Starting Out
People are often surprised when I tell them that I am a football referee. As a nineteen year old boy, my profile does not fit in with the standard and stereotyped appearance of what many perceive is ‘the referee.’ I see the faces of those who I tell suddenly turn from surprise to scepticism as they follow this up by asking that universal question: “Why would you want to be a referee?”
Though most people are too polite to admit it, they immediately come to their own two-worded conclusion: ‘Failed player.’ Fortunately, in my case this is not true. At fifteen, I was still playing football for a local side and very much so enjoying my football. However, when my parents stated that I needed to “learn to appreciate the value of money” and encouraged me to find a job, my thoughts immediately sprang to becoming a referee. It was an idea that had entertained me when I had been 12 years old, though had discovered at that time I was not yet old enough.
Now, at 15, I decided it was time for me to complete a refereeing course. I arranged to take the course in Cwmbran under the instruction of Ian Greeney; after football training each Tuesday, I found myself walking over to the upstairs room of Cwmbran Town Social Club, sweaty, but eager to learn. After around eight weeks, and having sat the standard refereeing exam, I was contacted and told I had passed the exam with a score of 92.4% and was advised to now contact local league secretaries in order to be added to refereeing lists. However, I continued to played for one more season after this in goal for Cwmbran Celtic Reserves, filling in once or twice for the first team when needed. But, at the end of this season, I then left the club to take up refereeing, with an open invitation to return when I had figured “what a mistake I was making.”
Early Days and the Gwent Development Group
My first appointment came in the Gwent Central League in the 2009/2010 season. Though I cannot remember my first game (testament that it did not scar me for life), I struggle in afterthought I to imagine how I had stepped onto a football field with no experience and took charge of 22 men as a sixteen year old boy. (I distinctly remember that it took me around three games to begin to respond to the call of “Ref!”) However, the phone call that evening from the league secretary, Ray Griffiths, reassured me that both clubs had been satisfied with my performance and that evening, Ray gave me my second appointment for the following week. My refereeing career had started.
In the November on my first season, I received a call from a certain Darren Adie. Darren told me that I had been offered a place on a new development group for young referees within the Gwent area which was to be headed by him. I was completely unaware at this time how big an impact this would have on me as a referee. At our first meeting, Darren emphasised how committed we would need to be in order to benefit from the development group and also outlined the great potential that such a group could offer. The training that I received as a referee of this programme was quite literally second to none. We were shown a number of DVDs analysing all areas of the game, receiving the same instruction, guidance and training that was being offered to the PGMO at that time. The group provided us with the opportunity to discuss match events and scenarios, all of which better equipped us for the crazy situations that can occur within football. The mentorship of Darren was always a reassuring factor and he was always on the end of the phone if we ever had any problems. This support is not something that is offered to most referees and I realised that we were incredibly fortunate. At the end of my first season, with all this help, I was appointed to referee a local cup final and was also awarded with a ‘Referee of the Year’ for the Gwent Central League.
As members of the group, we were also appointed as officials to games that we would never have received without the mentorship of Darren. Amongst the Cardiff City academy games and Cardiff City women’s games, for me my most memorable two appointments to date are the following:
- Referee for FA Youth Cup game in 2010 (RTB Ebbw Vale vs. Swansea City)
- Assistant referee for UEFA Regions Cup game in 2011
In November of 2010, one year after the phone call from Darren Adie, we found ourselves travelling to Newtown as part of the development group to attend an evening with Howard Webb. We had previously attended a seminar in the summer for all development group referees in Newtown which had been arranged for the same day as the World Cup final – “The Howard Webb Show” as Rodger Gifford had called it. Now, again as development groups, we were to hear Webb’s personal account of the final.
Moving to England
Following the end of my second season, which ended on a high with a second cup final, it was with regret that I had to give up my place on the development group. Having sat my A-levels in the summer, I was now moving to England to attend the University of Warwick.
It took me a while to transfer onto the English FA, with me having to attend courses relating to safeguarding the game and I was also required to complete a CRB check. Finally, just before Christmas, I was able to take charge of four games in the local league.
Though I am still struggling to adjust to the idea of allowing club assistants to give offside decisions (something which has always been the case in England) I am enjoying the officiating opportunities that I am being presented with. In January of this year, I was introduced on to the Coventry Refereeing Academy under the guidance of John Morris and have received a few academy games through this already. I am now officiating in both Saturday and Sunday leagues.
Being at the University of Warwick has also benefitted me. After a chance meeting with Mike Jones (Premiership Referee) on the way to a German lecture, I was invited to watch the PGMO train the following fortnight at the university – the PGMO train at Warwick every fortnight. After an email to Rodger Gifford about this, I was again invited to attend another training session along with two other referees from Wales. Better still, a few days prior to this, Rodger offered me the opportunity to take part in the training.
During this day, I was grouped with Pete Walton and Lee Mason, as well as another referee from who was visiting from New Zealand. The session was focussing on strength and conditioning and began in the gym. We opened with a ten minute warm up on apparatus of our choice and initially trained as a whole group – I was left with a bike alongside a few others after most of the referees were already on treadmills. We were then grouped and sent to complete resistance exercises in an allocated room. The training was enjoyable and both Pete and Lee tried to ensure that the atmosphere was relaxed and enjoyable. After completing the four stations (and removing our brightly coloured resistance bands from our legs) we moved onto the weights room. Once again, we were assigned to stations and had to complete various lifting and exercises which aimed to strengthen both the core as well as the legs. This was concluded with a number of exercises with a large ball, which once again aimed to improve core strength. Overall the session took around 1½ hours and it had been fantastic opportunity. I was invited to attend a secondary session the next day, but unfortunately was unable to attend as I was already appointed to officiate an English Schools tournament.
“Why would you want to be a referee?”
So, to end with my initial question: “Why would you want to be a referee?” Whilst for most referees officiating in football can represent many things, the reality is that refereeing is a ‘drug’. It is borne out of a love for the game and you find yourself becoming very quickly addicted. As with all sport, achievement and self-satisfaction is something you cannot buy – for the individual, irrespective of the sport or level, it is priceless. This is something I have learnt. Having been initially encouraged to pick up the whistle so I could learn to ‘appreciate the value of money’, I can honestly say that the monetary gain has not been my motivating factor since my first game.
I could not have imagined than in just under three years of refereeing that I would have achieved, seen and experienced what I have so far – this cannot be bought or paid for. It is also exciting to think of the challenges and opportunities that could lie ahead of me in the future if I show enough commitment and passion. At this time, I am preparing to head to the Isle of Wight to officiate in an English schools tournament in April and have also been offered the opportunity to travel to Lilleshall in the summer to officiate as part of the England youth trials as part of the Coventry Referee’s Academy.
Final Words
It would be a lie if I were to try to convince people that I have not experienced disappointment and low-points during my short time refereeing. However, I can truthfully say these have far been outweighed by the positives and many opportunities that come with this. The pressures of refereeing are well-documented but this should be no reason to put people off. Some believe that the heated situations that can arise from football are something to be avoided - for referees, this is not the case. For me, there is little worse than refereeing a game whereby a team have noticeably given up or resigned themselves to defeat – the passion for the game has been temporarily lost. If players lose this passion – the passion that drives them to want to achieve and do well – then with it, the game that we love is also lost. Football without the passion is, in my opinion, not a game worth officiating. It is this that I remember after the end of a difficult game. Though I may experience trouble with certain players whilst refereeing, it is always interesting to note that it is these players who are often the first to shake my hand at the end of a game. Very rarely will all players, coaches and fans be satisfied with your performance as a referee and this is something you have to accept. However, if you can walk from a field at the end of that game with the knowledge that you have been honest to the players and to yourself, then you have refereed with the correct attitude – I believe this is the most important.
People are often surprised when I tell them that I am a football referee. As a nineteen year old boy, my profile does not fit in with the standard and stereotyped appearance of what many perceive is ‘the referee.’ I see the faces of those who I tell suddenly turn from surprise to scepticism as they follow this up by asking that universal question: “Why would you want to be a referee?”
Though most people are too polite to admit it, they immediately come to their own two-worded conclusion: ‘Failed player.’ Fortunately, in my case this is not true. At fifteen, I was still playing football for a local side and very much so enjoying my football. However, when my parents stated that I needed to “learn to appreciate the value of money” and encouraged me to find a job, my thoughts immediately sprang to becoming a referee. It was an idea that had entertained me when I had been 12 years old, though had discovered at that time I was not yet old enough.
Now, at 15, I decided it was time for me to complete a refereeing course. I arranged to take the course in Cwmbran under the instruction of Ian Greeney; after football training each Tuesday, I found myself walking over to the upstairs room of Cwmbran Town Social Club, sweaty, but eager to learn. After around eight weeks, and having sat the standard refereeing exam, I was contacted and told I had passed the exam with a score of 92.4% and was advised to now contact local league secretaries in order to be added to refereeing lists. However, I continued to played for one more season after this in goal for Cwmbran Celtic Reserves, filling in once or twice for the first team when needed. But, at the end of this season, I then left the club to take up refereeing, with an open invitation to return when I had figured “what a mistake I was making.”
Early Days and the Gwent Development Group
My first appointment came in the Gwent Central League in the 2009/2010 season. Though I cannot remember my first game (testament that it did not scar me for life), I struggle in afterthought I to imagine how I had stepped onto a football field with no experience and took charge of 22 men as a sixteen year old boy. (I distinctly remember that it took me around three games to begin to respond to the call of “Ref!”) However, the phone call that evening from the league secretary, Ray Griffiths, reassured me that both clubs had been satisfied with my performance and that evening, Ray gave me my second appointment for the following week. My refereeing career had started.
In the November on my first season, I received a call from a certain Darren Adie. Darren told me that I had been offered a place on a new development group for young referees within the Gwent area which was to be headed by him. I was completely unaware at this time how big an impact this would have on me as a referee. At our first meeting, Darren emphasised how committed we would need to be in order to benefit from the development group and also outlined the great potential that such a group could offer. The training that I received as a referee of this programme was quite literally second to none. We were shown a number of DVDs analysing all areas of the game, receiving the same instruction, guidance and training that was being offered to the PGMO at that time. The group provided us with the opportunity to discuss match events and scenarios, all of which better equipped us for the crazy situations that can occur within football. The mentorship of Darren was always a reassuring factor and he was always on the end of the phone if we ever had any problems. This support is not something that is offered to most referees and I realised that we were incredibly fortunate. At the end of my first season, with all this help, I was appointed to referee a local cup final and was also awarded with a ‘Referee of the Year’ for the Gwent Central League.
As members of the group, we were also appointed as officials to games that we would never have received without the mentorship of Darren. Amongst the Cardiff City academy games and Cardiff City women’s games, for me my most memorable two appointments to date are the following:
- Referee for FA Youth Cup game in 2010 (RTB Ebbw Vale vs. Swansea City)
- Assistant referee for UEFA Regions Cup game in 2011
In November of 2010, one year after the phone call from Darren Adie, we found ourselves travelling to Newtown as part of the development group to attend an evening with Howard Webb. We had previously attended a seminar in the summer for all development group referees in Newtown which had been arranged for the same day as the World Cup final – “The Howard Webb Show” as Rodger Gifford had called it. Now, again as development groups, we were to hear Webb’s personal account of the final.
Moving to England
Following the end of my second season, which ended on a high with a second cup final, it was with regret that I had to give up my place on the development group. Having sat my A-levels in the summer, I was now moving to England to attend the University of Warwick.
It took me a while to transfer onto the English FA, with me having to attend courses relating to safeguarding the game and I was also required to complete a CRB check. Finally, just before Christmas, I was able to take charge of four games in the local league.
Though I am still struggling to adjust to the idea of allowing club assistants to give offside decisions (something which has always been the case in England) I am enjoying the officiating opportunities that I am being presented with. In January of this year, I was introduced on to the Coventry Refereeing Academy under the guidance of John Morris and have received a few academy games through this already. I am now officiating in both Saturday and Sunday leagues.
Being at the University of Warwick has also benefitted me. After a chance meeting with Mike Jones (Premiership Referee) on the way to a German lecture, I was invited to watch the PGMO train the following fortnight at the university – the PGMO train at Warwick every fortnight. After an email to Rodger Gifford about this, I was again invited to attend another training session along with two other referees from Wales. Better still, a few days prior to this, Rodger offered me the opportunity to take part in the training.
During this day, I was grouped with Pete Walton and Lee Mason, as well as another referee from who was visiting from New Zealand. The session was focussing on strength and conditioning and began in the gym. We opened with a ten minute warm up on apparatus of our choice and initially trained as a whole group – I was left with a bike alongside a few others after most of the referees were already on treadmills. We were then grouped and sent to complete resistance exercises in an allocated room. The training was enjoyable and both Pete and Lee tried to ensure that the atmosphere was relaxed and enjoyable. After completing the four stations (and removing our brightly coloured resistance bands from our legs) we moved onto the weights room. Once again, we were assigned to stations and had to complete various lifting and exercises which aimed to strengthen both the core as well as the legs. This was concluded with a number of exercises with a large ball, which once again aimed to improve core strength. Overall the session took around 1½ hours and it had been fantastic opportunity. I was invited to attend a secondary session the next day, but unfortunately was unable to attend as I was already appointed to officiate an English Schools tournament.
“Why would you want to be a referee?”
So, to end with my initial question: “Why would you want to be a referee?” Whilst for most referees officiating in football can represent many things, the reality is that refereeing is a ‘drug’. It is borne out of a love for the game and you find yourself becoming very quickly addicted. As with all sport, achievement and self-satisfaction is something you cannot buy – for the individual, irrespective of the sport or level, it is priceless. This is something I have learnt. Having been initially encouraged to pick up the whistle so I could learn to ‘appreciate the value of money’, I can honestly say that the monetary gain has not been my motivating factor since my first game.
I could not have imagined than in just under three years of refereeing that I would have achieved, seen and experienced what I have so far – this cannot be bought or paid for. It is also exciting to think of the challenges and opportunities that could lie ahead of me in the future if I show enough commitment and passion. At this time, I am preparing to head to the Isle of Wight to officiate in an English schools tournament in April and have also been offered the opportunity to travel to Lilleshall in the summer to officiate as part of the England youth trials as part of the Coventry Referee’s Academy.
Final Words
It would be a lie if I were to try to convince people that I have not experienced disappointment and low-points during my short time refereeing. However, I can truthfully say these have far been outweighed by the positives and many opportunities that come with this. The pressures of refereeing are well-documented but this should be no reason to put people off. Some believe that the heated situations that can arise from football are something to be avoided - for referees, this is not the case. For me, there is little worse than refereeing a game whereby a team have noticeably given up or resigned themselves to defeat – the passion for the game has been temporarily lost. If players lose this passion – the passion that drives them to want to achieve and do well – then with it, the game that we love is also lost. Football without the passion is, in my opinion, not a game worth officiating. It is this that I remember after the end of a difficult game. Though I may experience trouble with certain players whilst refereeing, it is always interesting to note that it is these players who are often the first to shake my hand at the end of a game. Very rarely will all players, coaches and fans be satisfied with your performance as a referee and this is something you have to accept. However, if you can walk from a field at the end of that game with the knowledge that you have been honest to the players and to yourself, then you have refereed with the correct attitude – I believe this is the most important.
