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Graham Poll once gave a player 3 yellow cards. Howard Webb didn't send off Nigel De Jong in the World Cup final for a karate kick to the chest. Keith Stroud gave an IDFK after encroachment at a penalty instead of a retake. Even referees with decades of experience, who are notionally at the top...

If a player intentionally kicks the ball at me, or another player, using excessive force from a FK then I am giving a red and reversing the FK whether I told them to wait for my whistle or not.

Not had anything particularly odd in instruction terms, but worst experience I've had is a ref who clearly couldn't be bothered to learn our names and so introduced us at the toss as 'my assistants' and then acknowledged us with 'Thank you assistant' or 'Thank you' throughout the game. It's two...

I think he gets the decision right first of all. I don't think that is a genuine attempt to play the ball at all, and I would be perfectly happy giving a red card.

That isn't the same principle though. For your example, the ball is out of play because it has not been thrown back into the field of play. In @GraemeS example the ball is in play from a FK when it is kicked and clearly moves. So when the ball is kicked at me, it is in play as soon as it moves...

Boring question, but I'm just about to get a car and was just about to sort insurance but had a question. As a ref, we're technically self-employed for tax etc but does driving to games count as 'business' use and therefore require business insurance? Or is 'social only' fine? Ta!

1. Not a cop out at all. You did something and the players behaviour was improved after your actions. The solution doesn't always have to be cards, and I think this is a pretty excellent example of how you can manage situations without them. 2. Technically, IDFK but if everyone can see it's a...

Players have such a distorted view of advantage. I had one of Saturday where red team skipper was tripped, but recovered his footing and played a through ball to an attacker 1 v 1 with the keeper. I signalled for an advantage, but the striker took a heavy touch and the keeper was able to slide...

How did it go @AaronAvery?

Went along to a fitness test this year. I'm not up for promotion to 4, but not often you get on a track for free and wanted to see how I got on. Did 2650m in 12 minutes and the sprints were fine. Last half lap was quite slow as I really felt it in my legs. I hadn't done too many training runs...

Predicting dropping zones is something that comes with experience. Monitor the first few goal kicks/fly kicks and see where they are landing and position yourself accordingly. Does the keeper have a booming kick, or does he struggle to make halfway? Is there a particular player that the teams...

Can only echo what others have said. I was super nervous about my first observation, but have had three now and they have all helped me to become a better referee. As others have mentioned, make sure you get the simple stuff right. Before the game is important but in the game there are plenty...

Have my exam on coming up in a few days. I understand it's a multiple choice exam, but how many Qs are there in it, and what is the pass mark? Also, I have been brushing up on the LOTG just to remind myself of the specific language around certain things, but am sort of in the dark about how...

They list them on the website but they've been sold out every time I've looked.

Has anyone got a training programme that they'd be willing to share? Obviously not an issue for me this year, but would be nice to know what sort of training regimen people follow to pass the test.

Yellow in front right, red in back right and 2nd red in front left (only there for 2nd yellows). Notepad in top shirt pocket, which has a set of cards in as well that are never used but act as 'spares' and then pencil and pen in left shirt pocket, along with pencil that is in the notebook. 2...

I wouldn't give either of them as 2nd yellows, but I can understand how he will justify them to an observer after the game.

The key is that the it's the verbal distraction that is important, not the words that are said. If the referee feels it was shouted in order to verbally distract, it doesn't matter what words are said.

The CORE programme is already running, certainly in London.

How come? I also like how you tagged him to make sure he does.....