Search results

I don't agree with that either. I can be a pain getting asked continuously but it's an easy question to answer and I don't feel I lose anything by doing so.

Our local leagues were struggling for referees a few years ago so ran a few double headers on Saturday afternoons (1300 and 1500 if I recall). For some reason the match secretary chose to schedule quite a lot of these at different grounds! Our local RA wasn't keen on this but a few referees...

Just had a text message from an unknown sender - 'Can you manage a game on Friday night, 7pm at VENUE X'. No name, no mention of teams and even managed to get my name wrong. Sorry, unavailable!

I agree, the LOTG is vague on this subject. This is very much a scenario where you have to see it to have a feeling whether it's a foul or not. Often it's an instinct type of decision - if it doesn't look right then it's probably a foul.

My own experience (in North East Scotland) is that referee associations rarely, if ever, allocate referees to fixtures. It is up to referees to contact officials of whatever local leagues they want to officiate in. The referee association should have all the contacts and be able to help along...

It depends very much on what level you are refereeing at. In North East Scotland, at grass roots level, it is usual practice is for teams to approach referees directly to cover friendlies. Obviously if the teams don't know you there's very little chance that they will contact you. Another option...

But frustrating how often that ends up as a free kick.

Yes, he was on the line in a Champions League game in Barcelona when there was some important vote taking place in parliament. Unfortunately for Mr Ross I don't see the demands and commitments of being a top level referee/assistant matching up with those of being an MP. He's going to have to...

Probably just the type of game I would have turned down but I just shows that you can never tell.

I feel that I need pre season practice in the same way as teams and players so I always look for 5-6 friendlies before the season starts. At my level and in my area friendlies mostly come via direct contact so it's usually a team I'm familiar and have a reasonable relationship with. Often the...

At grass roots common sense generally prevails but in response to the OP and various comments - if a referee were to make an issue of this then that referee would be correct in terms of LOTG. It's probable that a referee who does consider it an issue is unlikely to be swayed by any argument that...

My initial thought was DOGSO and remained unchanged after seeing the replays. For me, the covering defender had a bit of ground to cover. However, I can understand why there is a bit of debate about it.

Don't know how far Bournemouth will push this but I believe it's just a matter of time until some club makes a legal challenge to a refereeing or technology decision.

Fundamentally you should really have picked this up during pre match inspection but we've all been caught out and in this case perhaps excusable as it was under clothing. From similar experience I've learnt to state clearly to players as they go off that they cannot re-enter the field until I...

Bear in mind that pre season friendlies are for your own preparation too. I usually get more requests that I can deal with so I'm a bit selective about what I accept. Depending on how ready you feel it might be best to avoid a potential difficult first fixture even if it is only a friendly.

I suspect 2 people sharing a car could well be allowed by the time grass roots football restarts.

But that would eliminate the wonderful scenario where the kick rebounds off the post and the kicker fires home the rebound and as a referee you can bask in the self righteous glory of disallowing the goal knowing that despite the protests you are 100% correct. Never happened to me but I keep hoping.

Wasn't this trialled a few years ago at some level? It sounded like an excellent idea to me so what happened? It came from rugby but I can't recall seeing it in rugby in recent years either.

Hoodie excepted, the near side assistant was wearing official kit so I suspect he is probably an appointed NAR. Given his attire I at first assumed the far side assistant was a CAR but as he demonstrated at least a bit of discipline and authority I wonder if he was also an appointed NAR just...

Restart with a contested drop ball!