The Ref Stop

Open Age Problems in the crowd

zarathustra

RefChat Addict
I volunteered for a last minute 4th official appointment for the final that followed my yesterday.

It was my first go as a 4th official, and aside from the two technical areas being about 20 meters apart I found there was nothing to it.

Until in the second half of the match there was a foul near the touch on the opposite side of the pitch.

There was a smallish stand behind me between the two technical areas, which started to kick off after the foul. Some of the blue supporters alleged that a yellow supporter had made a racist remark about the blue player that had committed the foul.

This filtered down to the blue technical area who got all agitated, the yellow technical area got agitated. Basically everyone got agitated.

I tried my best to control the two technical areas, but unfortunately the blue coach got himself dismissed.

Are there any tips to controlling sudden escalations like this, or is it similar to a mass confrontation, where you try and dissuade players etc from doing something silly but just end up having to watch and take notes?
 
The Ref Stop
Other than pointing outcomes out it's all a bit out of your hands.

Btw it's not your issue what started it if it comes from behind you, just deal with those that are kicking off because they're the problem you do have! Leave the reason it goes off to those who are responsible for crowd control!
 
Thanks.

I appreciate that what caused it isn't my issue, I merely put that in for a bit of background to why it kicked off.
 
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Works every time
 
I'd be trying to have a word with the two managers together if you could calm then down enough to listen. Say something like

'Gents, clearly something has gone on behind us, although we don't know what. We can worry about that later, but none of that should be affecting the events on the pitch. You are both here to coach your teams, not steward spectators. Please focus on the game, and we can discuss it further after the game.'

May not work but it's pretty much all you can do. At least you can say you tried.
 
Yeah I tried to talk to the home coach but he just shook his head and pushed past.

The incident didn't overly concern me, I think being more forceful in hope I spoke to the coaches would have inflamed things given the situation, and I'm obviously not going to try and get involved physically such as standing in between them etc.

Now I have to spend time writing a witness statement for the FA, as does the senior AR.
 
Yeah I tried to talk to the home coach but he just shook his head and pushed past.

The incident didn't overly concern me, I think being more forceful in hope I spoke to the coaches would have inflamed things given the situation, and I'm obviously not going to try and get involved physically such as standing in between them etc.

Now I have to spend time writing a witness statement for the FA, as does the senior AR.

Fair enough mate, it's one of those YHTBT moments really.

I must say I enjoy being 4th official. I see people management (note: not getting people to like me) as one of my stronger points so relish handling a situation like this.
 
whenever someone says 'just be yourself' I always ask them if they are sure, just like a final warning ...
 
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