A VERY QUICK WORD WITH - THE REFEREE

Here The Cold End asks a former non-league referee "Is being a referee getting harder or easier?"

Our game needs more referees so if you think you got what it takes please visit THE FA link here where you can find out more information and book a course in your local area.

Refereeing is getting much harder in this day and age. There is much more pressure put on the referee if he/she wishes to advance to a higher level. In the days when I officiated, any incident was classed as "is it a caution or not?" and that "was in the opinion of the referee". Nowadays, many cautions are mandatory and clubs expect referees to caution, although many do not like it when they do! Common sense which we used to call Law 18, has now gone out of the window.

 

However there is much more coaching and mentoring of referees which does help them in progressing to the next level. The major thing lacking with refereeing in my opinion is lack of man management skills. At the end of the day, a referee needs to manage the players and the benches but some find it difficult because they are completely lacking in life skills and cannot talk to people. I believe that this is a life skill which you cannot really teach anyone, but hopefully guide them in the right direction. What you also need to remember is that many players sometimes think nothing of cheating, even if it is over a throw in. The game has made the players like it, especially when they are being paid, even at non league level. I was involved as a secretary of a senior non league club and often players were more concerned in picking up their money, rather than putting a decent shift in on the field of play.

 

The Respect campaign, although I was a bit of a non believer when it first started, is slowly beginning to have the desired effect, particularly at non league level. Once all the clubs start singing from the same song sheet then it will get better. I'm also a great believer in that discipline starts on the bench/dugout. If they are unruly and abusive, then so will the players. Educating bench staff regarding behaviour is a must. Players can improve the game at non league level by embracing the Respect Campaign.

 

I also believe that it is not what referee's say, but how they say it. When I lecture and teach referees of all levels I always point this out to them. However I cannot say I agree with some of the language used by players and bench staff, as I firmly believe that it is indicative of the society we live in.