Season Over

Having given up a game last night and on Monday as a precaution after Sunday's cramp, I turned up for the game between Carlton Athletic and Beeston St Anthony's in good form. I hadn't washed my boots since Sunday and spent a few minutes cleaning them off using a bucket and brush kindly provided by Julie, the home team's Secretary.

This meant I missed part of the warm up and I then joined Gavin and Martin for the shuttles off the touchline. We worked through these without any issues and then went back inside for the final preparations before heading out to carry out the boot and jewellery inspection.

A quick trot over to check the goal net revealed that one side was loose, so I asked for the net to be re-pegged. I then ran down to the centre where we carried out the pre-match pleasantries and coin toss. The teams changed ends and I asked Martin if he wanted the re-pegged net checking again, he said yes and I turned back up the hill towards the goal, now manned by the away team's goalkeeer.

Within 10 yards, my hamstring tightened up and I got a mild shooting pain up the back of my leg. I knew immediately that I couldn't start the game and spoke to Martin to let him know. To his credit he ensured I made it back to the changing room and I collared another refereeing colleague, Martin Parker who had just arrived to watch the game. After some persuasion he agreed to take my place as Martin's Assistant.

They made their way outside while I sat a rather forlorn figure in the corner of the changing room. Soon one of the home side's coaching team arrived with and ice pack and Julie the Secretary arrived to ask if I needed any help. With Martin P having taken my kit I was sitting there in my t-shirt and underwear and despite her initial embarassment, Julie then chatted away for another 5 minutes about her own experience of hamstring and shin splint injuries, before letting me get changed back into shirt and tie.

I shuffled outside and rang the Fat Lad who was coming to see me and meet Gavin who is his Assistant on his League Cup Final in a few weeks. He was already in the ground and I got little sympathy from him. The game went on, with Beeston having already had a kick from the penalty mark saved after a few minutes. Martin cautioned three, all from Beeston, saw Carlton take the title after winning 1-0 and kept a good level of control over a competitive game.

After the assessor had his say, I had a chat with the boys, phoned everyone to let them know that my season was over and made my apologies. It means no more games and I've even lost my 4th Official spot in next week's District Cup Final. My concern now is that both on Sunday and tonight, this pull came out of nowhere. Does this mean that it's going to let me down every time I try to run? Is this perhaps the end of my time with a whistle in my hand?