Charnwood Sunday Football League

RefSec · Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 9:51 am Post subject: Unwarranted Abuse

Over the past month I have had formal and informal complaints of such things as: Abuse of referees, racial abuse and general lack of respect towards an opponent and whilst it is only a very small number of clubs/ individuals involved, it is still a problem creeping in to this league.

I find this intolerable in the day and age that we live in. As a referee I understand that the level, experience, and ablilities of officials varies. I also know that it takes balls to be the 'man in the black' and I respect anyone who does or has done it. It is things like this that drives away officials every year.
The figures for last year countrywide were 4,000 referees were recruited, but 4,000 gave up the whistle with the vast majority citing the abuse as the major factor.
I have been fortunate that I have not been subjected to this very often and I have a thick enough skin, but when I started I wondered why I had bothered, but persevered and I look forward to every weekend as most of you do. And, yes I know some of you groan when you see me walk on to a pitch Very Happy

but I am not the worst ref in the world, but I realise I am not the best and have a very long way to go and try to improve constantly as many other officials do.
If there are any issues regarding your official, let me know, in a constructive way and I will try and deal with it.

Also I have had two incidents of racial abuse of players in this league. This is most certainly, and in the strongest terms, totally unacceptable and if encountered, report the matter. Unfortunately the referee doesn't always hear/ see it, and personally if I hear it the player or club official will take no further part in the game. This is the 21st Century and men and women fought and died in world wars so we can live in a tolerant and peaceful society, so if you can't play a game of football without resorting to such behaviour, don't play.

I do have to stress that the above points are as the result of a minority of incidents, but let's try and nip it in the bud before it affects what is, in my opinion, the best Sunday league in Leicestershire.

Feel free to comment/ discuss.

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I know I'm rubbish, that's why I'm doing your game.

RefSec · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 2:46 pm Post subject:

It is now the best part of two weeks and I have three occasions where one of our refs has given up the whistle in our league, and one of these is a very experienced and respected official and he has stated that due to the levels of abuse he is not prepared to continue.
Whilst I understand that Football is a passionate and emotional game, this passion/ emotion is starting to go too far and in the very near future we could find ourselves with very little, if no, referees and I would not be prepared to send refs to places where I know they will get seven shades of s**t given to them.
_________________
I know I'm rubbish, that's why I'm doing your game.

Lucky7 · Division 3 Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 40

I think players need to look at themselves and ask 'how many mistakes do I make during a game?' and compare that to how many mistakes a ref makes. And you'll probably find that players (at all levels from grass roots to International) make FAR more mistakes per game than a ref, both technical and judgement.

I have a fair moan at refs (as all players do) but would never go as far as abusing the poor guy.

At the end of the day, how rubbish is it when you have a game and no ref?

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