5 year ban for punching ref (Soccer)

[Phil E]

.......although the circumstances of the last involved an assault on a player rather than a referee.

Presumably that makes it ok then?

 

[leaguerefaus]

Presumably that makes it ok then?

More ok than it being a referee

 

[CrouchTPEngage]

I wonder if a ref has ever attacked a player ? Even if only in self defence ?
As in criminal law, I suspect it would be allowed of "reasonable force" had to be justified in self-defence.
Closest I've come is yellow-carding someone who then told me to "F$%k off " - in which case, I hope I was right, to immediately produce a red for him. ?

 

[leaguerefaus]

I wonder if a ref has ever attacked a player ? Even if only in self defence ?
As in criminal law, I suspect it would be allowed of "reasonable force" had to be justified in self-defence.
Closest I've come is yellow-carding someone who then told me to "F$%k off " - in which case, I hope I was right, to immediately produce a red for him. ?

100%.

 

[OB..]

I wonder if a ref has ever attacked a player ?

Almost, but it was actually a spectator (who came on to the pitch to complain). The referee nutted him, finished the game, and then phoned in to resign.

 

[Browner]

Almost, but it was actually a spectator (who came on to the pitch to complain). The referee nutted him, finished the game, and then phoned in to resign.

"finished the game" ........ LOL,
I bet the players reduced their dissent levels slightly thereafter ......

ps... Was his resignation accepted?, or did he submit the Horwill defense? " I stepped on a rut, lurched forward unbalanced & I didn't know his nose was in immediately in front of my forehead"

 

[Browner]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_8VNYSadRw#t=16

watch how the no11, rolls around on the floor & then when he's ignored he jumps up prior to a magic sponge arriving !

 

[menace]

That's great quote;

So far this season close to 300 games have been played with only three of them abandoned

Only 3! That's OK then

Yeah...and it's not less than 1% as quoted! It's more! epper:

...and

"His report has gone to BCFA and we now wait there response.”

Dear oh dear... from a journalist no less, undoubtedly with a communications degree...what's your edumacation system coming to over their (or is it there...hmm maybe they're) ? epper:epper:epper:

Your country is in ruins..no wonder everyone's punching the referee.. Sheesh!

 

[collybs]

Apparantly 17 referees went on strike this week and refused to referee games in this league and Another game was abandoned due to referee abuse.

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/nuneaton-bedworth-clubs-read-riot-6341202
Sunday football clubs in Nuneaton and Bedworth have been “read the riot act” following the abandonment of another game because of abuse to a referee.

On a day when referees in the local league staged a strike in protest at players’ behaviour, one teenage match official was forced to blow his final whistle early after facing a constant barrage of dissent.

He had already shown the red card to two players from Midland Railway, in their Fourth Division clash with Coton Libs, and then called a halt when a row broke out over the award of a penalty.

League chairman Alan Aucott said: “Things just cannot carry on like this.

“We have had two violent assaults on referees this season and a number of them decided to raise awareness of the situation by not making themselves available on Sunday.

“All the teams affected did very well to make sure their games went ahead and must be commended. However, we had yet another problem from one team, to blot the copybook.

“In fact, the culprits, Midland Railway have now resigned from the league and, as a result, all their players will be barred from turning out for anyone else.”

Mr Aucott gave a harsh warning to clubs at last night’s monthly meeting. He said: “The behaviour of players must improve and it is in the hands of the clubs to make sure the code of conduct is followed.

"The league will work with the County FA and the Referees Association to get this sorted.”

Last week, we reported how Craig Ward called off a game after being repeatedly punched by a player.

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/local-news/more-half-sunday-league-football-6334690
A referees’ strike will affect more than half of this weekend’s Nuneaton and Bedworth Sunday football matches.

Of the 30 scheduled league games, 17 are currently listed as having “no ref” and will have to be officiated by club officials.

The call to “down whistles” has been made in support of experienced referee Craig ward who was punched in the face four times by a player during a match between two Bedworth teams last weekend.

As reported in the Telegraph , Mr Ward needed hospital treatment after the attack, which came in the 87th minute when he showed the offending player a red card.

It was the second vicious assault on a qualified referee in league games already this season, while another game was halted after a player had his jaw broken when he was hit by an opponent in an off-the-ball clash.

Mr Ward, 39, said: “I have had a lot of support from fellow referees who decided to make themselves unavailable for this weekend’s league programme to highlight what has become a growing problem.

“I don’t think many people realised how bad the situation had become. The amount of abuse refs now suffer has got completely out of hand. Hopefully, this strike action will act as a wake-up call.

"There needs to be a big improvement in the attitude of players and clubs towards match officials, but only time will tell.”

The attack on Mr Ward is being investigated by police and follows a five-year ban imposed by Birmingham County FA last week on a player who struck a referee during a game in September.

The issue has also been referred, by the Nuneaton Referees Asssociation, to town MP and former Sunday League footballer Marcus Jones, who has promised to raise it with the Sports Minister.

Meanwhile, clubs have been given a harsh warning by the league.

A statement attached to tomorrow’s fixture list said: “With three assaults on referees and players in the last month, we now have number of our referees withdrawing from fixtures. All games will go ahead as scheduled with clubs agreeing who will officiate.

We will have to wait on BCFA, and then the management committee will look at all clubs involved in the incidents to see if they are culpable and, in turn, determine if they will be charged under league rules.

"This type of behaviour will not be tolerated, so be warned - enough is enough.”

 

[OB..]

Last Saturday our referees shared a changing room with the soccer referee. Before the game he said he started to produce a yellow card when players mobbed him and it usually scared them off. Afterwards it turned out he had spent a pretty torrid afternoon being harried by the players - no actual abuse. I don't know why they do it.

 

[Simon Thomas]

I wonder if a ref has ever attacked a player ? YES IN RFULAND IT HAS HAPPENED, AND I KNOW OF ONE FOR DEFINITE Even if only in self defence ? IT WAS BUT THAT IS NO EXCUSE
As in criminal law, I suspect it would be allowed of "reasonable force" had to be justified in self-defence. NO HE WAS SUSPENDED AND RESIGNED FROM THE SOCIETY SHORTLY AFTERWARDS Closest I've come is yellow-carding someone who then told me to "F$%k off " - in which case, I hope I was right, to immediately produce a red for him. ? PERFECT - WELL DONE

 

[4eyesbetter]

Last Saturday our referees shared a changing room with the soccer referee. Before the game he said he started to produce a yellow card when players mobbed him and it usually scared them off. Afterwards it turned out he had spent a pretty torrid afternoon being harried by the players - no actual abuse. I don't know why they do it.

Because they like the sport, they want to contribute back to it, and a lot of them lack the background from playing another sport to just jump over and officiate that instead, so it's football or nothing; there's so many places where football is the only field sport game that was available to them.

 

[TheBFG]

I did get a player "front up to me" once when i carded him, it was in my first season reffin and he was very quickly dragged away by his team mates and a prop took me in the other direction with the promise of a beer :wink:

 

[Dixie]

Your country is in ruins..no wonder everyone's punching the referee.. Sheesh!

you're not wrong - we even let the Aussies win at cricket (or so I heard). But then, we are about to become a mere annex of Greater Bulgaria (or so we are told by the Daily Express) so perhaps it's no surprise.

 

[Browner]

Closest I've come is yellow-carding someone who then told me to "F$%k off "

* I often see posters claim that if it's not in the LawBook then it's permitted. So, under their criteria - the Referee should wallop the abuser? :sarc:

* then there are others who say that retaliation against original foul play shouldn't carry as severe a sanction ! - my right hammer can now be delivered with lesser personal consequence :shrug:

Ref ......."YC Blue No 10, kicked a player deliberate foul play"
No#10....... "F*%K off referee"
Referee ........" No! ... you F*%K off you Wa^*$r , smack, thwack, thud, bash, biff , nipple twist ............. now get off the pitch you F*%Kin ugly C**t before you get worse from my good fist.
Blue Capt ..... "excuse me sir, was that really necessary "
Ref....... "nope, enjoyable & the lawbook doesn't carry any consequence, but necessary? - definately not , retaliators get lesser sanctions, so capt you'll have to accept that i've given myself an admonishment of the severest kind....... Ok lets re-start with a PK to Greens .... Oh & your team are all on a warning & next time I kick bollocks" :biggrin: :biggrin::wtf:epper::sarc:

 

[collybs]

There is an article written by a unqualified ref who took the place of one the refs on "strike"

http://www.nuneaton-news.co.uk/News/Reporter-tackles-referee-issues-20131129114702.htm
OOVER the years I’ve seen hundreds of Sunday League games, cheering on my friends or covering them photographically.

And I love everything about it, the cliched impassioned shouts of ‘it’s still 0-0’ to refocus minds after going a goal ahead, players propped on each others shoulders putting up the nets while others rock up late stinking of booze sharing stories from the night before.

But this fine establishment in Nuneaton and the surrounding district is at a tipping point following the attack on referee Craig Ward - one of three assaults on an official this season.

Many whistlers across the area voted with their feet, opting out of officiating in a bid to stir the conscience and attitudes of players and clubs.

On the same day I typed out a front page lead influenced by Nuneaton MP Marcus Jones’ own fears of the league, an old school friend contacted me asking if I could referee his side’s Sunday League game at the weekend.

I’ve always flirted with the idea of being a football referee, and have on numerous occasions stepped in to officiate charity matches and pre-season friendlies when sides fail to gain an ‘official’ official.

As a ‘rugby man’ I can take a sideways look at football as my second sport, and perhaps not get so wrapped up in the injustice of the latest ‘shocking decision’ or whatever debate Adrian Durham and Darren Gough are warring over on TalkSport.

After immediately agreeing I stewed on my hasty decision while secretly hoping the strike was called off so I could reclaim my Sunday morning.

But, alas, the call wasn’t made and with my whistle, cards and watch I rocked up to Paul’s Land with some genuine nerves coursing through my veins.

The game I took on was Griff and Coton Manor Thirds and Fillongley Social Reserves.

Calling in the captains of both sides, I made it clear my likely limitations, but moreover, my expectations of their conduct towards me during the 90 minutes of play.

As I’ve mentioned, my roots are in rugby where the official and captains have a close on-field relationship, creating avenues for players to air the grievances in a formal, considered manner.

Captaincy in rugby isn’t a ceremonial affair, you’re that team’s access point to the referee, and its leading on-field ambassador.

Don’t be fooled, rugby players give the referee plenty of jip - and I’m sure any local rugby characters who played with or against me in my 20-year career can vouch for me being one of the worst for hassling officials.

The game itself was entertaining to be involved in, the Griff had many young players who I learned came through a separate youth team together and are now cutting their teeth at senior football under the same coach - how fantastic is that?

Aside from getting my arm signals messed up (you point the opposite way in rugby when a decision is given), I got into the game and was enjoying the banter.

But when a decision had to be made, I tried to clear and definite in what I was doing.

I’ve watched a tremendous amount of football through the years at all levels, and the biggest grievance I hear from players is consistency.

So one unfortunate handball from one side did influence my thinking when something similar occurred for the opposition - don’t open that opportunity for criticism.

As this was the first meaningful game I’d refereed, the Cannon Sports Cup Round 2, I tried not to take my foot off the pedal or loose concentration - but inevitably it did drop from time to time.

It was in these moments when I realised how futile the comparison of treatment of referees in rugby and football really is.

Rugby has a baffling, ever-growing collection of laws, but most of the action is near the ball.

In football, you need eyes in the back of your head - and crucially, the ball is in motion, not in handled possession, meaning you need to have focus on that player in possession, but also where it’s likely to head, with an eye on the first player in case he receives a late tackle.

Mix in the offsides to this melting pot of issues, I grew more respect for football referees by the minute.

Another glaring difference is the many different ways free-kicks can be conceded, sly pushes to the back, a tug of a shirt, a shoulder block, and handballs, they all happen so frequently it’s almost impossible to judge them in the rapid manner expected.

So naturally, as a player, you’re going to appeal for decisions, to try and sway the referee’s thinking.

And being frank, the tone of these appeals did sway me and occasions actually put it on my radar that an offence may have occurred.

There were some big incidents in the game, an old five-a-side friend of mine Neil Percival powered towards goal with two defenders in pursuit when he was bundled to the ground in the first half.

The first decision was made, it’s a definite foul, my whistle was blown, but then I had to adjudge from 15 metres away or so whether it was in the penalty area or a free-kick. The linesman shrugged his shoulders so I went with my gut instinct, free-kick on the edge.

Then I had to decide, was he the last man? Should he walk? Again I erred on the side of caution or maybe ‘bottled it’ with another player also close to the incident. So in a heartbeat, you’ve got three big decisions, with voices clamouring for the call to go their way.

After the game, my photographer friend Nigel Ellis showed me a picture proving I’d got the call bang on, and it was a mild, glowing feeling of pride.

The second incident, also in the first half, was for Fillongley, when their industrious midfielder made a darting diagonal run from a corner to be impeded clumsily, did it warrant a penalty? My whistle was in my mouth.

But I let play run and the loose ball was fired into the corner for the only goal of the game.

“That got you out of jail didn’t it ref” said the player who was fouled. He’d hit the nail on the head.

Now I want to be careful to acknowledge ‘proper’ referees won’t be afforded the kind of leniency I maybe enjoyed, especially in the current climate of issues in the league.

I think the lads were just grateful to have somebody in the middle of a neutral persuasion.

Having spoken to some referees in my professional capacity, their actions have been a long time coming and are necessary to try wrestle back some respect for the league going forward.

Football is a unique beast, like no other sport, its appeal, reach and participation are monstrous and crush any other sport in all three of those criteria.

But one thing which was clear to me is this, football referees do not have enough power at their disposal, and perhaps enough support at the highest level to assist them.

In rugby, if I swore at the referee and/or question his integrity, I would probably get a minimum ten-week ban - England player Dylan Hartley missed out on the honour of touring with the British and Irish Lions for calling Wayne Barnes a ‘cheat’ in a high profile cup final.

He was made an example of, within a few days his ban was imposed, his punishment well publicised.

Could you imagine that in football? I think some teams would struggle to put out 11 players if that were the case.

Also in rugby, the referee has more power to influence the game for foul play, with territory being the foundation of the sport, the official can hand three points on a plate to a team or give a kicker the opportunity to advance his side 60 metres upfield with a raking kick to touch.

A rugby referee even has the power to award a penalty try for a ‘professional foul’ which prevents a likely try being scored - the referee can award a ‘goal’ if you were to translate this into football.

There’s no possible similar reprimands in football, in fact, advancing a free-kick ten metres upfield could actually be detrimental for a side’s scoring opportunities.

Thinking even broader, it seems puzzling that technological assistance isn’t more widely used for flash points like it is in first class rugby union, league and cricket games.

Help these officials out, but there’s so many factors to take into account; cost, impact on the flow of the game, and where do you draw the line? Handballs, fouls, off the ball incidents - there’s so much to cover with football.

The last thing you’d want is for it to turn into American Football where the stoppages are spectators nightmare but an advertiser’s dream.

Back to my experience, I thoroughly enjoyed my run out and received some lovely comments from the players, with most making a point of seeking me out to shake my hand.

They were a credit to their clubs, and the Nuneaton and District Sunday Football League.

Yes, there were a few comments, I did contemplate booking a busy but talented young midfielder called ‘Todd’ as he sung Daniel Beddingfield songs to me due to my apparent passing resemblance to the popstar. It was light-hearted, and in the spirit of sport.

But in the main they focused on the football and listened to my instructions, and treated me with respect (to my face at least!).

Those who step over the line in this crude, incomprehensible manner, need to be dealt with swiftly and severely in my eyes.

This would send a message out to players, and hopefully act as a deterrent to similar incidents.

But the recovery lies in the hands of players and coaches, to be the side which referees look forward to officiating - and not being a club on their ‘dread’ list.

Without referees you can’t have a game, it’s a simple as that, and I am confident this whole sorry saga will eventually come full circle and the league can begin to rebuild its reputation as one of Nuneaton’s finest institutions.

As for my refereeing ambitions, well, I can’t say that I want this to be my last game, as the sporting challenge evoked old, welcome feelings I’ve not had since an ACL rupture effectively ended my rugby playing career back in 2011 at the age of 26.

The biggest thing preventing me from kicking on and doing a course and going for it, is the fear of the goodwill inevitably dwindling and I see ugly side of the beautiful game for myself.

And there lies the problem perhaps, the fear of failure may become to great for people to take up the role with whistle in hand.

I live and love my home town, do I honestly want to put myself in the firing line for any reprisals of a wayward decision?

It’s up to the teams involved in the league, and the people who run it with passion, to lay the foundations for recovery.