worth i only ever got sent off once in my career and that was for saying (verbatim) "come on ref that is f*cking terrible!"
 
I only had 2 straight reds last season and did well over 60 matches. I won't necessarily send someone for their emotional outburst, but I will also not give them what they want (e.g.: listening to them rant). I'll more likely say "I'm perfectly prepared to listen to what you have to say, but I will not listen to you verge on OFFINABUS and it's better for you that I don't."
 
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