A&H

Open Age Worst game ever

HarryD

HarryD

Well-Known Member
Just returned from literally the hardest game I've ever refereed - green v blue 2-2 AET, 2-4 on penalties with 11 cautions and 2 dismissals (7 and 1 to home team 4 and 1 to away team).

HT had 5 cautions, 3 for FT, 1 for C3 and 1 for HB (tried scoring with his hand)

6th caution added in second half - C1 - another simple caution. Dismissed the home team manager from the vicinity for making a number of comments to me - none of which merited a dismissal alone.

Extra time it becomes 2-1 to home team with 4 more cautions - all standard tactical fouls (apart from one which was dissent). With 5 minutes to go, away team CB makes a challenge which denied an obvious goal scoring opportunity so I dismissed him. I kept having to stop the watch for stoppages but in the 120th minute the away team have a corner which the away GK comes up for. Home 17's arm came out and the ball hit it at the top of the arm. I felt that his arm went towards the ball and as such gave the away team a penalty at the end. Everyone goes ballistic, I get called most names you could think of - including a cheating whatever which was nice of him (all of which were spectators). Home team manager runs onto the pitch, Penalty got scored and home 17 gets a second caution for dissent. Penalty scored and ends up as a shootout which the away team wins.

After the game, the home team manager tries talking to me about it in the car park before referencing events which happened two years ago, refusing to accept anything I had to say. When I informed him of the report to the spectator that was going through he said 'prove it' to which I answered 'I can't. How can you prove he didn't?'

Basically the response was that he would say the spectator in question never said it, the spectator would say he didn't and all the parents (mens game but young team) would say that he didn't say it either.

What is the point of reporting misconduct to the FA when it's going to get appealed, at a hearing they'll lie about everything. Especially when I have no faith in the FA since when I was once unable to attend a personal hearing as a witness through illness they tried charging ME.

Rant about the game over, I'll obviously make the reports I need to make but to be honest debating whether I quit refereeing, I've had injury setbacks over the last couple of seasons, large criticisms of a video which ended up getting a fair amount of views on twitter and now this. There's no enjoyment anymore where nobody has respect for referees.
 
The Referee Store
Sorry to hear that mate. Hope you feel better about it after a few days. Its a pain when managers try and talk afterwards, they often approach under the guise of 'Asking' something before it escalates into a full scale row/list of lies by them that just ends up making you feel worse.

At my last match 3 weeks ago a manager, who had been dismissed in the first half, came over and wanted to 'ask the referee something', when this request was refused he just launched into a foul mouthed rant and had to be literally dragged away by his wife!

Chin up, get the reports done and try and enjoy your Sunday evening and hopefully you'll feel better about football in a few days

All the best
 
Cheers Paul. I've spoken to the league ref secretary about it and he's now aware.

I suppose what I'm feeling is just things building up and there's been no positivity around refereeing recently to break it up!
 
@HarryD it sounds like you had a busy day at the office. It can be a lonely place out there can't it? We've all been there though. It seems to me you've had a good game and not allowed the players and coaches to run it for you.
I hope you're back out next weekend; don't let one bad day cause you to quit.
Don't hesitate in reporting the manager though, forget about the last experience with CFA.
Chin up and move on.
 
HarryD said:
Just returned from literally the hardest game I've ever refereed - green v blue 2-2 AET, 2-4 on penalties with 11 cautions and 2 dismissals (7 and 1 to home team 4 and 1 to away team).

HT had 5 cautions, 3 for FT, 1 for C3 and 1 for HB (tried scoring with his hand)

6th caution added in second half - C1 - another simple caution. Dismissed the home team manager from the vicinity for making a number of comments to me - none of which merited a dismissal alone.

Extra time it becomes 2-1 to home team with 4 more cautions - all standard tactical fouls (apart from one which was dissent). With 5 minutes to go, away team CB makes a challenge which denied an obvious goal scoring opportunity so I dismissed him. I kept having to stop the watch for stoppages but in the 120th minute the away team have a corner which the away GK comes up for. Home 17's arm came out and the ball hit it at the top of the arm. I felt that his arm went towards the ball and as such gave the away team a penalty at the end. Everyone goes ballistic, I get called most names you could think of - including a cheating whatever which was nice of him (all of which were spectators). Home team manager runs onto the pitch, Penalty got scored and home 17 gets a second caution for dissent. Penalty scored and ends up as a shootout which the away team wins.

After the game, the home team manager tries talking to me about it in the car park before referencing events which happened two years ago, refusing to accept anything I had to say. When I informed him of the report to the spectator that was going through he said 'prove it' to which I answered 'I can't. How can you prove he didn't?'

Basically the response was that he would say the spectator in question never said it, the spectator would say he didn't and all the parents (mens game but young team) would say that he didn't say it either.

What is the point of reporting misconduct to the FA when it's going to get appealed, at a hearing they'll lie about everything. Especially when I have no faith in the FA since when I was once unable to attend a personal hearing as a witness through illness they tried charging ME.

Rant about the game over, I'll obviously make the reports I need to make but to be honest debating whether I quit refereeing, I've had injury setbacks over the last couple of seasons, large criticisms of a video which ended up getting a fair amount of views on twitter and now this. There's no enjoyment anymore where nobody has respect for referees.
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Unfortunately, your story will be one of many in any given morning
The Governing Bodies couldn't give a monkeys about this (largely) unseen side of the game. The Respect campaign has been laughable on a national level
You're more experienced than I, but I'd suggest there's two ways of looking at this experience. 1) Deciding whether there's something better to do with your time than being occasionally abused or, 2) embrace the experience and reflect on it with a view to personal development
It's inevitable I'll run into a similar game at some point and I'm guessing the experience will also test my resolve as a referee
It might take a few days for you to establish a balanced view of this onslaught
 
You are not alone, you only think at the time its just you its happening too and you drive home shaking your head but, far from it.
I covered a call off today at leagues request because it was two difficult teams, U15 !!, turned up with the team expecting whoever it was and was warmly greeted by both coaches, seemingly glad to see me for such a tough fixture, knowing they had someone who would take no nonsense.
All good and well until you get out on the park and actually make the calls and well, as am sitting at home typing this now, I wonder why I bothered. 4 yellow home team, one of which was double yellow, both his cards in the same minute (dissent, then followed through on the gk, (which left the gk being taken off). 7 SEVEN yellow to away team, one of which was double yellow, away team coach away in the first half (the chatty one who was pleased to see me), 2 pks given and one not, which seemed to cause more grief than the two i did.
that might not seem a lot compared to the OP but its ten times more hassle than I normally get but am safe in the knowledge I did what had to be done, and can only be doing as you need to do now, reporting the facts on the coaches dismissal and sending it to the responsible persons.
As referee we are not the judge or jury, just the executioner at the time.
 
HarryD said:
I think my main concern with the incident isn't what happened during the game - I've dealt with worse! The issue comes from more not wishing to waste an evening going down to the FA to listen to a load of lies!
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Can you use "am working/otherwise engaged but I can confirm I have nothing to add or subtract from my original reports, however if the panel has any questions for me I would be glad to answer by email prior to the meeting"
 
Probably worth a try!

I reckon I need to stop refereeing in December. There's always something that happens - two years ago I ended up dismissing a player and his comments and general attitude while doing so landed him a lengthy ban, last season someone threatened to stab me (dont think the FA bothered dealing with it in the end) and now this, three years in a row! December isn't my month :p
 
Agree that’s it’s not our concern but you have to make sure you tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth... my memory like Harry said is a pack of lies being told to mitigate punishment!
 
This sort of situation is where you will find your local RA & CFA of most use.
Get in touch with a senior member of your RA and explain the issues that have Arisen.
Your RA & CFA, will I Hope support you through any judicial process that may arise from the Game you mention
Do what you require to do in terms of reporting both Cautions and dismissals & trust in the due process in the county were you Referee
 
HarryD said:
Probably worth a try!

I reckon I need to stop refereeing in December. There's always something that happens - two years ago I ended up dismissing a player and his comments and general attitude while doing so landed him a lengthy ban, last season someone threatened to stab me (dont think the FA bothered dealing with it in the end) and now this, three years in a row! December isn't my month :p
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I dont intentionally miss any meetings am called too, but, if you have submitted the right stuff, and you dont have anything else to say or take away from the report, then your work is indeed done
 
My chairman of the local RA that I go to is actually my coach so I'll speak to him at December's meeting.
 
How can anything be proven when it's just one's word against another?
This seems a big part of the problem
 
I Know of at least one Facility in my locality that is covered by CCTV :)
How many CFA's would accept Footage of an offence that the referee believes warrants a Red Card ????????????
 
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