Do players respect referees? You’re having a laugh! I’m a Berkshire Amateur Association, qualified referee, of 29 years, and regretfully inform you, players today don’t respect referees.

 

Last Sunday was a typical example of how good referees, like myself, are given no respect whatsoever by players and their staff. The game was dramatic, not because of the great football, but for recklessly disrespectful behaviour of players, coaches and even spectators.

It was actually an important match; the cup semi-final between two teams at the bottom of the league. To avoid any - deserved - offence I’ll call them Crap FC & Awful FC, although you’ll see similarities with the over-paid, irresponsible players we see on TV nowadays. Just like those over-paid Prema-donnas on the TV, this cup match had a lot of local housing estate pride to play for. Still, no excuse for their behaviour.

 

I turn up a good hour before the game starts to relax in the car, drink some tea and listen to my favourite radio station, Dunce FM. I mentally prepare myself.

“I make the decisions,” I repeat to myself, building up the resolve.

 

I’m about to get out my car with my bag, when one of the players, sitting in the open top flashy convertible, and was seemingly unaware of my presence, blurts, “That picky little bugger's reffing this one.”

One of the passengers in the car chipped in, “He thinks the game’s all about him… Going on about rules.”

They mocked me somewhat, so as I got out of the car, I made sure they noticed me by whistling to a Motown classic.

The driver seemed to go a shade of read, “Hi ref,” he smiled

By the way, I’m not picky. I keep to the rules, which in case some idiot tells you otherwise, are there for a reason; preventing the game turning into a complete farce, while maintaining civility. After all, it is just a game.

 

True to the poor quality of linesmen the Association provides lately, one of them turned up in a bright pink t-shirt.

“I forgot,” he grinned; unaware how serious his infringement of the referee’s code is.

He refused to say why, but was able to, firstly wake up, then exchange shirts with a spectator, who was sporting a similar shirt to the regulation black, that should be worn. This, far-too young, linesman also seemed a bit too friendly with many of the Crap FC players for my liking, but then the game was ready to start. It just amazes me what idiots we have running the lines nowadays.