A closed season consisting of a holiday on Kos, some sporadic training sessions, a little weight loss and a wedding came to an end with the opening game in my 10th season on the local Sunday League.
The game was being played on a field financed by the Football Foundation and it was used to host our local Sunday League Cup semi finals last season. It was flat, smooth and despite the recent wet weather, dry. I'd considered applying sun cream before heading out but couldn't find it. Probably just as well I was wearing my new Umbro Wembley kit with a white collar.
I had tried to get an Umbro Respect kit but A&H sold out (after I had placed my order) and offered me an Umbro Diamond kit in place of it. I specifically hadn't ordered a Diamond kit because being of a slightly larger frame (euphemism for fat) and having see the kit worn by others of similar dimensions, I decided it wasn't for me. So I reverted back to a Wembley kit and despite it being the same size as my other Wembley kit, it seemed to be less snug fitting.
Even my smaller size of undershirt wasn't constricting my chest so I was able to run and breathe at the same time (for a change). I managed my warm up with ease but then the sun came out and it was very hot. Before the game I had a chat with a player I've known for a few years. He told me that since he "retired" at the end of last season when his team folded, he's been diagnosed with a heart condition. It's similar to my own and he's hoping that with treatment, he'll be able to get back into football again. I didn't want to tell him but I think he'd make a good referee. Maybe that's a talk for another time.
The game went ok and despite a couple of errors on my part we got through to the final whistle with 22 players on the field and me still running. I did a full warm down which should mean I can walk on Tuesday and not be struggling until Wednesday!
I had a post match discussion with one of the coaches from the away team concerning my decision to suspend the game on 70 minutes for a drink break. I had consumed more than a litre and half of water in the run up to the game and at half time but was feeling dehydrated. I noted one or two of the players slowing down and one (typical of Sunday morning football) complaining about being hungover.
His view was that he and his team, because of their religious beliefs, didn't drink alcohol and he felt that as a referee I should stop players who were still under the influence of alcohol from the previous night, from playing in the games in which I officiated. I explained that it was outside the bounds of my authority to tell a team which players they could play during a game. The best I could do was to advise a coach that I believed his player was unwell and to consider whether he played.
He didn't accept my point, so I left the discussion where it was and went to get some some more fluids onboard (blackcurrant cordial and soda water) before heading home for a family barbecue. It's great to be back in football and I'm hoping to last another 10 years before finally hanging up my whistle.
Continue reading...
The game was being played on a field financed by the Football Foundation and it was used to host our local Sunday League Cup semi finals last season. It was flat, smooth and despite the recent wet weather, dry. I'd considered applying sun cream before heading out but couldn't find it. Probably just as well I was wearing my new Umbro Wembley kit with a white collar.
I had tried to get an Umbro Respect kit but A&H sold out (after I had placed my order) and offered me an Umbro Diamond kit in place of it. I specifically hadn't ordered a Diamond kit because being of a slightly larger frame (euphemism for fat) and having see the kit worn by others of similar dimensions, I decided it wasn't for me. So I reverted back to a Wembley kit and despite it being the same size as my other Wembley kit, it seemed to be less snug fitting.
Even my smaller size of undershirt wasn't constricting my chest so I was able to run and breathe at the same time (for a change). I managed my warm up with ease but then the sun came out and it was very hot. Before the game I had a chat with a player I've known for a few years. He told me that since he "retired" at the end of last season when his team folded, he's been diagnosed with a heart condition. It's similar to my own and he's hoping that with treatment, he'll be able to get back into football again. I didn't want to tell him but I think he'd make a good referee. Maybe that's a talk for another time.
The game went ok and despite a couple of errors on my part we got through to the final whistle with 22 players on the field and me still running. I did a full warm down which should mean I can walk on Tuesday and not be struggling until Wednesday!
I had a post match discussion with one of the coaches from the away team concerning my decision to suspend the game on 70 minutes for a drink break. I had consumed more than a litre and half of water in the run up to the game and at half time but was feeling dehydrated. I noted one or two of the players slowing down and one (typical of Sunday morning football) complaining about being hungover.
His view was that he and his team, because of their religious beliefs, didn't drink alcohol and he felt that as a referee I should stop players who were still under the influence of alcohol from the previous night, from playing in the games in which I officiated. I explained that it was outside the bounds of my authority to tell a team which players they could play during a game. The best I could do was to advise a coach that I believed his player was unwell and to consider whether he played.
He didn't accept my point, so I left the discussion where it was and went to get some some more fluids onboard (blackcurrant cordial and soda water) before heading home for a family barbecue. It's great to be back in football and I'm hoping to last another 10 years before finally hanging up my whistle.
Continue reading...
