Football Referee Discussion Thread

JonB

JonB

JonB

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Inspired from the coaching thread a little...

Are there any fellow football referees on here? If so, How long have you been doing it? Which county do you referee in? Are you looking forward to the new season?

I've been a football referee for about 5 years, since I was 15. Just reached level 5 last season and absolutely loving it. Had my first pre-season game at the weekend in the boiling sun. It was hard work but thankfully the game went well!. It hadn't hit me how big a part of my life it actually is and how much I had missed it over the summer, until this last weekend. I'm glad to be back in the middle. :cool:
 
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Sometimes I do, but I'm usually getting paid so I tend to treat it more like a job sometimes. To curb my enthusiasm to run and head a corner in I play five-a-side everyweek.

[ASSE]Hinchy;12185966 said:
Yeah thats what would get me too. Plus the amount of flak you get from parents over a kids game. :rolleyes:
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I don't tend to bother with kids games any more, unless its a special request. But yeah, the flack you'd get of the parents was often worse than the flak from the kids. After a while and as I got older I always tend to make it quite plain and clear to the coaches of each side. If they don't keep parents under control or I get any abuse of them, I'll abandon the game and take my match fee (Which you're quite entitled to do so). The fear of a) having the game called off and re-arrange it and b) having to pay a referee twice usually caused the coaches to shut any parents before I had chance.
 
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Refereeing was something I considered as a means of keeping fit and involved in football. As I mentioned in the Knee injury thread and the Coaching thread my competitive playing days are limited because of my knee problems so I thought that refereeing would be a good option, however, I am currently focussing on obtaining my Coaching Awards so that I can realise an ambition of coaching in the USA for a summer (something I have always wanted to do).

I will probably end up being a referee at some point, but not whilst the team I play/played for are still active.
 
Twinblade said:
Refereeing was something I considered as a means of keeping fit and involved in football. As I mentioned in the Knee injury thread and the Coaching thread my competitive playing days are limited because of my knee problems so I thought that refereeing would be a good option, however, I am currently focussing on obtaining my Coaching Awards so that I can realise an ambition of coaching in the USA for a summer (something I have always wanted to do).

I will probably end up being a referee at some point, but not whilst the team I play/played for are still active.
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I was looking to do something similar. Haven't done my coaching yet, but planning on it. It might be worth doing your refereeing course aswell, it'll make you look a little bit more attractive to the camps. Youd could also maybe get some games while you're out there too. It's only about 8-10 2hour sessions to do the basic course here.
 
We're friends with Alan Wiley who's about to start his last season of being a premiership referee. He obviously does it full time and earns a fair whack I imagine. I considered it when I was in school as they had schemes organised but it never seemed worth it, I swear I remember hearing that people got approximately £6 -£10 a match back then for Sunday league.
 
Twinblade said:
Refereeing was something I considered as a means of keeping fit and involved in football. As I mentioned in the Knee injury thread and the Coaching thread my competitive playing days are limited because of my knee problems so I thought that refereeing would be a good option, however, I am currently focussing on obtaining my Coaching Awards so that I can realise an ambition of coaching in the USA for a summer (something I have always wanted to do).

I will probably end up being a referee at some point, but not whilst the team I play/played for are still active.
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I had an MRI scan on my knee a few weeks ago and go the results today. Apparentely I have damaged my cruciate ligament, and part of the bone that surrounds it has broken off. I require key hole surgery and them to look further to what implications it may have.

Bit worrying, it hasn't stopped me playing 4/5 times a week though.

My other knee I shattered 6 years ago in car crash.

I have no luck!! So I will no doubt be refeering by the time time I'm 25!!
 
andybtsn said:
I had an MRI scan on my knee a few weeks ago and go the results today. Apparentely I have damaged my cruciate ligament, and part of the bone that surrounds it has broken off. I require key hole surgery and them to look further to what implications it may have.

Bit worrying, it hasn't stopped me playing 4/5 times a week though.

My other knee I shattered 6 years ago in car crash.

I have no luck!! So I will no doubt be refeering by the time time I'm 25!!
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My knee is beyond help, well, it isnt but involves a patella realignment which would mean a year of post operative recovery. At 25 this is not something that I will be willing to go through, and with a young child and another one on the way one that isnt a viable option.

Although in its current state it doesnt bother me too much, the pain and swelling following a game of football is something that I cannot put up with for too much longer hence the reason for Coaching and looking at other ways to keep involved in the game.

I damaged my ACL and also has keyhole surgery, that was in March this year (the surgery not the damaged ACL) and thats how after 4 years or so they diagnosed the patella problem. It only took a week to get me moving properly, and around 6 weeks before I could even consider runnning without pain.
 
So I have my first competitive game of the season tonight! Wish me luck. We have a couple of new league rules which could make the game interesting. Firstly, no jewelry full stop. No wedding rings - even if taped up. I'm sure this could cause me a bit of hassle trying to enforce. Secondly, only one person stood up in the 'technical area'. Another one which is going to be a pain to enforce. They'll have to get used to it quick though!

Glad it's sunny here, to be honest. Not sure I could have coped with a down pour on my first game.
 
I used to be a Saturday/Sunday League ref for seven seasons, as well as refereeing University matches. Sometimes it was tough (starting off at 19 years old) but on the whole the experience was good. There was the usual mix of teams who respected your decisions, and those who tried their best to get under your skin.

The worst experiences were really with kids football - plenty of rows/arguments/hassles with parents on the sidelines, and lots of foul language from teenagers which I wouldnt tolerate. Not many parents like seeing their kids booked / sent off, but the same rules apply to everyone. I had to intervene in a fight between two player's wifes going at each other on the touchline once too, which was interesting !

Also ref'd a number of beach soccer tournaments - they were great fun :D

I decided to call it a day after I was given the opportunity to step up a level to assistant referee on a higher level, but the ex-wife wouldnt have been too impressed with my working all week and away at football all weekend!

Hope all goes well for the new season :)
 
Jon, as you appear to be the only current referee on the forums what are you opinions on the new respect rules? How do you feel they will be accepted on a matchday? Its all well and good players/managers saying in interviews they will obide by it but personally I cannot see it.

Also, from a non-league/Sunday League perspective how do you feel you will cope enforcing them? I would imagine after tonights game you will know more.
 
JonB said:
So I have my first competitive game of the season tonight! Wish me luck. We have a couple of new league rules which could make the game interesting. Firstly, no jewelry full stop. No wedding rings - even if taped up. I'm sure this could cause me a bit of hassle trying to enforce. Secondly, only one person stood up in the 'technical area'. Another one which is going to be a pain to enforce. They'll have to get used to it quick though!

Glad it's sunny here, to be honest. Not sure I could have coped with a down pour on my first game.
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How did it go? Were you able to enforce the new rules without too much hassle?
 
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