A&H

Junior/Youth Spectator Problem

refsteve98

refsteve98

New Member
Today I was in the middle for a top of the table clash in an U12 division, Yellows vs Reds.
A bit of background:
Fairly early on I denied a goal for the yellows, it hit the post, rolled across the goal line and went to a red defender. After realising that I was not giving the goal (while the yellows were rather annoyed) they played on. Most of the yellow parents were quite vocal with their disagreement of the decision.

Midway through the 2nd half a yellow player goes down injured after a phase of attacking play but I saw no foul and play had moved on with reds on the counter-attack. While I'm following play and waiting for the ball to go out one of the yellow parents starts shouting from the touchline about my decision to let play continue. The ball goes out of play and I start to approach him as I see that the yellow player is already being seen to. He said "you've got an 11 year old player who's down injured, you should have stopped play" so I tell him "It's my decision to stop play for an injury and the fact that he's 11 doesn't matter. In my opinion he is only slightly injured so I allowed play to continue" he then moved closer towards me and shouts "of course it bloody matters!". The red team manager tells him from the other sideline that he cannot talk to me like that. After this the Yellow parent walks away angrily and I restart the game with a red throw-in. After I restarted I felt like I really should have sent him away. Should I have?

After the game I receive a lot of support from Red spectators and friends who were watching me (I must have looked pretty upset). This convinces me that I should go back and get his name. I ask him for it and he gives it to me straight away and then says that he can report referees as well. He then receives lots of comments telling him that that's just bullying kids. He then goes home and so do I.

Did I do this correctly?

Sorry that was a bit long, I had a lot to say.
 
The Referee Store
Hi Steve - Sounds like you had an interesting game! That guy sounded like a right pain in the arse, definitely crossed a line. Yes, I think you probably should have sent him away from the pitch. It wouldn't have been too tricky either considering you obviously had the support of the other parents and the managers. Perhaps you should have also asked the manager for his name rather than ask him directly - he could have taken this the wrong way and you could have ended up in trouble.

Don't worry yourself too much over it though, seems you were just unlucky to have to encounter such an idiot! Make sure you write + send in the report
 
Yeah, just a little bit interesting ;) I wish I had sent him, it might have stopped players being mouthy as well? At the end of the game I asked around to see if anyone knew his name and everyone said no, I gave up on that when I saw him coming and asked him directly. I've already sent the report, hopefully it gets sorted out. Do I get informed of what action the county take?

It was played at a local middle school on their field
 
You can't send a spectator away...? You can ask the coach to calm his parent down and ask him to tell his parent to leave, but you have no authority over the parent themselves - you can only send a report in after the game (as you did, correctly:)).

Southend-ref said:
Then you could - but if it were a park then you have no right to send a spectator away
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Why does that matter? I'm wondering, not questioning it! :)
 
Southend-ref said:
I doubt it



Then you could - but if it were a park then you have no right to send a spectator away
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I guess, but even so I believe that would have had the right to try - it's for the good of everybody in the vicinity and I would be surprised if anybody batted an eyelid
 
jojo said:
Why does that matter? I'm wondering, not questioning it! :)
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You have no right to tell somebody where they may stand in a public park, whereas at a private ground part of the deal is that you can follow through with stuff like sending people away.
 
Would you not need the owner of the pitch/field there to do that though?
 
Difficult day at the office. From what you have posted what you have done is all correct in law.

One tip though. Never talk directly to spectators if they are giving you grief. If you have a problem take it to the manager/team official. Ask for their support politely. If it is not forthcoming and you want the person removed then ask the manager. If he declines remind him that if he will not assist you will be forced to abandon the match and report the matter to the relevant authorities. Public park or not, you want him gone and he won't go, match over.

That parents behaviour is disgusting mate. It's easy to say don't let it effect you, but really don't let it effect you, chin up. Take the positives from the situation in that you did the right thing. Next game is right around the corner
 
jojo said:
Would you not need the owner of the pitch/field there to do that though?
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no, part of the deal of having the football at your ground is that you can send spectators/coaches/sent off players away from the field, but you can't do that on a public park, because it is just, a public place
 
Southend-ref said:
no, part of the deal of having the football at your ground is that you can send spectators/coaches/sent off players away from the field, but you can't do that on a public park, because it is just, a public place
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Ah right, thanks for clear in it up.

Well done anyway @Robin !

You definitely did right in sending the report in, as has been said, chin up, well done, and keep going!
 
I know how hard it is but try not to reply to a spectator in a situation like this. If you feel the need to say something, a simple yes or no, nothing more. This cuts the conversation dead, if you reply with a reason they will just argue it and the situation escalates.

As Supermonkey, if you're having real trouble go through the manager, first time ask him to have a word, second time tell him the game is stopped until he leaves the vicinity.

Under the respect program, my understanding it the referee is well within his right to request the removal of a spectator, public place or not. I've never done it personally, but have seen it done and if the manager has the choice of an abandonment or the parent going, there will only generally be one outcome!

I'm actually quite shocked that some referees would take abuse for the entire game rather than demand a removal!
 
Sorry to disagree with you but it's a kids game and although you may be a qualified referee you are unlikely to be a qualified medic and if you are you probably can't assess the level of any injury from a simple glance so should have stopped play to have the kid attend too.

If you had done this then the situation is unlikely to escalate as any spectators would be hard pushed to have a go at you for stopping play so a coach can attend to an injured child.

In open age it's a different kettle of fish!
 
I once reported a female spectator who I assume was the gf of a player I had just cautioned. I gave benefit of the doubt first time but the second time was after the match had finished and I was walking past back to the car and the threatening nature of the comment was personal "(my name) needs to watch himself". Reported to the county fa and the league
 
I occasionally ref at the U13 level (and girls too) and it is quite difficult to not stop play when there is an injury. There is a certain expectation that being u13 they are more vulnerable.
However, they also play to it. In one girls U13 game where I had already stopped play 3 or 4 times for a physio (manager) to attend to a hurt player, a player went down after a tackle, I looked over and she seemed ok. As she was going to stand up her captain ran by and said "Stay down, the ref will stop play" as the opposition were on a dangerous attack! It changed my perspective immediately and suffice to say, I played on.
 
Bottom line is that part of our job is to preserve the safety of the players.

I wouldn't want to be the referee that has to explain to my FA why I let play continue until the ball went out if it turned out that the player needed hospital treatment.
 
Good old 'angry parents'! Especially when their little Johnnie gets a clout!

We've tried something different here in Oxfordshire for a few seasons in the boys leagues, using a power available to us in Law 5, 'to suspend play'.......not abandon it

Problem adult, public pitch, we suspend the game until the problem adult is removed or behaves in an acceptable manner. We instruct both teams to stand in their own penalty area, remind the home club that they are responsible for ALL spectators, and that the problem parent needs to behave or be removed before play resumes.........this is not just a discipline issue here, you have all the player's welfare in mind, so-called 'child protection', but you're showing that you mean business

It works, and works well, group pressure from other adults normally shuts the problem one up. I've always reported the reason for the 'suspension' to the local FA just for their attention, most clubs appreciate the 'second-chance' you're giving them
 
Top man in the parish said:
Good old 'angry parents'! Especially when their little Johnnie gets a clout!

We've tried something different here in Oxfordshire for a few seasons in the boys leagues, using a power available to us in Law 5, 'to suspend play'.......not abandon it

Problem adult, public pitch, we suspend the game until the problem adult is removed or behaves in an acceptable manner. We instruct both teams to stand in their own penalty area, remind the home club that they are responsible for ALL spectators, and that the problem parent needs to behave or be removed before play resumes.........this is not just a discipline issue here, you have all the player's welfare in mind, so-called 'child protection', but you're showing that you mean business

It works, and works well, group pressure from other adults normally shuts the problem one up. I've always reported the reason for the 'suspension' to the local FA just for their attention, most clubs appreciate the 'second-chance' you're giving them
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Wow, that's very forward thinking, no chance of the national FA implementing it then, lol
 
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