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Some years ago, didn't Willie Carr and Ernie Hunt (both of Coventry City) take a free kick where Carr stood astride the ball and flicked it up between his feet and behind him for Hunt to volley it in. The goal stood but I think this was later banned as it was deemed that Carr had played the ball...

The best piece of advice I ever was given was by my coaching officer when I originally qualified. (His day job was as a superintendent in the police). He said that the most important decision you will make in a game is your first one. Blow your whistle loudly and for 2-3 seconds and then explain...

It is still a problem at the lower levels of the game. Most players seem to believe that any form of contact (especially in the PA) constitutes foul play and will go to ground. As a general rule I will blow for simulation if the player arches his body before hitting the deck and give a yellow...

I accept that but that is not the question. Did the ref apply the correct procedure by giving two yellows and then a red in the same incident. As I understood it, the second yellow was for dissent and not foul and abusive language. The ref deemed that both offences were consistent infringements...

The player moving the ball at a corner really irritates me as there isn't a valid reason for doing so. But whats irks me more is a player spotting the ball for a free kick and then waits for the ref to move off in order to move the ball forward a couple of metres.

Watching a game on Saturday in local amateur league in Cape Town (Premier Division). Player commits a bad foul and the ref blows for the free kick and issues a yellow card. On receiving the yellow, the offending player makes a nasty remark to the ref and the ref then issues another yellow card...

I either player shows intent, in the referees opinion, to obstruct the opponent rather than make a fair attempt to play the ball, then whether it is a GK or outfield player, the foul is given against them. GKs in the main believe that any form of contact, specifically when trying to catch or...

If the ARs are unqualified club officials I simply ask them for ball in or out and offsides and to be prepared that I might overrule them if I think they are wrong. All other decisions are mine and mine alone. If they appointed (and therefore qualified) ARs, its a different story other than I...

For me, goalkeepers are overprotected in general. If a GK jumps from a standing position and the attacker jumps from a standing position and there is contact between the two, its play on as far as I'm concerned. If a GK moves from his initial position and jumps , and the attacker jumps from...

"Balz" sounds like "Balls".

You have to be mental to be a referee!! Guilty!!

True story - In my mid twenties I played socially on a Sunday in a typical pub sponsored league (Division 8 of 12). I had a teammate who's name was Sidney Balz, not the most gifted player it has to be said. In one game he committed a rather robust challenge and was rightly cautioned (yellow card...

I agree that the player has complied by giving a name - whatever name he gives. My point is that I never challenge the name he has given and simply write it down. I know that the disciplinary committee will discover that its a false name (if indeed it is) and, as I said, both club and player...

As everyone who has done it can testify, running the line is not as straightforward as it appears. In the numerous games where I've been an Assistant Referee my instruction from the referee invariably would be to track the last defender. This seems logical as it is easier (not easy) to move with...

Many years ago, when qualifying, this question was raised about a player either refusing to give his name or giving a false/comical name, e.g., Mickey Mouse. We were instructed to write down whatever name they gave and include it in our report (be it a caution or sending off) - When the...

You are correct sir! It is 19m - if you have 20/20 vision. For those refs who are myopic (far sighted) you can basically ref the game from the car park without any worries!!

Defender slide tackles an opponent, wins the ball cleanly and it goes directly to the goalkeeper who picks it up. Player who was tackled shouts "back pass ref". Ref replies "No, he's not that good!"

My late father, an ex-referee and assessor, would not let me leave the house until he'd inspected my kit and, in particular, my boots. If they were not up to his standards I would not be allowed to play. This only ever happened once and I never let it happen again. Normally, after a match, and...

With genuine respect to my fellow referees, I believe that the ref's positioning (in low level games without ARs) is purely down to how you are able to read the game. Most referees (again at low level matches) haven't played the game to a "high level" because if they had they would certainly...

My advice is to take a leaf out of Rugby's best referee, Nigel Owens:- about 52 seconds into this clip - "I don't want to make a big issue of this OK? But things like this are not acceptable in the game. What happened or what happened afterwards, I did not see it. It ends there. Is that...