A&H

Open Age Had enough mid game and walked off

Mixed views here. On the one hand, you have been employed to do a job, and you have tools available to you that you have been taught how to use to deal with a multitude of scenarios, and this could be seen as simply unprofessional. On the other hand, good on you - perhaps if we all downed tools when teams are taking the proverbial too much, it might not happen as often...

Key thing is to look back and consider what you thought tripped that switch, and think about how you can approach things in the future. Posting on here is a good start in itself.
 
The Referee Store
Be careful how you use the word employed- we are most certainly not. Employment brings with it employee rights and duties on the FA.

We are appointed to games to referee them in accordance with the laws and competition rules. The FA don't pay us.

I have yet to walk off a pitch but would have no hesitation if it ever got too much. We all have our limits.
 
Must admit felt like that a couple of times but..... like i have always said NEVER referee an unsanctioned friendly..... besides it is not very professional to have a hissy fit on the pitch throw your toys out of the pram, that's for the players and managers to do..... sorry to be blunt but needs to be said. I have just this week said to my ref sec i no longer wish to referee an U18 side (cannot/will not name side) again due to the manager + players attitude..... first time in 12 years of refereeing......
 
mikedn said:
besides it is not very professional to have a hissy fit on the pitch throw your toys out of the pram, that's for the players and managers to do..... sorry to be blunt but needs to be said.
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Would agree you should never ever walk off the pitch unless you have been assaulted or threatened...no matter how annoying they get you have tools which you should use
 
A Freethinker said:
Would agree you should never ever walk off the pitch unless you have been assaulted or threatened...no matter how annoying they get you have tools which you should use
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I personally think you shouldn't walk off a pitch unless threatened/assaulted ... my best action when everyone is getting to much, I blow for everything - slight clip? free kick, hit hand even though its by his side? free kick - slightest dissent? yellow card ... etc
 
Charlie Jones said:
I personally think you shouldn't walk off a pitch unless threatened/assaulted ... my best action when everyone is getting to much, I blow for everything - slight clip? free kick, hit hand even though its by his side? free kick - slightest dissent? yellow card ... etc
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Any sign of game getting out of control...slow it way down, quick cards with a long slow chat after and stamp your authority soon stops the whinging.
 
Paul March said:
Be careful how you use the word employed- we are most certainly not. Employment brings with it employee rights and duties on the FA.
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We had the whole minimum wage debate on another thread...however given recent judgements in relation to certain taxi firms and delivery drivers I wonder if it was challenged would it hold water?
 
Grassroots referees are clearly self-employed, and not employees. This can be demonstrated by the relationship you have with those that employ (make use of) your services, the main reasons being: you are free to accept or turn down match assignments, you can substitute another person to referee a game for you (e.g. if you are sick, there is nothing to prevent you arranging cover for the match you will now not attend); you supply all of your own equipment to carry out the role (kit, watches, whistles etc).

The H&S angle is interesting, because you are contracted to the home team for a match, and technically they will have responsibilities around workplace safety - but that is likely to only extend as far as the physical environment, and not the other numpties that you may come across.
 
xPositor said:
Grassroots referees are clearly self-employed, and not employees. This can be demonstrated by the relationship you have with those that employ (make use of) your services, the main reasons being: you are free to accept or turn down match assignments, you can substitute another person to referee a game for you (e.g. if you are sick, there is nothing to prevent you arranging cover for the match you will now not attend); you supply all of your own equipment to carry out the role (kit, watches, whistles etc).

The H&S angle is interesting, because you are contracted to the home team for a match, and technically they will have responsibilities around workplace safety - but that is likely to only extend as far as the physical environment, and not the other numpties that you may come across.
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How does the fact that we as referees are responsible for pitch inspection and calling off the match if it's not up to scratch work with that logic then? Are we essentially being contracted by the home team to make a H&S decision regarding pitch condition, yet they're responsible for most other H&S aspects?
 
Have we signed anything? No. Therefore we are not under contract for anything at all.
 
GraemeS said:
How does the fact that we as referees are responsible for pitch inspection and calling off the match if it's not up to scratch work with that logic then? Are we essentially being contracted by the home team to make a H&S decision regarding pitch condition, yet they're responsible for most other H&S aspects?
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Yes - they are asking for the referees decision regarding the suitability of the pitch for playing on; the rest of the grounds (including the clubhouse) is the responsibility of the club/landlord.

DB said:
Have we signed anything? No. Therefore we are not under contract for anything at all.
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You don't need to sign anything for a contract to exist. We're refereeing under framework agreements put forward by the FA, the league or tournament. That's why, even though you haven't signed a contract, you're still entitled to 50% of your match fee if you turn up and the match is called off.

Coming full circle back to the OP, it raises an interesting dilemma around liability for costs. If a match had to be replayed because the original referee simply "walked off", is there an argument that the referee then becomes liable for the costs in replaying that game? If it was for injury etc, I'm sure that's where insurance cover kicks in (if a team wanted to faff about bringing a case), but if you walk off because you've simply had enough (rightly or wrongly), I don't think you'd be covered, and Judge Rinder might very well find in the club's favour.
 
DB said:
Have we signed anything? No. Therefore we are not under contract for anything at all.
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That's not correct. A verbal contract is just as legally binding as a written one. The reason we use written contracts is because it's much easier to establish what the agreement was if it's written down. The signatures are evidence that all parties agreed.
 
Okay... a contract, I would suggest is a legally-binding agreement. Where's my signature for that? Because, in a court of law if you say "he said he'd look after me" or "he greed to it"... the defendant could say "no I didn't"....
You don't go to buy a house and the lender say "Mr DB, do you promise to pay us the full amount over x years". "Yes I do, where do I sign?" "Oh Mr DB, we aren't that kind of lender. We will take your word for it. No contract needs to be signed." I miss all payments... lender takes me to court. "Oh but he verbally agreed to pay it back"..... You'd be a laughing stock.

50% of the match fees? That's the agreement between clubs, leagues and counties. Not referees.

We are not legally bound to any form of contract. Don't talk rubbish.

However, if you wish to show me where this contract is, the legal terms to it and all the other good stuff, I'd happily hold my hands up and say "okay fellas, you're correct".
 
Hmmmmm....we are referees bound to FIFA/UEFA by use of their laws...bound by the FA who qualify us...bound by the Association who we represent...bound by the leagues where we are employed to work....bound by the team who pays us? Who are our employers?
 
That doesn't answer my question. Where is this specifically documented? Where can I see these terms? Where can I see what I am bound to and by? We are obligated to carry out a role using the LOTG as our guidance. There's a difference.

What is the definition of an employer? Do they pay me a work-based pension? Pay for my health and safety equipment and supply me with the training I require (do they pick up the cost)?

Again, show me the evidence to back up your comments and I'll agree with you.
 
@DB I ain't saying we are contractually obliged to anyone I was just pointing out that we are 'linked' to various organisations whom we carry out functions for! Like the Uber drivers...Uber gave them pick ups and the punter paid, our leagues appoint us but the teams pay...our associations whom we pay fees to provide training as does the FA, whilst we carry out the instructions of FIFA/UEFA/FA through the LOTG and IFAB! So if we were to be classed as employees who would the employer be?
 
That's the thing, we aren't employers nor employees. Yet some on here think that we are contracted ("to the home team"). We really aren't.
 
the process by which we receive, accept and get paid for the matches we referee within the FA league frameworks provides an implied contract.
 
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