Open Age Spectator issues

[TobyTheRef]

So I had a slightly difficult game yesterday, without a doubt my most difficult this season, a higher division match between two teams at the top of table - both good groups of players, though with a lot of stupidity - a couple of sin bins, yellows for USB and a sending off for DOGSO - my match control was definitely borderline at times with players retaliating for certain things etc. and in retrospect I should've been much firmer in blowing up quicker.

The main issue I had though was the away team's spectators, there was at least 50 of them and they were difficult to deal with - constantly entering the pitch at various times, for contentious decisions, heavy tackles etc.

Bearing in mind this was on a small village pitch in a rural shire, the away team had come in from the outskirts of our major city and, as I say, brought a lot of spectators - they were smoking weed on the side of the pitch and had multiple cameras set up, presume for YouTube style channel the away team has which I think lent a lot to their behaviour.

Every small decision for and against prompted them to enter the field, depending on the decision and what the type of issue, depended on how many would enter - the DOGSO, which was completely obvious to everyone including the home team player who was sent off and immediately put his hands up - saw about 20 people enter the field of play jumping around and shouting etc.

Had quite a few words with the away team manager - with varying degrees of severity - and he was reasonable enough and did speak to them at various points but in fairness I'm not sure what else he could do.

Does anyone have any advice on how to deal with these types of situations, please? - though I'm not sure one will ever pop up again, it was all pretty surreal at times.

 

[JamesL]

First is to identify they are spectators and not subs or anyone that falls under your authority as the match official. Sounds like you did this. In theory the Home team are responsible but in practicality using the away manager was probably the sensible option.
Ultimately, you are powerless to sanction spectators but that doesn't mean the game has to continue.
The process I would employ here is the ask tell warn (pause the game) sanction (in this case it's abandon.)

Step 1: "Please can you make sure your spectators stand back from the pitch and don't come onto it."

Step 2: "I've asked already, I'm now telling you that you need to make sure your spectators stay off the pitch"

Step 3: pause the game. Remind the manager that youve asked him twice to deal with the spectators. The game isn't restarting until he does and if it happens again, if we restart now, the game will be abandoned.

Step 4: if it continues. End the match and report to the authorities.

I should add to this to that you need to report each event as an extraordinary report. Spectators entering field of play is always a reportable event.

 

[TobyTheRef]

First is to identify they are spectators and not subs or anyone that falls under your authority as the match official. Sounds like you did this. In theory the Home team are responsible but in practicality using the away manager was probably the sensible option.
Ultimately, you are powerless to sanction spectators but that doesn't mean the game has to continue.
The process I would employ here is the ask tell warn (pause the game) sanction (in this case it's abandon.)

Step 1: "Please can you make sure your spectators stand back from the pitch and don't come onto it."

Step 2: "I've asked already, I'm now telling you that you need to make sure your spectators stay off the pitch"

Step 3: pause the game. Remind the manager that youve asked him twice to deal with the spectators. The game isn't restarting until he does and if it happens again, if we restart now, the game will be abandoned.

Step 4: if it continues. End the match and report to the authorities.

I should add to this to that you need to report each event as an extraordinary report. Spectators entering field of play is always a reportable event.

Thanks very much as ever, James - very sage advice.

To be honest, abandonment never really crossed my mind; when the spectators did come onto the pitch it was more peripheral to what was happening in the game so it never directly interfered with it, it was more just very distracting which I suppose in itself is interference enough.

And yes, spoke to the Ref Sec yesterday so will be going in as an ex report too.

 

[Archer]

None of these "YouTube" ref-baiting teams are a) any good, b) worth anyone's time. Feral hyenas performing for camera and clicks, and having watched a handful on instagram/reels (etc), looks like my idea of complete hell. I'm not mad enough to consider grassroots Sunday football, but these fcuking pillocks are a blight on the game... all in the name of some "banter".

I'd declare an interest in the team and avoid ever having 'em.

Hashtag United are the biggest ballbags of this. Setting up faked incidents during training sessions to manufacture ref controversy so everyone on FB can call all match officials useless c*nts.

 

[JamesL]

Thanks very much as ever, James - very sage advice.

To be honest, abandonment never really crossed my mind; when the spectators did come onto the pitch it was more peripheral to what was happening in the game so it never directly interfered with it, it was more just very distracting which I suppose in itself is interference enough.

And yes, spoke to the Ref Sec yesterday so will be going in as an ex report too.

Abandonment is extreme but ultimately is the final nuclear weapon of choice.

Only those named as players, or substitutes, should be on the field of play and with permission drs, physios and or stretcher bearers. Given you have no powers beyond that, you can't even sanction the manager as they aren't tech area occupants, then repeated entries by outside agents mean that the game can't be continued or concluded safely.

We of course can try to manage up to a point but once that's not successful the only way is to stop or abandon the game.

The sad thing is they probably make enough money out of the YouTube clips that they can afford the fines.

 

[TobyTheRef]

None of these "YouTube" ref-baiting teams are a) any good, b) worth anyone's time. Feral hyenas performing for camera and clicks, and having watched a handful on instagram/reels (etc), looks like my idea of complete hell. I'm not mad enough to consider grassroots Sunday football, but these fcuking pillocks are a blight on the game... all in the name of some "banter".

I'd declare an interest in the team and avoid ever having 'em.

Hashtag United are the biggest ballbags of this. Setting up faked incidents during training sessions to manufacture ref controversy so everyone on FB can call all match officials useless c*nts.

Yeah, they're a strange bunch - it was mainly the OTT jumping around and screaming that I've never come across before; I've since checked out their YouTube channel and it's par for the course apparently.

I know a lot of teams record highlights for social media or whatever, but I've never seen the spectators become more involved than the actual players.

Abandonment is extreme but ultimately is the final nuclear weapon of choice.

Only those named as players, or substitutes, should be on the field of play and with permission drs, physios and or stretcher bearers. Given you have no powers beyond that, you can't even sanction the manager as they aren't tech area occupants, then repeated entries by outside agents mean that the game can't be continued or concluded safely.

We of course can try to manage up to a point but once that's not successful the only way is to stop or abandon the game.

The sad thing is they probably make enough money out of the YouTube clips that they can afford the fines.

Definitely a useful one to have in the locker, and to be honest I should've used abandonment as a bit of a threat - the manager, to his credit, did try to help and he looked pretty fed up with it all as well.