First season

[Timmycb5]

Having been a coach of my son’s team for the last 12 years, and with the prospect of my coaching career coming to an end (which it did yesterday) as their U18s league finishes and they all b*gger off to uni, I was inspired by my son and the captain of my team to take up the whistle.

They’re both excellent referees having qualified aged 14. Are both going for level 4, which I hope they get this summer, and have both been nominated to FA CORE trails.

I did the course in September 25, couldn’t ref until November because of a knee injury, but then threw myself into reffing youth football with a gusto ever since. Reffing on a Saturday, coaching on a Sunday. I’m not entirely sure how, but I got selected for county cup finals and was given the whistle for one of the youth games! The game was yesterday and although I was incredibly nervous I absolutely loved the experience.

It’s definitely given me a thirst for more and from next season I’ll be going for promotion to level 5. I’m 50 this year, but I feel like this is the best way to stay involved in football and also stay fit!

I wish that I’d taken it up far earlier, but that’s my only regret!

 

[andre69]

Having been a coach of my son’s team for the last 12 years, and with the prospect of my coaching career coming to an end (which it did yesterday) as their U18s league finishes and they all b*gger off to uni, I was inspired by my son and the captain of my team to take up the whistle.

They’re both excellent referees having qualified aged 14. Are both going for level 4, which I hope they get this summer, and have both been nominated to FA CORE trails.

I did the course in September 25, couldn’t ref until November because of a knee injury, but then threw myself into reffing youth football with a gusto ever since. Reffing on a Saturday, coaching on a Sunday. I’m not entirely sure how, but I got selected for county cup finals and was given the whistle for one of the youth games! The game was yesterday and although I was incredibly nervous I absolutely loved the experience.

It’s definitely given me a thirst for more and from next season I’ll be going for promotion to level 5. I’m 50 this year, but I feel like this is the best way to stay involved in football and also stay fit!

I wish that I’d taken it up far earlier, but that’s my only regret!

Similar story to myself - I finished playing, started coaching, ended up refereeing a fair bit at local clubs due to referee shortages. So at the age of 46 I took the course at the start of the season. I was only able to do one or two development games per weekend prior to the new year due to work commitments, but now I'm doing 5-6 games a weekend, including open age games. I will definitely be applying for the promotion pathway next season.

Coaching is great, but reffing gets you out there on the pitch, and nothing really compares to that. Plus, both of my sons are now qualified refs and they love it too, so I'm interested to see where they take it. I'm just a bit annoyed with myself that I left it too late to make serious progression.

 

[Steve Fall]

Great to hear your enjoying it. I started around 20 years ago - initially as the team I played for needed a "club referee" - took the course and reffed for a mate on Sunday mornings. Roll on a few years I then started my progression through the system, while coaching my oldest's team (and having to ref games as being qualified I never (until u18s) got a allocated ref) from u7 to 2nd year u18s. I too regret not taking it "seriously" to start as I often wonder if I could have progressed quicker and maybe refereeing at a higher level.

But week in week out I'm still out doing what I now love...

 

[BCMilan]

Great to hear your enjoying it. I started around 20 years ago - initially as the team I played for needed a "club referee" - took the course and reffed for a mate on Sunday mornings. Roll on a few years I then started my progression through the system, while coaching my oldest's team (and having to ref games as being qualified I never (until u18s) got a allocated ref) from u7 to 2nd year u18s. I too regret not taking it "seriously" to start as I often wonder if I could have progressed quicker and maybe refereeing at a higher level.

But week in week out I'm still out doing what I now love...

Did you find it "challenging" being the Club Referee ? ie accusations of bias, or accusations of being too lenient on your own club ?

 

[BCMilan]

Having been a coach of my son’s team for the last 12 years, and with the prospect of my coaching career coming to an end (which it did yesterday) as their U18s league finishes and they all b*gger off to uni, I was inspired by my son and the captain of my team to take up the whistle.

They’re both excellent referees having qualified aged 14. Are both going for level 4, which I hope they get this summer, and have both been nominated to FA CORE trails.

I did the course in September 25, couldn’t ref until November because of a knee injury, but then threw myself into reffing youth football with a gusto ever since. Reffing on a Saturday, coaching on a Sunday. I’m not entirely sure how, but I got selected for county cup finals and was given the whistle for one of the youth games! The game was yesterday and although I was incredibly nervous I absolutely loved the experience.

It’s definitely given me a thirst for more and from next season I’ll be going for promotion to level 5. I’m 50 this year, but I feel like this is the best way to stay involved in football and also stay fit!

I wish that I’d taken it up far earlier, but that’s my only regret!

That's how I got into it. Just wanted to give something back. Well done, mate. Keep it going

 

[The Gump]

Did you find it "challenging" being the Club Referee ? ie accusations of bias, or accusations of being too lenient on your own club ?

I've been a "club" referee, middling games for my son's U12 to U14 teams in a league that never allocates. I've always been upfront about my son playing for one of the teams and never had an issue, though I'll be honest and say I ended up almost certainly subconsciously favouring the opposing team in order to demonstrate my independence. It got to the point where I told them I didn't want to do it anymore.

He stopped playing on Saturday's so I started again, but then they dropped me because the parents were complaining that I was putting cards through. Then this Sunday (for the team my son still plays for, but he was out injured) the allocated referee couldn't attend and my allocated game wasn't until later, so I did it. The opposition coach (who is a bit of a nob at the best of times) complained that I was refereeing and claimed that it was against league rules, which it isn't (and my conflict of interest is registered with them). He just doesn't like it because I won't stand for his ridiculousness on the sideline.

All in all, I'm glad not to be doing it anymore.

 

[Steve Fall]

Did you find it "challenging" being the Club Referee ? ie accusations of bias, or accusations of being too lenient on your own club ?

If anything I was probably harsher on the team I covered. Once I started booking the players I knew it was time to take it more seriously. But it was a great experience and while coaching I did it mainly as my son played and no-one else stepped up to help.