Part of my role is as an appointments manager. What do yoy think about the pros and cons ofappointing a ref to cover a match involving his own college side? I think that it can be very good for thrbdevelopment of a young upcoming ref. Over to you.
As long as the both teams are informed that you have a development referee with an affliation with the home team who will be refereeing the game (coach/assesor along?), I see no real problem.
I think it depends on the individuals concerned.
If the ref is good, has good rapport with the teams there is less chance of any issues. If he makes a few mistakes (and who doesn't?), it depends on how the teams treat the ref and how (s)he reacts. Both on the pitch and afterwards. How resilient an individual are they?
Friendly or competitive match?
1st XV or IVths?
Having been in this situation a number of times (and I am still relatively new to this lark), I really enjoy reffing the 2nd/Vets team of my club (it's a small club) as I played for them for 10 years, know many of the players and many of the players of opposing local teams at that level and (I think) we have respect for each other on and off the pitch. Reffing the rather more competitive 1sts is a different matter....
My gut feeling is that is safer not to, but should be balanced against the individual refs desire for a match vs. other opportunities, the seriousness with which the players take the game and what you think the refs personal characteristics are like....
This happens regularly when there are not enough society referees to cover all local games. A club ref takes over. AFAIK clubs do not object.
40 years ago our club referee had the reputation of being heavily biased towards the opposition in order to prove his lack of bias.
Took me 3 years to be comfortable enough to referee my own club's games. I was ARing pretty much straight away and that didn't cause any issues.
Now I have done numerous games with my old club and everyone has the knowledge that when we step onto the pitch I am no longer their mate for 2 hours. Works pretty well, hell one of the players from my old club was my best man and I've never had an issue with him as a player. He might not agree with stuff but we chat about it after the game.
Do you worry that you best man will become familiar with your weaknesses as Rushforth claims may happen? Does he gain an advantage by discussions in the bar about where he can exploit you?:biggrin:
This happens regularly when there are not enough society referees to cover all local games. A club ref takes over. AFAIK clubs do not object.
40 years ago our club referee had the reputation of being heavily biased towards the opposition in order to prove his lack of bias.
Club referees are commonly used for youth and some lower team matches for many years - it has downsides but in general works.
In the Cambridge Colleges set up surely it is easy to do swaps or appointments to other colleges to avoid reffing his own College.
OB said:40 years ago our club referee had the reputation of being heavily biased towards the opposition in order to prove his lack of bias.
says the man who, for several years, cut his teeth reffing only his own club's side! Didn't do you much harm, it seems to me!I see only downside...
Perhaps so, yes. I think a lot depends on what the OP calls a "college". As he's in and around Cambridge, perhaps he's envisaging Pembroke vs Magdalene, or St Johns vs Cambridge Medics rather than Cambridge Uni vs Bristol. In such circumstances, I'd be less concerned - those games are unlikely to attract a large vocal crowd.I'd not put them under the pressure. Young refs can be influenced by a vocal crowd. The visiting side may feel he is being swayed, whether he is or not, and they in turn may become disgruntled and difficult for him. I'd avoid it if at all possible. Why give them the added pressure?
Agreed. Where possible, if you have a ref from St John's, get him to do the Magdalene game, while the Pembroke ref does the St John's game. ST makes this point well:When needs must it's possible for someone to ref their own club without mishap, but where there is a choice why would you choose that? There is downside and no upside
Neutral referees simply work better
In the Cambridge Colleges set up surely it is easy to do swaps or appointments to other colleges to avoid reffing his own College.