Members Blogs

If your lucky you may have a cup semi or final or big league game coming up. You may also have the luxury of having qualified assistant referees working with you. The catch to this if your not used to it, you may not make the most of this opportunity. Over on Referee-Inactive there is a great post on how to handle this situation and get the most from it. Link to Post Continue reading...

Just came across this video on 101 Great Goals. It compares the Maradona goal for Argentina in 86 against England against a Messi goal against Gettafe. Continue reading...

This weekends football passed me by due to the little one being ill. So ive just been catching up and completely forgot that it was the IFAB meeting. FIFA have recommend that Hawk Eye and GoalRef continue the test phase on goal line technology. Hawk Eye is a well known system that uses cameras. Where as GoalRef uses a magnetic system and a special ball. Given there has been two incidents recently in Spain & Italy it shows there is a need to look at this in more depth. My only concern is it will split the game further between the have and have nots The other changes that were approved. Clarification around position of advertising boarding Players sock tape has to be the same colour as the sock Clarification around what should...

During an amateur game in Belgium the Referee judged that one of the players during this aerial dived. Im not sure how he worked that out and I do wonder if there was something else thats not reported in the clip. Anyway, the player who was cautioned and then dismissed went to Hospital and had 3 displaced vertebrae! Seen via offthepost.info Continue reading...

‘Referees in the media’ will be published at the beginning of the week on the Dutch Referee Blog and provides remarkable or interesting quotes and links to articles worth reading. “We are working towards a situation where only the captains can confer with referees during the game. Breaches will be punished with a yellow or red card.” The Norwegian FA in a statement. They started a ‘Handshake for Peace’ in partnership with the Nobel Peace Centre. “When I played football myself, I thought referees were horrible people.” Dutch top level referee Tom van Sichem tells that he got booked very often for talking to the referee. “What struck me about Kevin (Friend), and in the same way as when I saw Darren Cann and Mike Mullarkey speak, was just...

It might be a bit late to help some of you who have worked with neutral assistants for the first time on this year's honour appointments (cup semis and finals) BUT one of my young referees asked me for some advice so here is my expanded pre-match instruction to neutral assistants (Yes I know it's not perfect and I may have made some mistakes putting it together, but I think it will still help ... 1. Pre-match – third team, work together, warm-up a. Third team – you’ve reached the final just like the players, based on your ability and have earned your appointments so well done b. Work together – both teams will want to win and the only friends out on the field are your colleagues so look after each other c. Warm-up – it’s an easy trick...

Weve seen these many times before, however its allways impressive when someone actually pulls one of these off. Continue reading...

Α bomb exploded in the oven at the house of Greek Fifa referee Petros Konstantineas at 1:20 in the morning. He escaped miraculously as he usually begins his work in the shop at 1 am, but tonight he was late to go to work. That’s what I just heard from a Greek journalist for a national referee magazine and personally blogging on Referee Revolution. The bomb was placed in the oven of his company by strangers. The powerful explosion also caused considerable damage to cars that were parked near the store. The same for buildings and shops nerby.The police officers and firemen moved directly to the company and are documenting the damage in the house. Kostantineas has joined Fifa at the beginning of 2012. He’s been a fourt official in this...

‘Referees in the media’ will be published at the beginning of the week on the Dutch Referee Blog and provides remarkable or interesting quotes and links to articles worth reading. “Gone are the days when 30 minutes steady jogging is a suitable training.” Says World Cup Final assistant referee Mike Mullarkey in his ‘ten point plan to be a top assistant’. Read full list in FA’s magazine Refereeing. “It’s generally not conducive that criticism on referees is told via the media. It’s more important that we talk together, not about each other.” Lutz Michael Fröhlich, referee chef in Germany after criticism from Bayern’s Uli Hoeness. “I had planned to sit down for a chat with FIFA’s new head of refereeing, the famous ref Massimo Busacca, who...

I turned out nice and early for this morning's Sunday Trophy Quarter Final and had 90 minutes of enjoyment with 2 teams who wanted to play football. I saw some spectacular goals, had to make some close calls and deal with my least favourite condition - cramp! After last night's RA Dinner I had an upset stomach (euphemism alert!) which continued into the morning and despite my best efforts at staying hydrated, it seems that my potassium levels were low and I got cramp in my right calf. I kept easing it through rotating my ankle and flexing my knee but it hampered my progress for much of the 2nd half. I got through and we had a result at 90 minutes which allowed me to head home for a quick clean up before heading to watch this...

Colleagues, watch this documentary about female referees in Democratic Republic of Congo. Very interesting. Director Ruhi Hamid told ESPN why it was so important for her to tell the stories of the three female referees in the Democratic Republic of Congo. “African women’s voices and lives are so rarely seen or heard except as victims. To tell the story of Mme Kapinga, Solange and Ibanda seemed the perfect way to show the strength, resilience and determination that African women possess. I wanted to show how the beautiful game of football has helped them get past the decades of brutality and violence in their country. By refereeing in the men’s league they not only challenge chauvinistic attitudes but also become strong role models for...

I'm blogging while quietly recovering from the local RA Annual Presentation Dinner last night before setting off for my Sunday League Trophy Quarter Final just up the road. It was an excellent night with some brilliant food and great company. The night was, as is always the case with gatherings of referees, full of stories and reminiscing as we reminded those who have progressed to the professional game (and those of us who still work at Grass Roots) of some of the highlights, low lights and downright hilarious incidents we've experienced together. Tribal rivalries surfaced from time to time as fans of professional teams exchanged views (politely and with much leg pulling) on various games over the years. I talked about my following...

Do quite like N :) Continue reading...

In light of the recent Evra/Suarez & Terry/Ferdinand handshake discussions. This quote on worldsoccer caught my eye “Just stop with your ****ing handshake questions. You just keep talking about that handshake, for **** sake! Who wants to shake hands after such a match?! Are we at a boarding school for girls here or what?” This is from Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness when asked about Franck Ribery’s refusal ro shake hands with coach Jupp Henyckes Continue reading...

Looks like we may be able to get a weekend of football this week, after all the recent call offs. I will be tommorow tutoring at the County FA on a prospective referee's course. Its looking to be a busy course with 16 candidates. The plan was only confirmed on Wednesday so its been a bit of a rush as I need to deliver the following topics Throw in, Goal Kick, Corner Kick Applying the advantage Managing the defensive wall at Direct & Indirect Free Kicks Indirect Free Kicks (when) Plus a bit around the refereeing structures and administration Hopefully then I will be able to watch the League Cup Final on Sunday. What game will you be at this weekend? Continue reading...

I posted this yesterday on twitter having seen it on World Soccer. Its an impressive show real from Borussia Monchengladbach showing what a passing force they have become this season. There transformation has been impressive given they were strugling last season in the Bundesliga but this season they have climbed the table. The pace at which they move the ball around is scary at times. Continue reading...

Having just had a good sort out of a cupboard at home. I thought it was time to cut down on the amount of Referee shirts I had. I had pretty much enough to cover me for a game a day for 3 weeks! Really what is the need, so Ive put four of the better condition ones that I no longer need up on Ebay. The one with the Conference badge on was worn once. The reason for this was when I was lucky a few years ago to do a Conference Shield game on Setanta we were given that shirt to wear. Kit 1 Kit 2 Kit 3 Kit 4 Im not looking to get rich from this but it will go towards the re-registration of this site again as the Domain is up for renewal. Which leads me on to, if you ever find yourself needing to order anything from Amazon. Follow the...

Stoke City have won their appeal against Rory Delaps sending off against Crawley at the weekend. The Football Association upheld Stoke's appeal and Delap's three-match suspension has been withdrawn. Tony Pulis after the match said: "If you look at the referee, he actually gives a throw-in, not even a free-kick. "The fourth official has told our coaching staff he made the decision because there was excessive force." Continue reading...

During a recent Belgium league game an assistant was injured when he was hit on the head by something thrown by a fan. It appears though to be a piece of cardboard! Continue reading...

Just having a quick look around the interwebs and came across these two products by Spintso. The PDA looks a really interesting idea but im not sure I would be fully reliant on tech during a game. Ive had notepads get drenched so what happens to this tech in those cases. Also if you drop it then, youve a problem. However the watch looks interesting and more practical, i quite like the dual display actually. Infact from what I can make out it runs four watches during the game One counting up (rolls all the time) One counting down (stops at a stop for additional time) One counting additional time (starts when you stop the match time) One watch for the break time Continue reading...