HertsFinest
Next Weeks Ref
Gentleman, It has struck me that over the last few weeks more and more members are being attacked, whether it be passively or directly and quite publicly, for having a view different to someone elses. I myself am probably guilty of this from time to time but its led me to thinking about this:
This forum is a fantastic tool for all of us, much like an open, online Referees Association that is, dare I say, more fit for purpose than the actual RA. Somewhere we can come to help and support, learn and develop each other. I myself have learnt a great deal from RefChat and feel I am a better referee because of it. I have very strong views on certain aspects of the beautiful game, views that are very different to some other referees. But I am equally entitled to hold these views as much as the other referee is equally entitled to hold theirs.
In short gents, we are all idiots. We all spend our weekends running round a pitch, with grumpy, sometimes aggresive, nornally pumped up, men and boys, to be abused and told we are the worst thing since the cheeky girls, so that 22 people can play a game of football, the game we love. We slip on the black in unison with each other upon a weekend and practice the hobby, no, the PASSION, that we love. We may referee differently, we may have different styles, we may make mistakes and we may do some things that even we dont understand ourselves why we have done them. HOWEVER when we come on here to discuss these **** ups, match incidents, great games, bad games, boring games, fun games, dangerous games and the downright outragous games, we do so so that we can get advice, support and maybe a pat on the back once in a while. Disgagreement is natural, but as referees we should ultimately be supporting each other.
Making someone feel small because you disagree with them isnt right, its not on and its not what we refs are about. By and large we are a good group of people, a diverse group, but a group that is similar in its ambition, passions and loves of the beautiful game.
We are not just men, we are men of the whistle, and we are one. We go to battle on fields up and down the country, as a very large team, a team of men. Lets act like it eh?
Lets support each other rather than attack each other, just because our views may be different.
THIS. IS. REFCHAT! (sparta accent optional)
Keep whistling gents.
This forum is a fantastic tool for all of us, much like an open, online Referees Association that is, dare I say, more fit for purpose than the actual RA. Somewhere we can come to help and support, learn and develop each other. I myself have learnt a great deal from RefChat and feel I am a better referee because of it. I have very strong views on certain aspects of the beautiful game, views that are very different to some other referees. But I am equally entitled to hold these views as much as the other referee is equally entitled to hold theirs.
In short gents, we are all idiots. We all spend our weekends running round a pitch, with grumpy, sometimes aggresive, nornally pumped up, men and boys, to be abused and told we are the worst thing since the cheeky girls, so that 22 people can play a game of football, the game we love. We slip on the black in unison with each other upon a weekend and practice the hobby, no, the PASSION, that we love. We may referee differently, we may have different styles, we may make mistakes and we may do some things that even we dont understand ourselves why we have done them. HOWEVER when we come on here to discuss these **** ups, match incidents, great games, bad games, boring games, fun games, dangerous games and the downright outragous games, we do so so that we can get advice, support and maybe a pat on the back once in a while. Disgagreement is natural, but as referees we should ultimately be supporting each other.
Making someone feel small because you disagree with them isnt right, its not on and its not what we refs are about. By and large we are a good group of people, a diverse group, but a group that is similar in its ambition, passions and loves of the beautiful game.
We are not just men, we are men of the whistle, and we are one. We go to battle on fields up and down the country, as a very large team, a team of men. Lets act like it eh?
Lets support each other rather than attack each other, just because our views may be different.
THIS. IS. REFCHAT! (sparta accent optional)
Keep whistling gents.
