What a great Season!!!!!

[NICE GUY]

Juices flowing nicely on this thread. Here are my thoughts on the refereeing topic, for what they're worth. The referees I know, and I know a few very well, are some of the most fervent football fanatics I've met. They love the game as dearly as any fan, player, manager and indeed have been, or currently are also, supporters of clubs, players and occasionally managers. They think nothing of giving up sometimes 8 hours on a Saturday or Tuesday night to travel to and from, and referee, or run a line on a game for as little as £30.(do the maths, significantly less than the minimum wage)Added to this they pay for affiliation fees, kit, boots, expenses getting to and from in service training events and also take unpaid time off work to persue their hobby, usually making an operating loss across a season.

They, just like their illustrious colleagues on the select group, are human beings. Fallible, flawed and prone to mistakes, especially when put under pressure. They'd love to be perfect and not react adversely to provocation. Sometimes assertiveness can be seen as being arrogant, and they don't for one minute condone swearing at players or being arrogant but the middle of a tasty local derby in the CCFL premier division is no place for a wall flower.

They are well versed in the LotG, but that in itself is not sufficient. As being well versed in the Highway Code does not necessarily make you a good driver. The principles of the LotG lie in its practical application and interpretation.(hence why 'laws' and note rules)

Despite the popular belief that they cannot use common sense when refereeing, they can, and do, use common sense provided players and managers use it too, otherwise they have to apply law more ridgidly.

What absolutely amazes me is that we haven't had a referee assault a player or more so a spectator. Some of the bile and vitriol I've heard aimed at referees, sometimes for awarding the most blatent free kick, has been disgusting. In any other walk of life the perpetrator would either end up on their backside or wouldn't have the bottle to say it in the first place.

To have the mansized balls to step across that white line and put their reputaion in the firing line must take some doing. They try to build relationships with clubs, managers and players but inevitably they will make decisions that do not favour one club or another. Its wholey natural that these decisions anger, frustrate, puzzle more so perhaps than a manager who makes an incorrect team selection, a centre forward who misses a simple tap in or a goalkeeper who fumbles a tame shot and concededs a goal.

None of them want to referee in games where nobody says boo to a goose, but some of the personal verbal assaults have been down right criminal, threats made to them, their personal property and on one occasion to a member of thier family.

Have to say that when I've been to games, the odd idiot aside,most clubs and fans have been nothing short of supurb. This and perhaps the next step up is what I consider to be 'proper football'. Proper people, including referees, who give up valuable time to help run their club, play and manage it for little or no reward simply because it's what they love doing.

 

BRILLIANT PC !

 

Excellent post I have to say. The above puts everything into perspective what the referee's has to tolerate for their measly wage yet do they complain ?.....maybe so within the referees circles but when I speak to referee's not once have they ever mentioned the money they receive for officuating the game. I hope that come every Sunday the above comments remain enclosed in one's head before commenting about a referee who I reinstate is only human, makes mistakes and does his/her best to do the job correctly, and do not deserve to get the abuse they receive from players and managers. I wonder what players and managers would feel like if the referee gave them same verbal abuse.....oh I know report them.... wow wee !!!

 

So lets consider the above before you/player comment and consider what mistakes you made in the game, it will be more than the referee. Unfortunately they are easy pickings when each club lose 'cos its always the referee's fault and not their own or the other team were just better on the day/evening !

 

I have refereed a training session on a few occasions and that was bad enough, so heavens knows what its like to referee a game, good luck to them, I certainly wouldn't do the job especially as a hobby, and nor would many people who constantly criticise them !

 

Always remember, without a referee we do not have the wonderful game........ !

[Mewcenary]

On the abuse front, one referee I know was told in the game by a player, "I hope you die of cancer you old *****".

 

A lot more was said to him than that, but it would just be a mass of asterisks on the forum.

[Smudge]

Great Post Picto Cotts,probably the most thought out ever on this Forum.Football is a hobby also for many Players as well in the C.C.L.who train twice a week,play twice a week,have to leave work early,pay their own travelling expenses,out of their own pocket,for No Remuneration at all.The problem I have is that the poorer Officials are not weeded out and replaced.Like Players they have their own traits,some talk,some dont.Some banter,some dont,some are in your face,some are not.The poorer ones of which I have only seen 2 this year,lose the plot,are card happy and arrogant to say the least.Alas the player has a fine to pay for his incompetence,it costs them nothing.I personally always speak to Officials post match,to get their views,and find them a decent bunch.

[NICE GUY]

On the abuse front, one referee I know was told in the game by a player, "I hope you die of cancer you old *****". A lot more was said to him than that, but it would just be a mass of asterisks on the forum.

Horrid and despicable ! I wonder Mew, you can imagine if the roles were reversed what would the player do, possibly hit the referee, but you know the referee wouldn't do that then why should the player ! Edited April 20, 2012 by NICE GUY

[Picto Cotts]

From what they've told me it can be the most rewarding of pursuits but occasionally the most demoralising requiring the most stern character. They do it because the good people, and positive aspects of the game far, far outweigh the bad and negative ones.

[Gluck_ab]

PC

 

That's a very good summary - personally, i've found refereeing to be quite addictive and enjoyable in a different way to playing was but one that has enabled me to remain within the game in some capacity. The only amendment / addition to what you've said is 'strength of character' rather than 'stern character.

[Picto Cotts]

Wrong choice of words Gluck. I'll bow to your better use of the english language. Certainly character forming in one way or another though.