I did once. On the astroturf at kings cross at night in winter. Turned up expecting to play for the Euston team as normal, but have shockingly been dropped. Not only dropped, but would I mind being the ref? I was that pished off about not getting a game, I really wanted to march off with my nose in the air, not stopping to look back, Pererya style. But there was some money for doing it. £10 or something and I was cheap to buy in those days of youth. Still, I only did it very grudgingly and was not in the best humour. I tried to be as even handed as possible, perhaps even favouring the opposing Clapham Junction Strollers (or whoever it was we were playing) on some occasions due to my disgusting and undeserved dropping. I really did try to do me best. But. Any and every decision given to my team got disputed increasingly hotly, however obvious and clear, on the grounds that I was one of their team. There was sarcasm, there was backchat and snidy little remarks. It was more than I could stand. Eventually their little No. 7 who was about a foot shorter than me, called me a very rude name (of the sort that would shame a politics section). Right to my face. I'm ashamed to say, dear reader, that I fuxking lost it. Saw red. Fortunately I didn't catch No.7, but I did square up to, well I believe it was all members of both teams and scream about taking on anybody or everybody who wanted some whilst doing the aggressive clenched fist dart forward boogie Well there were no takers. And eventually after calming down a bit, I was somehow persuaded to continue officiating rather than have no ref at all. The remaining 87 and a half minutes of the game were a misery though. Can't remember who won. Sod refereeing. That was my first and last time. Not for £10, not for £1000.
Was to hungover to play so hot roped in to running the line. I was effin shocking even at poxy Sunday league standards.
I run the line quite a lot for various youth teams my lot are involved with and seem to be one of the few people who can keep up with play! Earlier this season I was running the line for an adult ladies team playing a very decent side with a loud mouthed manager. The opposition striker had a shot on goal with another of their players literally yards offside. The ball hit the bar and came back to the player who was still in an offside position, she scored as I put the flag up for offside. Their manager went nuts and shouted at me "how that could be offside"? I told him to keep behind me if he wanted to check my honesty, if he could keep up. The ref came over and told him he'd blown for offside without even seeing me put the flag up. His players on the bench gave me stick for the rest of the game as I was on their side of the pitch, which I found incredibly sad as the ladies game isn't normally like that.
Yup. Did it in the Watford area for a couple of years before uni and then in Norwich for a bit too. Jacked it in by the time I left though. Youth football was often a nightmare because of the parents. There's always at least one loudmouth no one else would take responsibility for shutting up. And then men's Sunday league was the same issue but normally one knobber of a player who wouldn't shut up instead of a parent. Basically a thankless task driving (or at the start being driven) to the middle of nowhere, to freeze my bits off on my own and have to deal with all sorts of eijits in return for £20. It's something I wanted to do more of but there's was little active support from the local FAs. On the rare occasions I was in a proper setup as part of a team it was much more enjoyable. I ran the line for a Herts county game and think I refereed a couple of games with actual qualified linesmen. Still all very lowly stuff but much easier when you have others to back you up. Best bit was doing the kids' end of season tournaments in April/May time. Loads of games, usually in the sun, decent wodge of cash for a teenager to get and usually free grub from the burger stall during the afternoon. I also did a year or so reffing for Leisure Leagues up at Woodside. That was 5 a side I think but was basically the wild west most of the time.
I was lino at youth games for a decade. There were some mouthy parents around, but I found that if I flagged for the opponents the first (or second) time I wasn't sure it generally quietened them down
Like others, have had to run the line a lot which I mostly didn't mind. Had to step in to ref on a couple of occasions and it's absolutely awful. Hate it. Both times I've had to do it I've been managing one of the sides involved in the match and you can't win. Give a call to your team and you're bias, give a call against your team and you have your own team swearing at you. Absolutely no win and I have no idea why people do it for the amateur game where it's just non-stop abuse and I've even witnessed threats of violence against refs as well.
I've been refereeing youth rugby for years. Never a problem really, you get the odd query from the sidelines but nothing much. In 8 years I've only had to send off one player, the kid and his parents apologised to me afterwards.
I'm a qualified referee but wouldn't dream of doing it. I play amateur football in NI and the abuse the referees get is shocking, no chance I'd do it even if they do get £45-50. In the league I play in, a referee was once assaulted by two players. Think they may have got jail time.
I used to ref tag matches (after a couple of nights of courses) and was asked by the club if I wanted to take it further and I said no as I didn't have the time (and truth be told, I neither had the inclination). Another Dad took over from me when we left the club (his son was two years younger than mine) and when they asked he said yes - when I last spoke to him (a few years ago) he had just started reffing in the NL3 (then tier 5?) - he said that the RFU had a very effective pathway for training referees with lots of support.
Interesting thanks! The league came after my time, but he refers to the inter-station friendlies of the late 80d which would have been my sort of time. We had about 1400 employees at Euston including the train crews, the track workers and the BRHQ in Eversholt St and so we did have some pretty reasonable players - former semi pros etc. There was even a European Cup which was held annually and I played twice in the finals in Germany representing England. The Dutch won both times - they were mustard. Loads of sporting opportunities with BR in those days, via the BRSA staff association. We had our own ground down at headstone lane with a nice pavilion and changing rooms and (of course) bar. I played cricket, chess, squash and even ping pong for Euston teams over the years. We had a nice club called 'the stables' just round the corner from the station with snooker tables and a cheap bar and entertainment and what have you. The BR chairman of the time, Peter Parker, talked about us as "the railway family". It was all very agreeable. Of course all wiped out, sold off, gone and forgotten now. The poor zero hours casual unfortunates who sweat and scurry around now days on behalf of Richard bloody Branson and his ilk aren't given the steam off their pish and they can like it or lump it.
Reffed a season for the Watford Sunday League back in the 80s. Divs 4 & 5 iirc. £4 per match. A season of reffing on pitches covered in dogshit and broken glass with teams ranging from those keen to move up the league to those with hungover, overweight players not really caring. Enjoyed some matches but not enough of them to carry on. Too much hassle. Tbf I was probably a pretty **** ref as well!
Started reffing sunday league at 17 years old and made my way up in 6 years to the premier league. Highlight for me was the world cup final. Sold referee manager 2019 with my playstation though.
Once. As a child (14/15) I reffed a game during a primary school football tournament. The amount of abuse you get from parents is unreal.
