A&H

When to abandon

R

Redref34

Active Member
Level 5 Referee
Youth game.

1 min left to go.

SFP tackle comes in right in the corner on the pitch .. I’m thinking red immediately. Before I can get my card out, spectator gets involved, club linesman comes running over gets involved, all players and coaches involved, pushing shoving swearing. I’m on my whistle loud and step back to watch. Can’t get control with shouting or whistle for about 30/40 seconds. I’m thinking, I’m going to have to abandon this.

I say to both coaches, get your players under control now or it’s off. This seems to work and everything calms down.

My question, when do you reach the point of abandonment? Should I have done it earlier? Does it matter what minute of the game it’s in when something like this happens?

Thanks
 
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Redref34 said:
Youth game.

1 min left to go.

SFP tackle comes in right in the corner on the pitch .. I’m thinking red immediately. Before I can get my card out, spectator gets involved, club linesman comes running over gets involved, all players and coaches involved, pushing shoving swearing. I’m on my whistle loud and step back to watch. Can’t get control with shouting or whistle for about 30/40 seconds. I’m thinking, I’m going to have to abandon this.

I say to both coaches, get your players under control now or it’s off. This seems to work and everything calms down.

My question, when do you reach the point of abandonment? Should I have done it earlier? Does it matter what minute of the game it’s in when something like this happens?

Thanks
Click to expand...
Based on this I wouldn’t abandon unless I felt the children might be at risk. I’d follow your own advice, stern words with the coaches and a warning that a repeat would result in abandonment.

That’s assuming that the mass confrontation was pushing and shoving and not a full on brawl. In that situation I’d call it off.
 
The decision to abandon can really only be when you have no chance of safely restarting the game, and when that happens it will be instinctive, you won't need to give it too much thought. It is basically when it doesn't matter how much you blow your whistle, how much you try and explain to people the consequences if they don't calm down, they carry on regardless and you are backed into a corner.

Ironically, once you then abandon it they will all immediately start behaving and plead with you to carry on, but you have to stick by your decision.
 
Redref34 said:
Youth game.

1 min left to go.

SFP tackle comes in right in the corner on the pitch .. I’m thinking red immediately. Before I can get my card out, spectator gets involved, club linesman comes running over gets involved, all players and coaches involved, pushing shoving swearing. I’m on my whistle loud and step back to watch. Can’t get control with shouting or whistle for about 30/40 seconds. I’m thinking, I’m going to have to abandon this.

I say to both coaches, get your players under control now or it’s off. This seems to work and everything calms down.

My question, when do you reach the point of abandonment? Should I have done it earlier? Does it matter what minute of the game it’s in when something like this happens?

Thanks
Click to expand...
As others have said, abandon if things don't calm sufficiently for the game to continue safely (players, benches and spectators)
With a minute or so to go, chances are that would be possible unless any assaults had occurred or seem likely. The referee's watch is the one that counts.
 
Redref34 said:
My question, when do you reach the point of abandonment? Should I have done it earlier? Does it matter what minute of the game it’s in when something like this happens?
Click to expand...
When people's safety is in doubt. Either yours or other players, it is that simple. The minute doesn't matter - the actions which lead to the abandonment are all that is relevant.

Regardless if you abandon in the 20th or final minute, the league rules/committee will determine the final result.
 
I abandoned an u17 match about 10 years ago (ironically came up as a memory on Facebook the other day).
It was in added time at end of the 2nd half.
Already had a mass con which delayed the game by about 5 minutes, and on top of other stuff going on, I was asked on 90 how much added by the team losing coach (was, if I recall, 2-1). Both coaches were "timing" the match and I know the response would be that I'm the sole timekeeper, they're not stupid that I couldn't say 1-2 minutes knowing what had happened. It genuinely could've been about 10 minutes but think I said something like 7. Less, the better, in this high tempered game refereeing on my own.
It was also a cup match so I really didn't extra time because of this volatile match.
Both teams already down to 10 men.

After a couple mins into added time, a player took out an opponent and hell let loose.
I couldn't bring it back under control to end the match.
And that's what I made my decision to abandon.

I weigh up lots of things. Games can be high tempered.
But, as someone said above, if you feel the players safety is at risk by restarting, as I did, then don't restart.
I genuinely felt if I restarted the very next tackle would be a leg breaker. Not could, would.
And I was not prepared to take that risk.
 
If there is only one minute left, and the lads are having a go for 30-40 seconds, you're abandoning a match with 20 seconds left. Continue to try to gain control, and blow for full time at full time.
 
Redref34 said:
Youth game.

1 min left to go.

SFP tackle comes in right in the corner on the pitch .. I’m thinking red immediately. Before I can get my card out, spectator gets involved, club linesman comes running over gets involved, all players and coaches involved, pushing shoving swearing. I’m on my whistle loud and step back to watch. Can’t get control with shouting or whistle for about 30/40 seconds. I’m thinking, I’m going to have to abandon this.

I say to both coaches, get your players under control now or it’s off. This seems to work and everything calms down.

My question, when do you reach the point of abandonment? Should I have done it earlier? Does it matter what minute of the game it’s in when something like this happens?

Thanks
Click to expand...
I had similar last season U18s - 80th minute. I chose not to abandon. As it calmed down I told both coaches and captains that if there was one more incident of misconduct off the pitch or anything on the pitch that I consider to be violent conduct or serious foul play with brutality that could inflame the situation then it would result in abandonment. We finished the match with just one further yellow which was the last tackle of the match. However after the match there were further incidents of misconduct from one set of supporters towards the other and towards me. I think the post match incidents would have happened whether I abandoned or not. The only thing I would have done differently is call 999 immediately upon the final whistle because some of the post match incidents and threats were shocking.
 
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