Refereeing just isn't my cup of tea. Several years ago I decided to give it a try and after only a couple of games that was enough to put me off for life.
I wanted to enter my team, Talbot Athletic, into the East Grinstead and Crawley League and one of the requirements was that each club needed a qualified referee.
There was no queue for volunteers, so I ended up doing a course to gain a Grade III class for officiating.
It was rather strange because I seemed to get coached through the exam. They were almost telling me the answers to the questions, so I guess they must have been desperate for referees.
I ended up getting called upon to referee a couple of games and I was hopeless. My decisions were poor. For example I gave an indirect free-kick after a handball, which is of course wrong.
But as a referee you have to stick to your guns even when you do make a blunder. It is small wonder I was getting strange looks from all the players. It was a humiliating experience.
It does make you realise how little of the rules players actually know. One good thing about taking a referees course is the chance to learn more about the rules of the game.
I might well one day take up refereeing when I pack up playing and will probably be a lot better than the last time I did it.
But I'm only currently on the list as a last resort. Of course I wouldn't want to discourage people from taking it up. We do need more referees.
When I read about referees being attacked and incidents like the one reported last week in Park Life about a fan running on to the pitch with a wooden mallet, my taste for officiating worsens further.
When you next step out on the field, go easy on the ref. They do a good job and often in trying circumstances.
They're doing it for fun...just like players are.
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