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1. Turn a Deaf Ear                Go to top of this page   

By Julian Carosi (Melksham R.A. Society). October 1999.

I can' help it - honestly. The Referee did tell me in his pre-match brief to,
"Not get involved with the crowd".

This is an FA Vase appointment, and well above my normal level. The home team break away for an attack late in the first half. The ball is pumped up field towards me. I'm well in line with the last defender. The home attacker who is also in line with the last defender, turns and scampers away to score what turns out to be the solitary winning goal.

"I can' help it - honestly"

Out of a crowd of about 100 plus spectators, I just happen to have stood behind me (about 20 yards down from the half way line) a pair of Away team supporters - who until now have been anonymous - but not any more.

For some reason, one of them in particular, seems to have become the country's leading expert in the Laws of the Game. At the same time, he also becomes the leading light on being able to have more swear words in a sentence than one would think possible for our native understanding of the English language.

"You got a be ******* joking lino, he was ^****** off-side. You useless ******* ****"

You get the drift by now - all these lovely expletives being breathed out in a fire of abuse as I make my way back to the starting position, which, just as luck would have it, is right in front of this pair of pilchards !

His pundit pal brings up the reinforcements by also lobbing in a couple of firecrackers such as:

" You're a coward", " No wonder you've never been here before ?". And so as not to be outdone by his mate " You're a ******* disgrace".

Does this ring a bell with you ?                                                                   

On the outside, I'm a cucumber dressed in black short sleeves and shorts. On the inside I'm a spitting pan of frying greasy chips, waiting just to splutter my fat over the pair of pitch-side cuckoos behind me.

Suddenly deja vu - a flash of my past life illuminates itself before me - 1997 assessment: " Late in the second half, after you had stopped play for an offside, you were seen to have a verbal confrontation with a spectator. I would suggest that you refrain from this type of confrontation with spectator, or speak to a duty official and ask him to talk to the spectator."

How was I to know that the Assessor was stood right next to that spectator ?

"I feel like a moving target, with constant Scud missiles loaded with vitreous warheads being projected in my direction."

Another flash of lightening - this time for real. The clouds open up, and down comes the rain in a torrent of counter- attack. Lovely jubbley, it is a very hot humid day and the rain is a relief. The pair of Sergeants who have literally been breathing down my neck, move back into the protection of the stand - but not for long. The torrent of rain is soon replaced by the torrent of pain.

Please Ref., I only want to take a quick look at these pilchards, just a small glare is all I'm asking. Maybe just a roll of my eyes upwards to show them what I think about their behaviour. No - I should refrain from these thoughts, and concentrate 100% on the game.

As I move gracefully up and down the line, I notice that the abuse is only hurled at me as I am moving up and down past these two marksmen. I feel like a moving target, with constant and endless Scud missiles loaded with vitreous warheads being projected in my direction. But I must be too fast for them, because the more I ignore them, the more Scuds are thrown. I navigate nimbly through the cross-fire with a smirk on my face.

"The floodgates of Hades opened up."

Funnily enough, I soon notice that the only way to achieve a cease-fire is to stand right in front of the enemy fire. They seem to use this period for reloading - else they really are cowards ! They are very close, and I can feel their eyes marking cross hairs on the back of my shirt - and all this going on in my head when I'm concentrating 100% on the game in front of me. Honest Ref., I am concentrating.

So as soon as the Ref. turns away, I'm thinking,
"There's no way these pair of pilchards are going to get away with this".   

Every time the last defender moves to a position nearly adjacent to these gentlemen, I move my 47 year old, 6 foot, 15 stone hunk of ' past the sell by date' body, as near as I can get to them, and in the most obstructive viewing position, without losing my 100% concentration of the game - honest Ref.

As I scurry away to TRY and keep up with play (the gentlemen have reminded me politely that I have failed this obligation on numerous occasions as I fly past them), I am sorry to say that my very, very muddy and wet boots, through no intervention of myself !, just happened to spray the previously clean and dry Majors behind me with a shin full of that fat that had so long been boiling over inside me.

Well -as you can imagine, the floodgates of Hades opened up. This couple of 'man-eaters', sorry I mean 'lino-eaters' had not been expecting this addition to their Saturday afternoon feast of football. One up for me, and all whilst keeping 100% focused on the game - honest Ref.

The game ends, and I receive a draft obituary from my none to pleased friends behind me, who seem to have been afflicted with indigestion, as they are still burping hot air in my direction. Must be that chip fat !

I meet the Ref. and we make our way back to the changing room. I allow myself the one momentary lack of concentration throughout the game, by taking a quick look at the empty missile launchers who were now eyeing laser beams of deadly light in my direction.

"All right lads ? any problems", says the Ref. as we enter the sanctuary of the Referee's nuclear bunker.

" No problem Ref. " says I.

" No, I didn't really hear them, I just turned a deaf ear, I was concentrating too much on the game mate". Honest Ref. !

As we enter the packed Club House for our after match drink and sandwiches, who should be in my line of escape as I make my way to the sandwich table with my tottering glass of very full beer ? Yes you guessed it, Saddam and Milosevic discussing plans for a counter attack with their beleaguered troops.

As I step gingerly across this seated minefield, I feel my pint leaning and being magnetically drawn towards this pair of spluttering flame throwers. A large kit bag is conveniently placed as to perpetrate a totally innocent accident that would instantly quench the flames. It is very tempting ........................

BUT NO, my concentration is 100% (honest Ref.) and I side-step this booby trap and make my way to the 'pilchard' sandwiches; somehow I don't really feel hungry any more.

A Referee colleague who had been watching the game, introduced himself, and said, " You weren't half getting a lot of stick from those two old codgers".

" No, I didn't really hear them mate. I just turned a deaf ear, I was concentrating too much on the game mate". Honest Ref. !

2. Why can't we have a qualified Referee for all of our Youth games?

(By Julian Carosi  14 October 2002)                       Go to top of this page

OK, let me set the scene, I (the Referee) am 10 minutes into the first half of the Under 10's Minor Youth Cup competition, and so far I have had very little Refereeing to do. Suddenly, for no discernible reason at all, little 'Bradley's dad has decided to continually walk up and down, two metres inside the field of play, and right in front of all the other parents standing on the touch line who are trying to watch and enjoy the game.

"I say walk, but what I really mean is - have you ever seen those athletes on television who participate in 'walking' races? Not so much a walk, but a sort of funny shuffling pace.

Bradley's dad is oblivious to everything but his little boy, and the blue mist that has descended in front of his eyes. Anyway, I am totally distracted from the game action itself. Little Bradley casts some furtive and frightened looks towards his dad. His eyes are beginning to glaze over, his head drops. Bradley's dad continues with his funny walk and tirade of meaningless instructions to his son, interspersed with the usual pleasant expletives for me, the Referee, every time a decision is made against his son's team.

Bradley mumbles "Oh shut up dad". I'm glad that Bradley's dad cannot hear him - I dread to think of the consequences for Bradley. But Bradley is right "SHUT UP DAD" !!!!!!!!!

Are you beginning to get the picture?

Officiating at 'Youth' games where young children are involved can sometimes be likened to being attacked with a double-edged sword. Not only does the Referee have the dissenting players to contend with, they are very often given the extra bonus of parent abuse! And all for no extra cost.                   

"So…….is it is all doom and gloom?"

After a very long-playing career at local level, I had Refereed in the English County of Wiltshire for a number of years. Why did I decide to become a Referee? Probably for the same simple reasons as everyone else who is involved with football - because we all love this beautiful game. It’s in our blood. It is addictive to both players, and to Referees.

This article attempts to give just a very small insight into some of the real problems that Referees have to face. There are a number of Referees who are totally committed to Youth football, and I admire them for their fortitude. A close Referee colleague of mine, is the local County Youth Referees’ Appointment Secretary, and he is one of the best Referees in the County. He is totally dedicated to Refereeing both in Youth and in Senior levels of football. There is also a very dedicated band of Youth Team Club officials and parents in my County, whom are dedicated to improving the relationships within youth football – so it is not all doom and gloom.

But officiating as a Referee in youth matches is not my 'cup of tea'. - And I'll explain why.

Refereeing is mostly a very thankless task. When a Referee travels to a game, their destination is akin to visiting the Coliseum in Rome. The Referee standing in the centre circle at the beginning of each game – is much like being thrown into the lions’ den. Surrounding the Referee, and waiting for the first sign of weakness or excuse, are 22 passionate players; 6 or more substitutes, managers, coaches, spectators and of course let’s not forget ‘The Parents’. The Referees role and responsibilities at the lower Park levels can be very daunting. This job is certainly not for the faint hearted. Conversely – the buzz that a Referee can get from officiating can only be explained by experiencing it yourself.

Contrary to popular belief, Referees are human. When first arriving at the ground, Referees like to be sociable, yet at the same time, they must not be seen to favour a particular team. This means that Referees can sometimes seem aloof. This is one way that Referees can use to distance themselves from becoming over-friendly. Experience has taught Referees that no matter how friendly they are, it only takes one incident in the game to turn pleasant everyday people (and more so ‘The Parents’) into what can best be described as 'monsters out of control’.. And that is why………

"It’s not really my cup of tea"

These incidents are known as ‘flash points’. Referees are well aware of ‘flash-points’ and you can almost guarantee at least one of them appearing in every game. To become a Referee, you have to pass exams on your knowledge of the Laws of Associated Football (commonly referred to as the LOAF). Passing the exam is the easy bit. The hard bit comes during the Referee’s ‘baptism of fire’, when he suddenly realises that Refereeing is not so much about learning and applying the Laws, but more about single-handed man-management of the most difficult situations a person can ever be confronted with.

When I trained new Referees with my local Melksham Referees' Society. We organised three of four Referee training weekends throughout each year. This voluntary training takes up the whole of a Saturday and a Sunday (0900-1830) each day. The training was provided free of charge, and the instructors are NOT paid. Of the approximately 15 candidates per session, about half will have come from a Youth Football Club background, some of them parents, some players, some managers, some Club Linesmen etc.....

In a normal year, the Melksham Referees’ Society trains approximately 40 or 50 new Referee candidates. At a very rough guess - about half of them (say 25) actually go on to start Refereeing, the remainder being content with just learning the Laws. After a year or so, we would be very lucky to have 10 out of the remaining 25, who are still Refereeing. The others will have already decided that the abuse is just not worth it. Counteract this, with the ever-increasing departure of our experienced Referees, and you will begin to understand why there are ‘just not enough Referees to go around’.

A number of our Referee recruits are teenagers, who go on to officiate in the local youth games. These new recruits are the seeds of the next English Premiership Referees. They need all the encouragement and protection that can be provided. Some of these 14 or 15 year old Referees are initially very efficient and confident. I would never have dreamed, or dared, or been brave enough in my youth, to be a Football Referee at their young age.

To give you a flavour of what these young Referees have to contend with, at a recent Youth 6-a-side tournament, an Under 10’s game had to be decided on the taking of penalty kicks. The Referee was a very capable 14-year-old, whose dad was a very experienced Referee. During one of the last penalty kicks, the young Referee correctly spotted an infringement, and correctly made the penalty taker re-take the penalty kick. This resulted in the penalty kick being missed, and the team losing the game. The young players of the losing team took it in good grace. But wait!

One of the losing teams’ parents (a very angry man of about 35) confronted the young 14-year-old Referee. Luckily, his disgusting outburst was dealt with by the Referee’s parent, and a number of other senior Referees (including myself) who where nearby. In everyday life, such an outburst against a young child (for let us not forget that the 14 year old Referee is as much a child as any other 14 year old) could easily have been seen as a criminal offence by an adult against a minor. But no. Because the child had a Referee’s shirt on, a certain section of the population see this as immunity against the Laws of our Country. It is not. This is what each Referee (no matter what age) has to contend with.

Our young Referees, and those older ones, who regularly officiate on youth football, can only be admired for the way in which they handle themselves.

Regardless of all the recent Law changes, Football is still a very emotive physical contact sport. It thrives on high passion and emotions that lead to heightened excitement - long may it stay that way. I am a great believer, that the mistakes made by Referees (and more so players) are an actual integral part of the game itself. Take away the mistakes and you might as well stay home and watch paint dry. Nevertheless, Referees are a very genuine people, striving to make little or no mistakes in each game. But it is impossible to be perfect, and to be honest, anyone who tries to be is a fool. Referees will always aim to be relaxed and fully concentrating – and most of all FAIR.

Like the majority of Referees, I'll sometimes hold my hands up - we do make mistakes, but we also try very very hard, on the field and off the field, to do our very best for the game we love. Why else would we suffer such abuse. There is a whole Referees' World away from the game itself. They hold Referees’ Society meetings, seminars, and conferences. They get involved with training, officiating at friendly matches, attending disciplinary hearings, sorting their masses of correspondence, providing information via the Internet etc. etc...... The 90 or minutes that a Referee officiates, is just the sharp narrow end of the wedge as far as a Referee's responsibilities and freely volunteered time is concerned. And sometimes, they even get time to spend with their family at the weekend!

"There are ‘just not enough Referees to go around".

There is no easy solution for improving the relationship between Referees, players, spectators, parents and Team officials. The malaise is symptomatic of the lowering standards of society in general. Manners have long been forgotten or not taught. Respect - well, that no longer exists these days. That is not to say that we as Referees can all do our own little bit to improve both our own lifestyle and ‘football’.

How difficult would it be for team managers to insist that youth players shake the Referee's hand after every game - especially if the game has not been to their liking. Why can't the team managers always welcome the Referee cordially, and thank him after the game, irrespective of the result. I have had many an irate manager or player venting their anger at me immediately after games. I'm big enough (6ft and 15 stone) to look after myself, but I do worry about our youth Referees and the increasing departure of our experienced long standing Referees. I too, have considered ‘packing it all in’ on many occasions – all due to abusive behaviour received whilst officiating.

I am not advocating that football should only be played by perfectly behaved players in front of robotic parents - of course vent your emotions, but not in an openly aggressive and abusive manner. Our children will be the ones who suffer in the long run. They are suffering already.

In a normal season, I officiated in 60 or more football matches, of which maybe 5 were Youth games. And to be honest, on the whole, I did sometimes enjoy the pure football (football for enjoyment’s sake) played at youth level - you can't beat the smiling face of an eight year old who has just scored his team's winning goal.

There are other Referees (thankfully) whose games are nearly ‘all’ Youth fixtures. And I admire them for it. But like I said before, 'it's not really my cup of tea', but I wish it was??????? I'll stick to the grown-ups - they’re bad enough, but at least I only have a single edged sword to contend with!

As you travel through life, we should all try to do our own little bit to improve humanity. I can assure you that Referees are a totally dedicated, underestimated and above all very human group of people, corporately trying to improve their lot!

AT THE VERY LEAST, GET YOUR YOUTH TEAMS TO ALWAYS SHAKE HANDS WITH THE REFEREE AFTER THE GAME - IT IS CERTAINLY APPRECIATED BY THE REFEREES. AND WILL GO A VERY LONG WAY IN THE MAKE-UP OF YOUR YOUNG PLAYERS AS THEY GROW UP.

Finally, let us not forget our young friend Bradley.

How much more would he have enjoyed the game had he left his dad at home?

And how very much more he would have enjoyed the game had his dad encouraged him instead of making a fool of himself.

3. Isn't it funny how the Referee always loses the match for the losing team!

By Julian Carosi (14 Sept 2003)                                                    Go to top of this page

Let me set the scene:

4. The Lemmings' Rollercoaster is the most popular Soccer Fun Park attraction!

By Julian Carosi (28 Aug 2000)                       Go to top of this page

Jump on, why don't you, it's free. There are no Laws to worry about. You can say just what you like. Bad language is a must - the 'badder the better', eff-off as much as you like. You have no fear of being castigated for racist remarks. Go on, 'gob' at the on-looking crowd, it's fun - especially when 'it lands'. Put two fingers up to the World. Throw a bottle or two - it doesn't matter how much injury you do (you won't see it anyway). Tear up the seat that you are sitting on - or better still rip it out and sling it at the police man. Urinate down the seat in front of you - that's really smart, and saves you having to miss any of the action. Throw a Nazi salute or two, this really gets the punters going. Throw all of your rubbish to the winds. Try and hit the 'lino' with a coin or two, you can afford it. Join the plethora of armchair experts whose sole aim is to 'finish off football altogether - because that is what is happening. Bash the Referee go on, cause you know it's BIG to do so, and they (apart from this one) will not retaliate. You like to feel 'big' important and noticed, and what better way than slag off! and to be a pratt, and to demonstrate that you can't spell or write properly on 'message boards! Forget about reason and decency, they are not needed here. Go on, do just what you like, the 'badder the better'. Your safe in your little World - enjoy it while you can!

And why not be a pratt, every other ‘Lemming’ seems to be.

I suppose if anyone committed any one of the above offences to you personally, or openly called you a cheat, you would just quietly take it all lying down. Some chance! more likely someone would get 'decked'. And just why would you do that? Because you are the Law, and the Law must be upheld. And that is exactly why the Laws of our society were created - to give guidelines and to punish perpetrators, but not by 'decking' .............

BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS A BIGGER DECKER AROUND THE NEXT CORNER!

And eventually you will meet your match. But I suppose that's 'big' as well.

Football is such a 'piddley' unimportant facet in the grand scheme of life. People are becoming dangerously delusioned into thinking that it is the centre of the Universe, or the most important thing around since 'George Best', or the engine that drives everything else. It is a simple game, originated for sporting pleasure and entertainment. It is not a matter for life and death. It was not intended as an outlet for societies 'puke' - but that is exactly what it has become. Sad day. And to be honest "it ain’t gonna get better".

I've been a life long supporter of Manchester United (all right, someone has to support them, so don't nail me for that!) but I felt sick at the recent display by Roy Keane in the year 2000 Charity Shield match at Wembley (Charity, now that is a joke worthy for the Lemmings Rollercoaster). Such petulance does not deserve the captain's armband. It briefly crossed my mind, that perhaps for the first time in my long life, I would stop supporting 'United'. There are NO excuses for his behaviour. NO excuses at all. No wonder other supporters are so antagonistic towards 'United'. I never though that I would ever feel this way. But it just goes to show - the influence of the Lemmings Rollercoaster has long tentacles. It can only get worse. And do you know - it's all down to money and business - it has nothing at all to do with football itself.

Look at the recent trouble with Monsieur Vieira and his vilifying manager - both inevitably will be remembered for their faults and not their abundant talents. What must the owners of their football club think about such behaviour? I suppose it is always the Referee's fault, and it is only when their gate receipts go downhill they do anything.

Perhaps we could build a Referees Lemmings Rollercoaster, where the last bastion of decency in football today, can join the Lemming crowd and lambaste themselves and just about everyone else.

No footballing or Government body is yet big enough to accept that there really is a major problem, or to take the ultimate responsibility for saving this great game.

I just hope that some body will eventually see the light and take a very big stick and smash down the 'Lemming Rollercoaster'. There will be some short-term injury and a drop in 'takings' but in the long run, maybe, just maybe - the long lost 'Spirit of the Game' will be released back out of the bottle from in which it was imprisoned many years ago by those 'billionaire' football entrepreneurs.

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5. The Indirect Free Kick Signal: (by kind permission of Alan Robinson Chairman of The Instruction and Publications Sub-Committee UK Referees Society. March 2001 The Football Referee magazine).

Every season we read of proposed changes to the Laws of the Game and it is always interesting to look back through the record books to see when certain innovations took place. In reading about the introduction of the Indirect Free Kick into football, no mention has ever been made about the signal given by the referee on such an occasion. It is common practice to see the man in the middle raise his arm when awarding this type of free kick, but how and when did it come into use?

Some time ago I was in the company of the late Arthur Blythe, the ex-FIFA referee from London. This subject came up in conversation, and much to my surprise, he related how he was the very first official to use the sign.

Arthur recalls in the early 1950's a new word came into the football vocabulary - obstruction. Players with outstretched arms were preventing their opponents from playing the ball and allowing it to run out of play or to their goalkeeper. The FA in their wisdom said this had to stop and referees were instructed to award an indirect free kick for obstruction (the first time this term was used) anywhere on the pitch including the penalty-areas. Straight away, this caused problems for referees. We had players milling around the referee with "Can we score from it?" especially when the offence occurred in the penalty-area.

Then one day, Portsmouth, who were one of the top teams in the country at that time, were playing Manchester City. The Chairman of Portsmouth, Vernon Stokes, who was then Chairman of the FA Disciplinary Committee, came to Arthur's dressing room and made the suggestion that it might solve the problem if the referee would raise an arm to denote what offence had been committed and that no goal could be scored direct from the free-kick. Vernon's suggestion was met with apprehension and Arthur said he would like ten minutes to talk it over with his linesmen. The outcome was that Arthur decided to give it a trial, fully realising it could mean the end of his career as a referee, knowing that the FA were not in favour of their referees being demonstrative.

Both teams were informed via their managers and the general public were told over the public address system. Arthur recalls it went like a dream. Players accepted the decisions and there was no milling around officials asking questions. Following the match, Arthur decided he would carry out the same procedure at his following games and on his many trips abroad on international duty.

Eventually, the system was incorporated in the Laws of the Game, and was further extended in that referees the world over have to raise an arm not only for obstruction but for all the offences when an indirect free-kick has been awarded. Although this started out as an experiment it is now universal, and players and the general public are well aware of the award, sometimes with relief, when they see the referee's arm raised.

A great piece of football history, and many thanks to Alan Robinson for the use of his article.........

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