Was it worth it?

10 weeks of my summer were spent running up hill and down dale in an effort to get ready for today's kick-off only for my best laid plans to go awry in the last 3 weeks as I picked up a calf strain.

I  kept losing weight because of my change in diet and starting a new job but my training was on hold. I've managed to lose 26lbs (11.8kg) since the beginning of June. So it was with some trepidation that I stepped out on my opening 11 a side game of the season. I had some nagging doubts as I felt a bit of tiredness in it yesterday when I was working with a group of new referees on their Basic Course. As things turned out I had good reason to be wary as I managed to tweak the calf again in the warm-up and walked for most of the first half. In the second I managed what I thought was a few short jogs but in fact I travelled 4.4km and burned off more than 750 calories.

I enjoyed the game and despite a few mistakes I felt ok about the game afterwards (own biggest critic!). The reports have been done and sent in to the County FA. It's 3 weeks to my next game because of other commitments (football related) so hopefully the calf recovery will continue.

Rain stopped play

Don't worry I've not fallen for the dubious delights of the game where you can play for five days and not have a winner (cricket).

Yesterday at Charlton the referee abandoned the game at half time when he decided the field was waterlogged. Although I've only seen the brief highlights provided on the BBC's Football League Show, there is no doubt the decision was the correct one. When we talk on the Basic Course about conducting a field of play inspection we make reference to very wet fields.

Back in October the referee of the Poland vs England World Cup qualifier was seen going back to basics to test out the surface before postponing the game. Yesterday's referee probably went through the same process but as the rain continued to fall, it became evident that the field was deteriorating rapidly and was becoming unsafe.

The sequence of events which probably clinched it for him was when the ball appeared to stick in the water resulting in a poorly timed challenge that led to the issue of a caution. It was the player's second caution in the game and he was dismissed. For the game to continue much longer would have risked a serious injury through another mistimed challenge.

Sometimes, just sometimes, you get this feeling

As the last two posts indicated it's been a long week and it was good to finish it off by completing the latest Basic Course for New Referees with 24 successful candidates.

We originally started with 27 but lost one before the first session and lost two between week one and two. Today's session included an exercise on misconduct offering candidates the chance to practice dealing with situations where players are cautioned, receive a second caution in the same game and also situations where they dismiss for a single offence.

To wrap this session up we simulate a mass confrontation to see how a candidate deals with it and we pull out the learning points. Today we set up the scenario with some "spectators", some "runners" and around 20 "players". Now normally we find that the candidates flounder a little, which is no surprise considering everything that is going on.

Today's volunteer (victim?) was without doubt one of the best I have seen in over 4 years of being involved in Basic Courses. He followed a simple procedure of adopting a good position to observe what was happening, blowing his whistle repeatedly to try establish control, isolating offenders (even enlisting the help of the team captains), sending off those guilty of the relevant offences and then "reading the riot act" to the captains.

And that's when I got that feeling that he might just be a special candidate. So hopefully, he'll take to refereeing, will enjoy it and also demonstrate those skills in his games over the next few years. With dedication, commitment, hard work and a little luck who's to say he won't be on the Football League Show or Match of the day within the next 10 years?

It's been the longest week

If a week can be a long time in politics it can be even longer in football during the winter months. Teams at and around my level of football have games postponed and the old saying that the devil finds work for idle hands springs to mind. For some this can mean tinkering with their team, others it means tinkering with the management and even for referees, the lack of games can result in them getting involved in discussions they should leave well alone.

Fortunately for me it has been an extremely busy week with more in prospect. Last Saturday I travelled to Doncaster for a Supply League assessment and watched an exciting game between two teams at opposite ends of the league. The result went the way of the visitors who consolidated their position as 2nd in the League, while the home team were left to reflect on another afternoon's honest endeavour with little to show for it.

Sunday was the opening day of the latest Basic Course for New Referees at West Riding County FA. 26 new candidates aged 14-62 braved some bitterly cold temperatures to go through their paces in a range of practical exercises we have put together to help them prepare for their first games as qualified referees. Training for new referees has much improved since I did my course back in 2000 in a working men's club over a period of weeks. Now the candidates get a training pack before the course to help them study the laws and we develop their practical application of the laws. We usually have a lot more fun, but the temperatures last week took the edge off. Hopefully the second day (tomorrow) will be a little more hospitable!

When I got back from the course, my daughter who was expecting her first child, appeared to be in some discomfort so her mum took her to the hospital and a few hours later I became a grandad. I didn't expect to feel any different but my little grandson has made me a little more resolute to face the challenges the world throws my way and I certainly have had a few of those this week at work!

Monday/Tuesday evening found me hunched over the keyboard typing up the assessments from the game on Saturday. Referees often ask me what I am looking for when I come to assess them. The answer is always the same - get the big things right, get the little things right, apply the mandatory sanctions and the rest is just a matter of opinion. One of the worst things a referee can do is to think everything will be OK if he doesn't take the action necessary but everyone expects it. Last Saturday's referee didn't shirk his responsibilities but missed out on a few things which needed looking at.

Wednesday/Thursday meant time to get on with preparing the assessment papers for the new referees course. Although the practical running around and indoor sessions are fun, if the paperwork doesn't get done, then just as in their later career, their efforts will have been for nothing. So 26 assessment papers prepared and the marks earned from the practical exercises have been documented as well as those from our in-course tests. The marks are good, so we could have a good retention rate on these new referees as they seem keen.

Friday was time for feet up but not before I had to adjust my plans for today. The ground I was supposed to visit today for another Supply League assessment was vandalised a few weeks ago and the pipes which fed the showers were stolen. Despite the best efforts of the club the repairs haven't been completed in time.

With the weather being so cold, I already knew there was a possibility that the field would be unfit at my original game, so I had offered to go on standby for another game, but that has been frozen off now. So my trip along the A63 was cancelled last night in favour of one up the A61, but that has fallen victim to the weather as well. It would have been a very sad visit anyway as it came so soon after the death of the club's president. Bill was always very welcoming when I visited the club. Rest in peace Bill Ellis.

Adapt, adapt, adapt

The recent weather has played havoc with fixtures and at this time of the year this means the honour appointments, which many of us have worked hard to earn, have been displaced within the calendar.
So the begging, stealing and borrowing done to be able to take the game on, whether this is at home or at work (to ensure you can stay on the game) starts all over again. Personally I have benefited from a postponement meaning I have picked up a 4th Official on the Sunday League Cup Final.

The referee on the Trophy Final was also due to be on a County Final, so when this was postponed and the new date coincided with our Trophy Final, he had to give backword on our game. This meant the Senior Assistant stepped up to Referee and the 4th Official to Assistant Referee. I was asked to take over as 4th Official on that game but it coincided with my wife's birthday, so the Cup Final 4th Official switched to the Trophy Final and I picked up his role. So roll on May 17th.

I also nearly had to step in as an Assistant Referee on the District Cup Final on Thursday night. The 4th Official picked up a late injury and I was asked to go on standby in case one of the Assistants incurred an injury. As things transpired, the Assistants were both fine (even in Extra Time) but the Referee was held up in traffic after a major accident on the M1. For a few minutes (and it was just a few) I was looking at being on the line ... but the Referee arrived and did a good job of looking after a challenging final.

Last Sunday we also had to adapt as the wet weather meant we couldn't take the candidates outside. The rain and wind would have broken their concentration and devalued any learning they might acquire while we did the outdoor sessions. So we did a whole day inside and they did really well despite the limitations. When we do Day 2 on May 13, we will be outside for around 5 hours, so I'm expecting to have a lot of fun, especially on the mass confrontation practice!

Looks good, feels good

One of the attributes of a good referee, according to spectators and players is "to let the game flow" a statement which ignores the referee's responsibility to enforce the laws but also gives the referee scope to employ the advantage clause.

 

There is rarely an opportunity for the referee to take pleasure from his decision making in a game, after all there's no joy in awarding a corner kick or indicating the direction of a throw-in or despite what some coaches think, taking disciplinary action. There is however a really satisfying feeling from seeing an offence, identifying that it has occurred, but recognising that there is an opportunity for the team offended against to continue their attack and if things go really well, scoring a goal while the shout of "Play on - advantage" is still ringing around the field/ground/stadium and the referee still has his arms stuck out in front of him.

 

In those situations where a goal is scored, little needs to be said to the offender as his own team will probably have words with him, the scoring team thinks you are the best thing since sliced bread and you will probably get at least one player who thanks you. Before we get excited about being the most popular referee in the world (until your next disputed throw-in on the halfway line), it is important that we break this situation down into a number of areas ... and it's not the usual ball, players, infringement, action considerations I've referred to in previous posts but they are close.

The first factor to consider is the seriousness of the offence. I would never ever consider playing advantage if I am considering sending the offender off UNLESS, the player in possession or his team mate has a very, very obvious goal scoring opportunity. Even if I am considering cautioning for the offence, the opportunity to progress has to be good.

The second factor I consider is the tempo of the game. Everyone loves a good old fashioned "blood and thunder" cup game where the tackles are hard but fair and the players are making genuine attempts to play the ball. In these games, the opportunity to play advantage may arise and will be welcomed by the players. In a game where the players are tetchy and it's already been necessary to issue a couple of cautions for reckless tackles, then the chances of my playing advantage are reduced.

These two factors are considered against the possible effect on my match control. If I play advantage on an offence where a caution may be issued or the tempo is high, then there's always a possibility that the player offended against may decide to mete out his own punishment and take revenge before I can go back and talk to the offender. Also, even though I can rattle the windows of nearby houses when I shout, "Play on - advantage", there will always be at least one player who will complain that I haven't given the free kick and again may decide to seek revenge on his team mate's behalf.

The third factor I will consider is the field position where the offence takes place. I work on the basis of a set of traffic lights. In the defensive third, the opportunities available to the player/team offended against are limited because they are so far from the goal they are attacking and they may have many more defending players to negotiate, so the light is red. At the red light, it's time to stop and award the free kick.

In the middle third of the field, although the team offended against are now a lot closer to goal, they still have some distance to travel and again probably a few defenders still to beat, so the light is amber. The problem with an amber light is that there is a temptation to try to beat the lights and as a result, play advantage when it's not really there. This can result in having to bring the game back, which can sometimes look untidy but by telling the players there was no advantage coming, their responses can be managed more effectively.

In the attacking third of the field, the proximity to goal and the reduced number of defenders means the light is green, well greener than it was if the offence had taken place in the defensive third. So we're almost on to the final factor ...

It's all very well, shouting and waving the arms in the approved manner but if the player in possession of the ball (and it might not necessarily be the player offended against) is being closed down by a player from the offending team, then the advantage isn't there. Another consideration is the skill level of the player and that can be influenced by their age and indicated by their previous demonstrations of skill in the game.

So a younger (junior) player might expect the free kick rather than having the referee shouting and waving his arms. If the player has already gone on a number of mazy runs, leaving opposing players trailing in his wake or has scored a hat trick, then he might appreciate the opportunity to use these skills rather than have to start again from a free kick.

The final factor I consider is the time elapsed in the game. I tend to keep the game tight for the first 10 minutes, so unless it is a really good opportunity, I am giving the free kick and not trying to win players over by displaying my ability to keep the game moving in that time. I need that time to assess how the players are behaving and whether I'm likely to need to keep a tight rein on things or let them ease off.

So to summarise, in a split second, I look at

• the seriousness of the offence
• the tempo of the game
• the field position
• the skill factor
• the time elapsed

and all this takes place while dealing with the usual things when an offence takes place such as screening out player appeals and trying to make sure I'm in a credible position. Who says referees are robotic in managing games of football???

My season on the green stuff was temporarily resurrected yesterday as I filled in for an injured colleague who had been appointed as a 4th official to the local Sunday League Cup semi final. The game passed off without any major events and the only downside was getting soaked as the heavens opened in the 2nd half.

The weather has also put paid to my Supply League assessment tonight as heavy rain meant the field was waterlogged. I still have Wenesday's Supply assessment to look forward to and a junior cup final to watch on Thursday. At this point, I have a rare Saturday off before starting a new Basic Course on Sunday with 20 or more new referees beginning their refereeing careers. Hope we have fun (and dry weather).

Crossing the line

Sorry to disappoint anyone clicking through to this post expecting me to speculate on the right/wrong decision to award the 2nd Chelsea "goal" in their FA Cup Semi-Final this evening at Wembley. That game is way outside the sphere of influence I operate in and whatever I say would therefore make no difference.

I am more concerned about the interaction which takes place between players and match officials at grassroots. The guys over at Refchat.co.uk posed a question yesterday about the use of player's name during the game. Personally I will try to learn as many names before the game and during the early stages (1st 15 minutes) as this will help me manage players more effectively. This particularly important if I am looking at sanctioning a player for persistent infringement or if they have already been cautioned and are still coming to my attention.

On the flip side, when I am conducting my pre-match coin toss I will give the captains my first name as well as taking theirs. This allows them to talk to me using my name rather than "Ref" or "Referee" that I will be getting from the 20 other players on the field as well as the massed ranks of spectators, substitutes and match officials. It works well and I can recommend it as a technique.

I do have a concern that from time to time if I referee a team who I have seen two or three times in a season against a team I see once every three seasons, that the second team will feel their opponents are receiving favouritism. I have also seen referees become over familiar with teams and their own conduct, if it had come from a player during a game, might have resulted in disciplinary action.

The final point I'll make is that something which seems perfectly acceptable when viewed in context, in the heat of the moment won't seem so acceptable when read out at a disciplinary hearing. So it's a fine line to tread and certainly for newer referees, I would recommend you tread warily in becoming familiar with teams until you establish your own on-field personality.

My season is now over on the green stuff, barring any late appointments, but considering I am busy on each Sunday for 3 of the next 4 weeks, I think the chances of picking up a game on my free Sunday are slim. It's also a Bank Holiday weekend so may take myself off for a day or two on a trip.

Apart from that I have a Basic Course for New Referees coming up and two more Supply League assessments to complete before taking a breather and preparing for next season on the grass.

Here's my stats from today's game ... warmer than last week, fewer balls over the top to chase, fewer offsides and more disciplinary action. I can't wait until next season!

Total calories 1,567 which is 10% higher than last week. I let the monitor run through most of half time which is why the graph slides at the end. As for the v shaped trough around 49 minutes is me taking a breather after chasing the attack in the build up to the game's only goal.

Some brief cheer on the road to recovery

I'm not the best of patients. The routine of carefully timed taking of tablets/capsules to ensure they are taken on an empty stomach/full stomach/with food doesn't fit in with my often full days.

That isn't a problem for the next week as I'm officially on rest. For the first time in 25 years I have been declared unfit for work and will remain so until I have been reviewed at a clinic later this week. It also means that my plans for pre-Christmas drinks have been put on hold as they interfere with the antibiotics I'm taking (well until Friday at least).

Perhaps that's just as well as I have very little energy and a hangover would probably wipe me out. I can drive for short distances but after taking a trip to the County FA to check on the new referees course, I fell asleep in the chair for an hour while trying to watch The Football League Show I had on Sky+ from Saturday night.

The good news from the course was that 25 new referees successfully completed the course and will be taking the first steps to refereeing in the professional game, once the weather improves and the fields dry out. Now it's time for the school run, to drop off my "Not fit for work" note and to check in with my GP. I hate being ill.