3 apologies from assessors this season with 1 to come

[MAD_MAGPIE]

It comes part and parcel of being in tier 5. We all used to bemoan the standard of referees when we were in league one and league two. The standard is not going to be any better the lower down the pyramid you go and is probably worse by default.

Like players there will be some good officials on their way up that will go onto to bigger and better things. Of course mistakes can be costly and it's annoying, frustrating and infuriating when these things happen. That's also why we need to be more clinical in games like yesterday going forward to rise above refereeing errors.

All the more reason and motivation to get promoted out of this league at the earliest opportunity.

[Elite_Pie]

It comes part and parcel of being in tier 5. We all used to bemoan the standard of referees when we were in league one and league two. The standard is not going to be any better the lower down the pyramid you go and is probably worse by default.

That's true, because whatever level they officiate at they are bound to make mistakes.

It's just a bit hard to take when all the mistakes are in favour of one team.

[SwalePie]

That's true, because whatever level they officiate at they are bound to make mistakes.

It's just a bit hard to take when all the mistakes are in favour of one team.

This is true and sometimes can make one wonder if they are actually all mistakes...

[ivansneck]

This is true and sometimes can make one wonder if they are actually all mistakes...

What we don't know is how many times assessors have apologised to Notts' opposition this season about mistakes, it might be more than 3. We're only getting half the story here.

[cher1]

What we don't know is how many times assessors have apologised to Notts' opposition this season about mistakes, it might be more than 3. We're only getting half the story here.

That's a good point. Guess I'm naturally biased with Matlock being a ref, but the quality is very much impacted by the pool you have to choose from. The sad reality is that most refs pack up long before they get to the FL, or even the NL.

These days, the abuse starts with aggressive parents on the touchline watching their children play. If you can be arsed with dealing with that, you can gradually make your way up the steps, and move on to bring abused by adults instead. So that could take the form of yelling, swearing, being shoved, being hit, having some fat bloke take his shirt off to hit you (why do people do that?), death threats, and being threatened in the car park after the game. Really, why would anyone bother to give up their evening or part of their weekend for £25 - £30 plus travel just to face that?

All of the above are regular occurrences, and unless you're exceptionally passionate about reffing or stupid, why on earth would anyone do it? That's the root of the problem.
Most leagues are desperately short of refs, and that's why. By the time you get to NL level most refs will have dropped out (including many really good ones) and there's a small number left, some of whom won't be of the standard we'd all want.

Also, afraid I don't buy the biased refs thing at our level, it's down to human error or incompetence.

[i961pie]

That's a good point. Guess I'm naturally biased with Matlock being a ref, but the quality is very much impacted by the pool you have to choose from. The sad reality is that most refs pack up long before they get to the FL, or even the NL.

These days, the abuse starts with aggressive parents on the touchline watching their children play. If you can be arsed with dealing with that, you can gradually make your way up the steps, and move on to bring abused by adults instead. So that could take the form of yelling, swearing, being shoved, being hit, having some fat bloke take his shirt off to hit you (why do people do that?), death threats, and being threatened in the car park after the game. Really, why would anyone bother to give up their evening or part of their weekend for £25 - £30 plus travel just to face that?

All of the above are regular occurrences, and unless you're exceptionally passionate about reffing or stupid, why on earth would anyone do it? That's the root of the problem.
Most leagues are desperately short of refs, and that's why. By the time you get to NL level most refs will have dropped out (including many really good ones) and there's a small number left, some of whom won't be of the standard we'd all want.

Also, afraid I don't buy the biased refs thing at our level, it's down to human error or incompetence.

Good post Cher

[WarsopPie]

Refs are on good money at this level £200 for 90 mins plus expenses.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

That's a good point. Guess I'm naturally biased with Matlock being a ref, but the quality is very much impacted by the pool you have to choose from. The sad reality is that most refs pack up long before they get to the FL, or even the NL.

These days, the abuse starts with aggressive parents on the touchline watching their children play. If you can be arsed with dealing with that, you can gradually make your way up the steps, and move on to bring abused by adults instead. So that could take the form of yelling, swearing, being shoved, being hit, having some fat bloke take his shirt off to hit you (why do people do that?), death threats, and being threatened in the car park after the game. Really, why would anyone bother to give up their evening or part of their weekend for £25 - £30 plus travel just to face that?

All of the above are regular occurrences, and unless you're exceptionally passionate about reffing or stupid, why on earth would anyone do it? That's the root of the problem.
Most leagues are desperately short of refs, and that's why. By the time you get to NL level most refs will have dropped out (including many really good ones) and there's a small number left, some of whom won't be of the standard we'd all want.

Also, afraid I don't buy the biased refs thing at our level, it's down to human error or incompetence.

This is a very good post Cher and offers some insight as to the sad indictment of the culture within football in this country towards referees from grassroots upwards. I do think that at grassroots level there needs to be more protection afforded to referees particularly in terms of verbal abuse and threats of physical abuse. In many areas of work the kind of examples you state would be met with security or police intervention. It seems that on the football field all laws go out the window.

For example threatening or abusive behavior by parents towards referees should be met with a zero tolerance and the parents should be banned and even risk their child being banned as well. I know it might not be fair on the child but sometimes a hard line is required. Imagine if you were walking down the street and were subjected to some of the things you mention? What difference should it make that it's on a football field.

At the professional level football could learn a lot of lessons from Rugby in terms of referee and player engagement. I also think this surrounding the referee should be outlawed and only players that the referee wants to speak to and the captain are allowed. Likewise managers and players going to the referee at half time or after a game when emotions are running high. They should have a designate cooling down period before being allowed to go and consult with the referee after the game in an office. The referees should also be receptive to this method as well.

Education, help and assistance for referees is desperately important. Alot of referees may have not played the game at the level they officiate at so that is where current and ex-players should be brought in to help. If the players and managers don't respect the referees because of the mistakes or them not having played the game at that level, then the only way to gain the mutual respect is through engagement and education. We talk about when referees lose the game and it's basically when the respect for them has gone because of poor decisions made.

I'm not advocating that referees should not be questioned on decisions, or immune from implications from mistakes but it needs to be done professionally through the correct channels.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

That's true, because whatever level they officiate at they are bound to make mistakes.

It's just a bit hard to take when all the mistakes are in favour of one team.

It is a difficult pill to swallow, and it's not like we've not had our share of refereeing injustices. The League Two play-offs under Kevin Nolan against Coventry being a prime example if memory serves me correctly.