I'm only an occasional visitor to this site, but enjoy reading it, as there are clearly a lot of young and new refs posting here. It's refreshing, especially to an old fogey like myself. Just wanted to make one point. It seems that a lot of you young referees posting here are being too modest and insecure about your performances. It's great that you're seeking to improve all the time, but I wish you'd worry less about criticism and abuse from players and benches. Generally, it's true that for the losing team you are useless and yet for the winning team you're either a good ref or at least better than the one the team had when they lost last week. Ignore the criticism; learn the true meaning of "water off a duck's back." Your decision is correct, whatever happens, because you gave it. You're the ref. Let that authority give you the confidence to sell decisions (even when you realise later the decision was wrong!). I'm a humble Level 6. I get criticised all the time. I know I make mistakes. We all do. But it's the mistakes that I remember for a couple of days, not the pathetic abuse from a player who is looking to vent his anger. Finally, remember to smile and be friendly. They're not your enemies, no matter how hard they try to be.
Riddled with Insecurity
- Thread starter Simon Haydon
- Start date
HertsFinest
Next Weeks Ref
Well said
If only there was a way for me to get this printed and hung on the wall of my dressing room every Saturday! Great post Simon 
Very good post.