Recent content by dadofref

So he just had an absolute stinker then? If we're prepared to put up with that, why bother with VAR at all? Even if neither decision on its own was a clear and obvious error, the second decision in the context of the first decision WAS a clear and obvious error...

Also not sure where the 9 minutes of stoppage time came from. It seems so inconsistent. It's at the point now where I'd rather the timekeeper was off-field, stop the clock whenever the ball's not in play, and reduce match length to two 30 minute halves. And if someone's gone down with a head...

Not sure how the referee and VAR have decided to not give a penalty to United, then give one to Bournemouth a few minutes later (and send Maguire off) with arguably far less force in the contact. Arguably both players went down a bit easily. Surely they either have to both be penalties (in...

For me, these are the stills that highlight the potential damage - he's flying in from the left of the screen, studs up, and it's arguably more luck than judgement that he misses getting full contact with Garnacho's lower left leg (as opposed to glancing contact), which would more likely than...

I'd love them to bring in guidelines where within 5 seconds of a penalty being awarded, any defensive players left in (or subsequently entering) the penalty area get an automatic caution (goalkeeper and injured players excluded), and anyone deliberately going within 2 yards of the penalty spot...

They do, but it's one thing breaking up momentum when you have the ball, or you've notified the 4th official in good time that you want to make a sub the next time the ball goes out of play; I'd say it's borderline unsporting conduct when you're further delaying the taking of a penalty that's...

Notwithstanding the baffling VAR decision, is it not time guidance was updated to stop teams that have committed fouls from making substitutions before the restart? Brentford's gamesmanship further delaying the penalty after two VAR checks was ridiculous, and they made no-notice subs a bit...

Where do people stand on the Rashford/Walker and the Garnacho/Ederson incidents? Personally for me, Rashford's running at full pelt, and at that point it doesn't take a lot to throw you off balance; Walker gains a clear advantage in grabbing at Rashford, it's not shoulder-to-shoulder. Yes it...

Posting on behalf of 15yo who has been reffing since last season and is reffing tomorrow but for the first time the weather forecast is high likelihood of lightning storms during the match. Is there any official guidance from the FA as to when to suspend/abandon a match due to lightning for...

Home club didn't seem to want to engage with any kind of complaint, which is convenient given they arranged the referee... It's not so much the officiating - although if someone who is a registered referee in effect assaults a participant, surely there's got to be a way of the County FA dealing...

Had a contrasting experience today, and could do with some advice to be honest... In the morning, watched 14yo son ref an U11s match, make some good decisions, and generally handle things well. It's about the 20th match he's done and he's really grown into it. Has made the odd mistake...

Fantastic, thanks for the excellent advice all, really appreciate it, and having done thankless admin tasks myself in other sports before, wanted to make sure we were doing the right thing. Will advise him to: contact the boys league's RAS apologise and say that he can't do the fixture...

Hi, Dad of a newly qualified 14yo ref here. He's had four games to ref over the past two weekends in a local girls league, including two with offsides, from U11 up to U13, and has been doing pretty well. This next weekend however he's been scheduled a match by another league that clashes with...