appointed to a last match of league where one participant may be relegated.

[zarathustra]

Ultimately, I don't think it hurts to know that, for example, it's the last game of the season and that if team A lose or draw they'll get relegated.

It shouldn't affect how you referee the game, but would make you aware of the possibility of things kicking off etc.

But the best course of action is to just referee what is in front of you.

 

[Sheffields Finest]

Perversely on my final official match (they all knew) one player gauded me all game that it was my last game and I wasn't booking anyone. He was just a *(*&b. We had history and he pushed my button for the final time in the 92nd and last minute!! I'd tried to blank him out all game but sometimes they say stuff that needed a response, and he got my final card! I was smiling on the inside.... -£10

 

[socal lurker]

It shouldn't affect how you referee the game, but would make you aware of the possibility of things kicking off etc.

It should also alert your spidey-sense toward the end of the game that frustration levels could be higher than a "normal" game and to watch and be ready to squelch any stupid behavior in those closing minutes. (Yes, we hope to read that from the game itself, but it doesn't hurt to have that additional focus for nonsense--somewhat true in all last games of season.)

 

[GraemeS]

I learned quite a while ago that complacency will put you on your arse in this game.

I always plan for the worst - hope for the best. The same goes for every match I referee ...

Exactly. Go in on the alert, assume you're starting with a tight leash and then relax a bit if players show they're in the mood to behave.

If I do research and find it's likely to be a tough game, then my approach is unchanged. If I do research and find that it's likely to be easy, the only thing that can possibly happen is that I over-relax. So what's the point in researching and risking going in with my guard too low?

 

[santa sangria]

Serious ref, serious league - research the table, previous discipline, subs, scorers etc.

Collina was arguably the world's best referee and it's not a coincidence he researched meticulously.

 

[Kes]

Exactly. Go in on the alert, assume you're starting with a tight leash and then relax a bit if players show they're in the mood to behave.

If I do research and find it's likely to be a tough game, then my approach is unchanged. If I do research and find that it's likely to be easy, the only thing that can possibly happen is that I over-relax. So what's the point in researching and risking going in with my guard too low?

Because knowledge is power.
How you referee and/or whether you go in with your guard too low is down to you ...

 

[Mintyref]

Because knowledge is power.

Yes in that you will always know more about the laws than the players, the fact you may research and find that the blue five is always carded and the red three is often sent off for VC is actually irrelevant.....you need to referee what is in front of you........regardless.

 

[GraemeS]

Because knowledge is power.
How you referee and/or whether you go in with your guard too low is down to you ...

But what are you doing with that knowledge? And whatever your answer, my follow-up question will be "Why aren't you doing that in any other match?"

 

[Russell Jones]

But what are you doing with that knowledge? And whatever your answer, my follow-up question will be "Why aren't you doing that in any other match?"

As others have said, the top refs do tremendous preparation for each game in order to be as informed as possible. If you have the luxury of watching videos of previous games then you can be ready for unusual tactics, cynical approaches etc. Even something as simple as a team's typical corner routines can alter your optimal positioning for example.

At grass roots, if you know, for example, that a team needs just one point to stay up then you can be extra vigilant for early time wasting.

I can even recall specific examples where I spoke to the ref who had refereed the 'reverse' fixture, earlier in the season and picked up info that most definitely allowed me to be more 'on the ball' than I would otherwise have been ...

 

[Sheffields Finest]

If I was paid 80k+ working a few hours a week I’m sure doing research would enter my life just to prove to my employers that I actually cared a little bit about my profession and it would justify my salary existence! Doing it for £30 is a bit OTT if you ask me! Just ref what you see!

 

[es1]

If I was paid 80k+ working a few hours a week I’m sure doing research would enter my life just to prove to my employers that I actually cared a little bit about my profession and it would justify my salary existence! Doing it for £30 is a bit OTT if you ask me! Just ref what you see!

how hard is it to look at the league table?

how hard is it to look at their last 2 or 3 games, see if anyone has been booked or sent off a few times?

how hard is it to look back at games played between the 2 teams this or last season?

I'll tell you how easy it is, i've just done it for my two teams this weekend while eating breakfast

if you cant be arsed doing it, fine, more fool you, anyone with an ounce of common sense will be doing that

 

[Sheffields Finest]

That’s fine, just don’t take any preconceived ideas into a game, that’s probably unfair on the participants! Clean slate and all that!

 

[es1]

That’s fine, just don’t take any preconceived ideas into a game, that’s probably unfair on the participants! Clean slate and all that!

of course, just because number 10 got booked last week wont mean he does this week, but knowing the last two times these two team played it's finished 3-2 with 10 yellows combined is helpful preparation for this game, it'll likely be close and competitive.

if it turns out to be a walk in the park, happy days.

 

[Sheffields Finest]

of course, just because number 10 got booked last week wont mean he does this week, but knowing the last two times these two team played it's finished 3-2 with 10 yellows combined is helpful preparation for this game, it'll likely be close and competitive.

if it turns out to be a walk in the park, happy days.

Again that’s fine, but how does knowing a game will be close and competitive change what you do on match day?? Have you got lucky underpants for the tastier ones??

 

[GraemeS]

As others have said, the top refs do tremendous preparation for each game in order to be as informed as possible. If you have the luxury of watching videos of previous games then you can be ready for unusual tactics, cynical approaches etc. Even something as simple as a team's typical corner routines can alter your optimal positioning for example.

At grass roots, if you know, for example, that a team needs just one point to stay up then you can be extra vigilant for early time wasting.

Don't say I didn't warn you: Why are you letting time wasting go in matches where that very specific situation isn't the case?

I'm not paid thousands of pounds and provided with detailed footage and analysis - so the idea of finding way to modify my positioning seems very unlikely. I referee at a level where I don't have access to video footage, I rarely have access to a detailed breakdown of the last 10 times these teams have met, so all I can do is look at league position/recent form. And all I can see that doing is introducing factors that make me less alert and less fair.

So what if someone's been booked 3 matches in a row? Even if I have the ability to identify that player, what if he's seen the error of his ways (or been read the riot act by his manager!)? If I jump on the first minor expression of frustration because I've identified him as trouble, it's only going to annoy him more and it doesn't give him a chance to get the rational side of his brain in control.

And as I've said many times, what's the benefit of finding out it's going to be an "easy" match? All that can therefore happen is I relax more than I should and get in too much trouble. Much better in my opinion to go into every match alert and relax only if the actual game in front of you allows it.

 

[es1]

Again that’s fine, but how does knowing a game will be close and competitive change what you do on match day?? Have you got lucky underpants for the tastier ones??

you dont, but it's a good indicator of how the game might pan out. if it does, you're aware and prepared, if not, you're already on top of it anyway

 

[Sheffields Finest]

We all have our usual suspects that get booked regularly, they don’t change, same every week usually. I didn’t need external input to sort out the idiots, I preferred to see what they did and act accordingly!

 

[es1]

We all have our usual suspects that get booked regularly, they don’t change, same every week usually. I didn’t need external input to sort out the idiots, I preferred to see what they did and act accordingly!

but what if you've never reffed the teams before? how could you know the usual suspects?

no doubt a decent and alert ref would find that out pretty quickly regardless but researching it and finding out before hand cant hurt

 

[Sheffields Finest]

I had one lad that i booked 5-6 games on the bounce....Lovely lad before and after, nightmare for 90 minutes though!! We had a big embrace when I last saw him, he looked at me as another mortgage payment No research needed for him!!

 

[santa sangria]

But what are you doing with that knowledge? And whatever your answer, my follow-up question will be "Why aren't you doing that in any other match?"

Collina did it every match. I’ll wager Dean does too.

My games are split between hobby leagues and serious stuff. In the hobby league games, usually solo, no ARs, if I notice it’s a team with disciplinary problems I check their red card history. The main reason is if there is an active suspension and the possibility that there might be a complaint e.g. before the game. Also if there is a player with multiple reds I’ll note that.

In the serious games, in a 3, with very experienced and well trained colleagues, we discuss the teams, the table, players, styles etc. before the game. Usually because we are football lovers, and we know the teams and players, also because we might know about certain players or coaches and their characters.

In all this, I want just enough so I can be proactive at the right times. Not to change decision making or target players. I try very hard to approach every decision without bias.

Bottom of the table team lost 13-0 last night. Forced to play many 16-17 year olds against a team boasting an ex-top flight talent. Lost every game. Of course these are useful things to know before the game. Not to change decisions but to be prepared... a lot of physical mismatches, frustrated young players, one bored AR each half, new concentration challenge...