A&H

Wind!!!

Kent Ref

RefChat Addict
I reffed an under 16s game today and one of the managers (away one) said before the game "are we going to play in this weather?"

The wind was blowing strongly and he showed me his mobile with the BBC weather on it. The wind was between 50-60 mph.

I said that i wanted to start the game and see how it went. It was clear he did not agree.

I told both managers i would see how the first 15 went. The away team scored in the first few minutes to be 1-0 up (playing with the wind) and i heard nothing more about it.

When the keepers were kicking it from their hands and at the corners the ball was going in very sharp wind affected directions.

The home team won 2-1 in the last few minutes after a free kick from near the half way line went in from about 45 yards.

The players adapted to the circumstances. What made it worse was the adult game next to me started but the ref called it off at half time (it was 1-1).

When do we consider strong wind enough to call the game off? Is it dangerous? But ii appreciate t could make it farcical *like a wet FOP where the ball stops after 2 or 3 yards".

Both teams seemed happy enough at full-time.
 
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Youtube Arbroath v Stranrear from four weeks ago. Abandoned after 14 min
Wind
Farcical.
Gk took a goal kick and it went out for a corner. Farce

Safety wise, unless of course there is a building site or scaffolding or whatever, should be low risk for most of us

Ball blowing about like empty crisp packet, players needing a pal to put finger on ball before set pieces, farce.

Obv only you were there and yes you played the duration but by sounds of it the winning goal in your game was due to the conditions as much as anything?
Farce.
 
Youtube Arbroath v Stranrear from four weeks ago. Abandoned after 14 min
Wind
Farcical.
Gk took a goal kick and it went out for a corner. Farce

Safety wise, unless of course there is a building site or scaffolding or whatever, should be low risk for most of us

Ball blowing about like empty crisp packet, players needing a pal to put finger on ball before set pieces, farce.

Obv only you were there and yes you played the duration but by sounds of it the winning goal in your game was due to the conditions as much as anything?
Farce.

My game today had one side of the pitch that was ok to start on but if there was anymore sleet/rain it would've been difficult. Ball rolled through the mud before the game. I did this before the match with both managers present saying that if the ball stopped rolling or players couldn't keep their feet I'd be abandoning the game. Away manager thought it was dangerous but said he'd go with my decision, home manager couldn't see why we were even checking, he thought it was unquestionably fit.

The pitch played ok and the wind dried it up in the end. Away team scored a last minute equaliser. Away manager said that the right call was made (he would as it was good point for them).

But as always, YHTBT in these scenarios. Words cant really describe conditions.
 
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I had strong winds for my men's Sunday league game yesterday. After 3 kicks from me before the start to see if the ball would be going back overheads after goal kicks, I took the approach to warn both managers and captains that if it got worse, we would have to call it; but as we were all there and ready to play we will give it a go. (no safety problems as it was an open field)

Thankfully the wind didn't pick up, there were a couple of 'rolling' balls on restarts but I let these go as there wasn't much we could do. It was like running through treacle trying to sprint one way!
 
The wind was between 50-60 mph.
I'm not sure about this. 60mph is classed as a strong tropical cyclone (Just below Cat one, even 50mph is a tropical storm), it would be very difficult to walk against it let alone to run against it.

Anyway if it is impossible to have a stationary ball for a free kick, goal kick etc every single time then the game is off. If it moves on the occasional restart them the game is on.
 
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I think that you need to consider calling it if the wind would make the game a farce, as alluded to by Miley, if the ball won't stay still for a restart or the keeper ends up putting the ball out for a corner from a goal kick etc.

We had a lot of wind during my game on Sunday, I was running the line, and while the ball moved a couple of times at restarts there weren't any other major issues.
 
Thank you all for your replies.

The goal kicks were reaching the half way line but sometimes going out for a throw. The corners were more affected than the goal kicks.

The man showed me the forecast on his phone but for me the wind was not as strong as his phone said it was.

If the game was a farce i would have called it. At the kick-offs the ball was still and the throw ins appeared not to be affected.

Food for thought though.
 
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