The FA Referee Magazine Aug 2012 by john heeler

REFEREEING JOINT PUBLICATION OF FA LEARNING AND THE REFEREES’ ASSOCIATION VOLUME 17 SEPTEMBER 2012

IN THIS ISSUE

REMEMBERING JACK TAYLOR THE ARCHETYPAL MAN IN BLACK Howard Webb: The EURO 2012 Finals Are You Ready For Promotion?

Respect Referee

Game One match in three is played without a referee because of abuse from players.

Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it time to show some Respect?

TheFA.com/Respect

Contributors

David Elleray, Howard Webb, Ian Blanchard, Adam Watts, Josh Smith, Jack Cavilla, Rob McCarthy, Roger Vaughan

CONTENTS 32 PARALYMPICS REFEREE

Editorial Team

David Elleray, Ian Blanchard, Peter Glynn, Neale Barry, Thomas Coupland

Image Recognition Getty Images

Acknowledgements

The contents of “Refereeing” are copyright of The Football Association. No articles, features or any aspects can be reproduced or photocopied without written permission of The Football Association. The views of this journal are not necessarily those of The Football Association.

16 PLAYING ADVANTAGE

20 COMMUNICATION AND BODY LANGUAGE

Introduction

David Elleray

FA Learning, The Football Association, St. George’s Park, Newborough Road, Needwood, Burton-Upon-Trent, DE13 9PD

Remembering Jack Taylor

David Elleray

Euro 2012 Finals

Howard Webb

Postal Address:

Preparing For The New Season

Ian Blanchard

Are You Ready For Promotion?

Adam Watts

Published By:

FA Learning The Football Association, St. George’s Park, PO Box 8012, Burton-Upon-Trent, DE14 9JA

Website:

RA-FA Youth Council Launched

TheFA.com/Refereeing

My Development As A Young Referee

Email:

Laws of the Game

RA Conference July 2012

Eve of Final Rally

Senior Women Referee Development Event

The FA’s 8 Referees At The Paralympic Games

FAlearning@TheFA.com ra@footballreferee.org The FA Crest is a registered trademark of The Football Association. © The Football Association 2004

Josh Smith

The New FA Contributory League Mentoring Scheme

Rob McCarthy

National Referee Development Programme

Roger Vaughan

Inside the National Football Centre Leading The Way Conference

38 Jack Cavilla

Feature

WELCOME A

s I prepared to watch the magnificent Olympic opening ceremony on Friday 27th July the very sad news came through that Jack Taylor OBE had passed away a few hours earlier.

Like Jack, Howard achieved the World Cup and Champions League ‘double’. Had Portugal beaten Spain in the EURO 2012 semi-final then Howard would probably have gone one better and completed the treble, but it was not to be.

A little while later his death was the ‘strap line’ on Sky News, an indication of what a huge figure he was in the world of football. Soon the messages came flooding in, and I was particularly touched by those from young referees who were not even alive when Jack refereed the 1974 World Cup Final.

Howard, ably supported by his four English colleagues, had an excellent EURO finals, reminding everyone that he remains one of the very best referees in the world. Read about his EURO 2012 experience in this magazine.

From Poland a new international referee wrote: “When a great man dies – on this very sad day of the passing away of Jack Taylor, the great ambassador of refereeing worldwide, please let us express our deep grief and sincere condolences to the refereeing community in England.” A young South African referee encapsulated in a few words what so many were thinking: “Jack Taylor – a legend – rest in peace.” Knowing Jack, he would have been rather embarrassed, even irritated, by the fuss and the glowing tributes from all parts of the football family. It was this humility and kindness towards others (especially young referees) that marked him out as much as his fearless refereeing. A full tribute to Jack can be found in this edition and I would urge referees young and old to read it and reflect on the career of the man widely regarded as England’s finest referee. One of those particularly touched by Jack’s death was Howard Webb who knew Jack well, not least because of their unifying bond of being World Cup Final referees. One of the many highlights of Howard’s 2010 World Cup experience was when Jack flew out to the watch the final and met up with Howard and his team the afternoon before the game.

The summer months have been busy and, as reported in this edition, the RA and FA had key meetings and courses, the most notable being: the RA Annual Conference (with a record attendance); a training day for our senior Women officials; the Young Referees’ Conference (part of the Young Referees Development Programme); and the launch of two exciting ventures: the Level 3 mentor scheme and the RA-FA Youth Council. The RA-FA Youth Council is a bold and imaginative development which will see our young referees play a key role in refereeing in this country by engaging with and supporting young referees. They will become the ‘voice’ of young referees and will work closely with The RA and The FA to ensure that the views, needs and hopes of young referees are incorporated into all that we do. Young people are our future and we must be ready to engage with them and nurture them. Jack Taylor was a great supporter of young people and to honour his memory we must do all we can to encourage them and hopefully, from their ranks, find the next Jack Taylor. Very best wishes for a wonderful season, David Elleray Chairman, FA Referees’ Committee President, The Referees’ Association

Jack Taylorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career spanned more than 1,000 English League games and 100 international matches over an extraordinary 33 years. Here, Jack is pictured during a break in the Manchester United vs Sheffield United game in 1968

Feature

REMEMBERING JACK TAYLOR: THE ARCHETYPAL MAN IN BLACK

Jack Taylor is in the perfect position to spot Uli Hoenessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; late challenge on Johan CruyďŹ&#x20AC; in the first minute of the 1974 World Cup Final.

Feature

veryone in football knows the name Jack Taylor and for many, many people he was the greatest referee this country has ever produced. John Keith Taylor, always known as Jack, was born close to Molyneux on the 21 April 1930 and, like many referees, took up the whistle when his playing ambitions were not going to be realised. The Wolverhampton butcher was quickly marked out as a talent and became one of the youngest FA Cup Final referees when, a few months before the 1966 World Cup finals, he refereed the Everton v Sheffield Wednesday FA Cup Final, aged 36. Five years later he returned to Wembley to referee the European Cup Final between Ajax and Panathanaikos having been called in to take the game after the originally appointed referee, Jim Finney (Hereford), was injured in a car accident. However, it was the World Cup Final on the 7 July 1974 in Munich that created the ‘legend’ that was Jack Taylor. Jack would often tell young referees that preparation and good habits are crucial, and they certainly helped him when, just before kick off, he did his usual check of the field and noticed that, amazingly, the usually efficient German organisers had failed to put out the corner flags! Here was a man on the top of his game and he was called into action almost immediately when, after little more than a minute, Uli Hoeness fouled Johan Cruyff and Jack awarded a penalty against W. Germany before they had touched the ball. Jack showed no emotion as he blew the whistle and even less when the German captain, Franz Beckenbauer (‘Der Kaiser’) said to him, “Taylor, you’re an Englishman”. Neeskens scored from the first penalty to be awarded in a World Cup Final. Some 25 minutes later, when Wim Jansen tripped Bernd Holzenbein, Jack once again pointed to the penalty spot, and Paul Breitner equalised. The decision annoyed Cruyff so much that he was yellow carded as the players left the field at half time. West Germany went on to win the final and Jack was appointed OBE the following year. Jack’s demeanour was authoritative without being aggressive or arrogant. He commanded respect from all sections of the game, and for many of us (especially those who were budding referees in the 1970’s) he was our hero and role model. His career lasted 33 years in which he took charge of over 1,000 games including 100 internationals in 60 countries.

His splendid autobiography charts his rise as well as the challenges he faced, not least when he refereed a league match in South Africa and had to take decisions which were literally a matter of life and death for the spectators, players and himself. After he finished his refereeing he was a Commercial Director at Wolverhampton Wanderers, a referee coach in South Africa and Saudi Arabia and then worked for many years with the Football League. A mark of the impact he had on world football was his induction into the FIFA Hall of Fame on 1 February 1999 in Barcelona. Despite his ‘greatness’ he was a man of honesty and humility, acknowledging that he was in some ways fortunate to gain his two major matches for as well as the European Cup Final coming as a result of Jim Finney’s accident, he was appointed to the World Cup Final only after the original nomination, Bob Davidson (Scotland) had his appointment cancelled. Jack was ever-mindful of the pressure on modern referees, not least with the many cameras meaning that every decision is subjected to forensic examination at a variety of speeds and camera angles. He often remarked that he was lucky to have refereed in the days of limited TV coverage where, at worst, he was only scrutinised by one camera, high on the roof of the grandstand. Always interested in refereeing (as well as his beloved horse and greyhound racing – he was a Jockey Club steward at Wolverhampton for many years), Jack remained an inspiration to referees young and old – one of his greatest pleasures was going to Johannesburg to see Howard Webb control the 2012 World Cup Final. The night before the final, Mike Riley (PGMOL General Manager) and I spent a wonderful few hours having dinner with Jack, listening in awe to his stories and taking much from his thoughts on refereeing and life in general. Jack’s death, not long before the Olympics opening ceremony, came as a shock to many and he will be sorely missed throughout the world. A measure of his stature was a personal letter of condolence from FIFA President Sepp Blatter and the deluge of tributes from all over the world, many from referees who were not even born when he was at the peak of his career. Football League chairman Greg Clarke encapsulated many people’s thoughts: ‘“Jack Taylor set the benchmark for refereeing, not just in this country but

across the world and in later life he applied the same levels of integrity, commitment and sheer love of the game to his other roles. Very few people in football can match the contribution he made and fewer still have managed to do it whilst retaining the respect and admiration of absolutely everyone they have come into contact with.” On behalf of The FA and The Referees’ Association we extend our heartfelt sympathies to his wife, Sue, and his family and friends. We shall not see his like again. A tribute to Jack Taylor from Howard Webb Jack Taylor was an inspirational referee and an inspirational man. When I started my career I quickly became aware that Jack was a refereeing icon, even though he had hung up his whistle long before I began. When I met him I could see why. My first encounter with the great man came before I refereed the League 1 Play-Off Final at the Millennium Stadium in 2003. I was nervous and Jack, who was working for the Football League, could see that. His words of encouragement and support were a huge boost, especially because they were coming from a man who had achieved so much in a glittering career. I wrote his words down and kept them in my kit bag - to this day I take them to every game. Jack was also present at other pivotal games in my career, none more so than the World Cup Final when again his wisdom and advice were huge pillars of support for me. Since that final, I became good friends with Jack and felt privileged to spend time in his company. Jack showed me how to behave as a man, irrespective of what one achieves on the field. He had inspired me so many times and when I told him so his reaction was always humble, typical of a modest man who was one of the nicest I ever met. Many people hold a similar view - people who were refereed by him, who worked with him, who were inspired by him too. I know because they tell me so. I will miss Jack Taylor in so many ways, all of us will, but the world of refereeing and football in general have been enriched massively by him. And he will keep inspiring me. Thanks Jack, for everything.

He commanded respect from all sections of the game, and for many of us he was our hero and role model.

Feature

EURO 2012 FINALS Howard Webb

aving enjoyed the privilege of refereeing a World Cup Final in 2010, Howard Webb returned to the international stage as Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s representative referee at the Euro 2012

Finals in Poland and Ukraine and reveals it was a tournament to be celebrated. Here he recalls his experiences of Euro 2012.

Feature

reating history together’ was the tournament’s slogan. For the very first time the final stages of UEFA’s premier competition for national teams was being held in Eastern Europe. Some saw this as a gamble; a step too far, too soon in UEFA’s efforts to take elite football further across the continent. Some journalists even spoke of the threat to visitor safety from extreme groups in Poland and Ukraine. ‘

The English team of five match officials, who spent around 26 days at the tournament, can report categorically that nothing could have been further from the truth, and that Euro 2012 was a resounding success. The host nations, together with UEFA, can feel proud of what they achieved in creating a tournament which was played in excellent facilities with first class organisation and local people who were fully engaged in the event, whilst offering an extremely warm welcome to visitors. The sense of history being created was also strong in the referees’ camp. For the first time additional assistant referees were being used, meaning five compatriot match officials in twelve teams. Instead of 36 officials (twelve teams of three) meeting on the first day, as had happened in Zurich four years earlier for Euro 2008, 60 gathered in Warsaw this time, plus four dedicated 4th officials and four reserve assistant referees. Of the 12 referees only I had officiated at Euro 2008, clearly illustrating the turnover of elite level referees in the past few years. The guys who gathered in Warsaw on 4th

Howard Webb officiating at the Euro 2012 finals match between Italy and Croatia.

June for Euro 2012 were young and eager – many have the chance to officiate in several more major tournaments. The future for refereeing in Europe looks bright. The pre-tournament fitness test had been successfully negotiated at the end of April in the preparatory course, so a high intensity fitness check was undertaken the day after our arrival, just to ensure nobody was carrying an injury. Prior to the matches commencing we were reminded by UEFA of some key messages relating to a number of topics such as handball, holding in the penalty area, dissent, mobbing the referee, serious foul play, simulation etc. These had been discussed in some detail at the preparatory course. The need for consistency in these areas across all 12 referee teams was clear. Importantly, the same messages had been delivered to the competing national teams by members of the UEFA Referees’ Committee so players and coaches were left in no doubt what the consequences would be if the messages were ignored. Protecting the players and protecting the image of the game were paramount. Match number one, Poland -v- Greece, was awarded to Carlos Velasco Carballo of Spain, whilst we were thrilled to also be working on the opening day, appointed to Match 2: Russia -v- Czech Republic. It’s always a good feeling to get a game under your belt early at a tournament. The arrangements were just like a typical three day UEFA appointment, with a

flight from Warsaw to Wroclaw the day before the match and a return flight the day after. An organisational meeting took place as normal on the morning of match day, with my first additional assistant referee Martin Atkinson being deputed to attend and re-affirm the messages previously given to the teams, whilst also checking kit colours, logistics for travel to the stadium etc. At these meetings a representative from the technical area of both teams, whose job it is to take the key messages back to players and coaching staff, is in attendance. Again, emphasis is placed on protecting the players and protecting the image of the game. We could not have wished for a better type of opening match than the one in Wroclaw. I know that at major tournaments you’re guaranteed one appointment, your first, and you can’t look further than that. Nail that one and you’ve a chance of another. So to have a game with fewer than 20 free-kicks and no cautions was perfect for us. Russia ran out 4-1 winners in a very impressive display.

“The host nations can feel proud of what they achieved…”

On our return the next day to our very comfortable base at the Hilton Warsaw Hotel a recovery session took place in the pool led by PGMOL sports scientist Simon Breivik who was working as one of the UEFA fitness coaches at the tournament. Then followed the debrief – around seven or eight clips reviewed and discussed in the presence of all the UEFA Referees’ Committee members but led by the match observer, Herbert Fandel of Germany. Every debrief was done in this way – quite a nerve-wracking experience, even for seasoned campaigners. However, the debrief for this match was extremely positive and we were delighted with the start we’d made. Match day +2 at tournament football is always a rest day so we made our customary visit to the Fanzone – there’s no better place to sample the atmosphere. Trying to remain unrecognised was a challenge though, even with baseball cap and sunglasses. Even when we were recognised everybody was really positive towards us, allaying any pre-tournament apprehension I might have had about being in Poland after the events of Euro 2008. Our second appointment involved a train journey to Poznan for Italy-v-Croatia, a match which looked, on paper, one of the more potentially challenging fixtures. The match observer was Kyros Vassaras of Greece. The game finished 1-1 with the Croatians equalising in the second half after Italy had taken a first half lead through an exquisite Andrea Pirlo free-kick, one of the few goals scored at the tournament directly from a set piece. The match saw another downpour, similar to one we’d also had in Wroclaw in our first match and typical of the changeable weather we experienced throughout the tournament. As in the first match, we had to suspend play for flares to be removed after they had been thrown onto the field of play. As predicted the match was challenging with three yellow cards, but at the full time whistle we were delighted with our evening’s work and enjoyed a splendid meal back at the hotel whilst watching the later game live on TV. At tournaments you really do eat, sleep and drink football and it’s great. The debrief the following day was again positive and, with two solid group stage games under our belts our attention turned to England and their match against Ukraine in Kiev. Yet again a match involving England had goal line controversy, although this time the fates were on England’s side.

The presence of additional assistant referees put the situation into even sharper focus and signalled the end of the tournament for the Hungarian officials who had been on the game, led by the excellent Viktor Kassai. We were, nevertheless, delighted that our national team had progressed to the quarterfinals and just as delighted to find out that we had been appointed to the first quarterfinal – Portugal -v- Czech Republic in Warsaw, thereby avoiding the cut which saw the 12 referee teams reduced to eight. Yet again, after significant controversy in a major tournament, we were the next team to officiate, heightening the pressure placed upon us. The parallels with South Africa 2010 were uncanny, when I refereed Brazil -v- Chile the day after Frank Lampard’s ‘goal’ against Germany in Bloemfontein had not been awarded. Because the match was in Warsaw we were able to travel to the stadium on the evening of the game. We arrived to find the roof closed and the conditions humid. By kickoff time the wonderful National Stadium looked magnificent and the atmosphere was electric. In what was probably one of the most enjoyable matches I’ve been involved in – Portugal won 1-0 with a late Cristiano Ronaldo headed goal. The fact we didn’t have to endure extra time in such warm conditions didn’t disappoint us! But what was most pleasing was that in such an important game nobody was talking about the match officials, or at least not in a negative way. Three yellow cards, no controversy and match observer Marc Batta from France was very happy with our performance. The sense of satisfaction at the post-match meal was palpable.

“the Fanzone – no better place to sample the atmosphere.” overseeing Spain’s impressive victory against Italy in the final. But it was satisfying that we had performed to our potential over three games, stayed until the later knock-out phase and given ourselves a chance of being considered worthy candidates for the final. The most pleasing thing overall though was that Mike Mullarkey, Peter Kirkup, Martin Atkinson, Mark Clattenburg and I had been part of the UEFA referee team of 68 match officials who had contributed to the tournament in such a positive way. Thanks to the excellent behaviour and attitude of the players, and the high standard of officiating, a wonderful tournament played in the most sporting manner resulted. History created, together.

The semi-final appointments provided Mike and me with an opportunity to work on the Germany -v- Italy match in Warsaw as reserve assistant and 4th official respectively, assisting Stephane Lannoy and his French team of match officials who are also really good friends of ours. The game went well for them. Spain’s progress to the final in the other semi-final meant it was always unlikely that we would be involved after such a challenging World Cup Final involving Spain two years earlier. Other referee teams at the tournament had performed to a very high level and were worthy candidates for the final appointment, including Pedro Proenca and his colleagues from Portugal, who maintained their fine form on 1 July in Kiev,

Feature

PREPARING FOR THE NEW SEASON A Different Viewpoint

enior National Game Referee Manager, Ian Blanchard highlights some important pre-season preparation that you can do to make sure you hit the ground running for the new campaign. Is this the season you go for promotion or is this the season you establish yourself by becoming a good, dependable and appreciated referee? A lot depends on you, your level of commitment, motivation and desire to achieve - there are many factors that if in place, will give you advantages over your colleagues. This article considers some of the things you need to do to give yourself that edge. Firstly, and in some respects obviously, how have you prepared physically for this season? At what point did you start your fitness programme, getting out there running, building up your stamina and getting your body used to the ordeal of working?

What type of fitness work have you done? Did it include jogging, sprinting, side shuffles and backward running, replicating all the movements a referee does during a game? Did you build up the time of your routines to mirror a football match (45 minutes with a rest and then another 45 minutes)? Looking at the administration required, have you closed your dates with your County FA and have you been in touch with the leagues and competitions you operate on? If you have changed your contact details have you let everyone know? Have you set any goals or aims for this season? What do you want to achieve? If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promotion you want, do you know what you need to do, how many games you need to referee and what is the pass rate on the Laws of the Game examination? For more information contact your County Referee Development Officer, the details of which are on your CFA website or www.thefa.com

Have you considered what opportunities are available for you to develop your knowledge of refereeing and football?

Is this the season you go for promotion or is this the season you establish yourself, becoming a good, dependable and appreciated referee?

improve their knowledge and refereeing skills. Once again check out their website for further details. The RA, through their branches and societies, organise a variety of training events, offering their members educational opportunities and support.

Excellent pre-season preparation will help you to hit the ground running for the new campaign. With regards your development you will know what your strengths are, the things that you possess that work well for you during a game. Equally important are the areas of your game that you need to work on.

As an assessor I still like to see the referee enter the field of play. I’m looking at their appearance, whether their kit fits properly, is it clean and more importantly how do they present themselves. When walking, do you have an upright posture, do you walk purposefully and do you hold your head high? Do you have an air of confidence, one which will transfer onto the players? So in preparation make sure your kit is clean, fits and you practice your posture and general body language. Refereeing with confidence is important as the players need to trust you and know that you are making decisions correctly. So what can you do to improve or make sure you have the right level of confidence?

So if you feel you need to work on the way you talk to and address players, what are you going to do? It might be developing a strategy to improve your communication with players. This might involve taking the first opportunity available in your next game, when a player commits a careless challenge to talk to a player. You might want to focus on eye contact, your stance, your body posture as well as considering what you are going to say and how you speak to the player. Without a doubt setting these small targets and working on them, improves your performance as a referee.

You have to believe that you can:

Have you considered what opportunities are available for you to develop your knowledge of refereeing and football? Each County FA has an extensive education programme designed to offer all referees the chance to

You can gain so much by watching other referees. I hope you watched the EURO 2012 finals with interest, paying particular attention to some very good refereeing performances. Who stood out for you?

1. referee a game of football 2. manage everything that comes your way 3. control everything Thinking positively is vitally important. Knowing and believing that you can manage match incidents, dealing with players effectively, is fundamental to being a good referee.

Who were the referees who displayed some exceptional characteristics? I should imagine you identified those referees who remained calm, in control and when needed were assertive and strong. From those who were very accurate with their decision-making, who developed good working relationships with the players? If you analyse what they did and how they portrayed themselves, it relates to developing empathy, a feel for the game or being in touch with the game. Every time you watch a game ‘live’ or on television you should try to learn from the referee and the assistants – good things they did but also errors that you can try to avoid. Making sure you are ready for the new season means re-reading the Laws of the Game and ensuring you are fully up to date with the various changes, especially those that will affect you such as the new ruling on tape on socks. Keeping abreast of the Laws, frequently reviewing your knowledge and understanding is important. If you work with assistant referees have you looked at your pre-match instructions? Do they cover the main details of your game plan? Are they succinct and easily understood? When giving your instructions do you do so confidently and in a way that motivates and inspires your colleagues to work together as a team? The expectations on all referees going out to control and manage a game of football, at all levels, are a huge responsibility. However, if you have prepared, put things in place, then you have a great chance to enjoy the experience as well as demonstrating to the players and others what a good referee you are.

Feature

PLAYING ADVANTAGE By Ray Olivier

raining & Development Manager at PGMOL, Ray Olivier, discusses the factors a referee must consider when playing the Advantage rule. There is no better feeling as a referee than seeing a goal scored after playing Advantage. Your decision not to penalise a foul and let the non-offending team carry on playing and score gives you, the referee a huge buzz. This article focuses on the

process you go through and the factors to take into consideration when deciding whether or not to play Advantage. There are a number of factors that need to be considered when applying the Advantage rule. These factors play an important part in the refereeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision-making and highlight the judgements a referee has to make at the time an offence is committed:

1 The skill level of the players 2 The conditions of the field of play 3 The state of the match 4 The position on the field of play 5 The temperature of the match 6 Control of the ball by the player fouled or by a team mate 7 The seriousness of the tackle 8 An attacking opportunity

Feature SKILL LEVEL OF THE PLAYERS? The skill level of the players is a key factor. At higher levels of the game, the referees may have more opportunity to apply Advantage from all areas of the field of play due to the skill and technical abilities of the players. As the skill level of the players decreases, referees must consider whether the players and/or team have the ability to mount a credible attack from the application of Advantage. POSITION ON THE FIELD OF PLAY? Traﬃc Lights The ‘Traffic Lights’ analogy can be used to aid the referee’s decision-making by dividing the field of play into three distinct areas, which the referee can use when considering to apply the Advantage. Applying the Advantage to the defending team in the ‘red’ zone is potentially dangerous as if they quickly lose possession and they then concede, there will then be pressure on the referee; therefore the safe option is to award the free kick. In the middle area of the field, the referee needs to consider the control of the ball by the player fouled or by a team mate. Another consideration would be that when a

CONDITIONS OF THE FIELD OF PLAY? Applying the Advantage on a fairly normal playing surface may be acceptable. Where the playing surface is hard and bumpy or is muddy and heavy, the referee might consider playing less Advantage. Wet and windy conditions might also affect the movement of the ball. In such circumstances, the non-offending team will probably gain a better Advantage by the award of the free kick.

STATE OF THE MATCH? The history of the teams from (poor) previous encounters, their discipline levels, the time remaining and the players’ respect towards the referee are factors to be considered. The time in the match (1st minute or 89th minute) is a very important factor to take into consideration and might affect the referee’s control.

foul is committed in this area, would it be more advantageous to the team to have the freekick rather than play Advantage? Applying the Advantage in this part of the field of play has a moderate probability of success.

whether they would rather have the free kick rather than apply the Advantage.

In the attacking third of the field of play, the likelihood of a sustained and promising attack has a high probability of success. However, there are some teams who would prefer the award of a free kick as a better option, rather than applying Advantage. This is an area, some 5m to 15m outside the penalty area, where teams practice ‘ceremonial’ free kicks and skilful players are often accurate with the execution of the kick. Players will be quick to tell the referee

The ‘Traffic Lights’ analogy can be used to aid the referee’s decision-making by dividing the field of play into three distinct areas Attacking Third

Attacking Third

High Probability

LOW

Moderate Probability

MOD

HIGH

Low Probability

Defensive Third

TEMPERATURE OF THE MATCH? In a high tempo match, playing the Advantage can be dangerous as there is a higher possibility of retaliation or aggressive reactions. By awarding a free kick, the referee may be able to calm the proceedings and have a positive influence on the game. CONTROL OF THE BALL? Active and credible control by the player fouled or by a team mate is a really important factor as without this, there is no Advantage to be applied.

Defensive Third

SERIOUSNESS OF THE TACKLE? The seriousness of the tackle is probably the most important factor. Referees must not consider applying the Advantage when a challenge involving excessive force has occurred. By stopping play immediately after a serious offence, the referee remains in control and may prevent a negative reaction by opposition players and retaliation by the offended player.

Defensive Third

In principle: – NEVER play advantage for a RED CARD offence – RARELY play advantage for a YELLOW CARD offence unless a clear goal-scoring chance is evident

ATTACKING OPPORTUNITY? The probability of an immediate, promising attack or an attempt on goal must be a consideration of the referee, and merely having possession of the ball does not constitute Advantage. Ultimately all Advantage decisions are at the discretion of the referee, based solely on his or her judgments. Referees should never sacrifice their match control when considering applying Advantage. Every Advantage award has an element of risk to the referee’s control and therefore it is important to have a feel for the game, to consider the consequences or benefits of applying the Advantage. We have now looked at the number and complexity of the factors a referee needs to consider before applying the Advantage. All the factors are important. Applying Advantage requires skill and experience, and if used properly, it will allow the game to flow and increase the enjoyment for all of the participants.

The two most important factors which are critical to match control are: • the seriousness of the tackle • whether applying the Advantage would affect the referee’s control.

Each player must accept the cards life deals him, but once are in hand, he alone must decide how to play the cards to win the game.

Referee’s Control

State of the Match

Seriousness of the Tackle

Skill Level

Advantage

Temperature of the Match

Conditions of the Field of Play

All factors are important

Position on the Field of Play

Attacking Opportunity

Control of the Ball

VOLTAIRE 1694 – 1778

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS WHERE ON THE FIELD OF PLAY COULD A REFEREE CONSIDER APPLYING THE ADVANTAGE? A referee would be less likely to apply the Advantage in the defensive third of the field of play and would consider the ‘traffic lights’ analogy of the probability of success in the defensive third, middle and attacking third of the field of play. WHY WOULD THE REFEREE WANT TO PLAY THE ADVANTAGE? To benefit the player or team against which a foul was committed, to allow a probable goal scoring opportunity and, without threatening match control, to improve the game for both players and spectators. WHAT ABOUT THE OFFENDING AND OFFENDED PLAYERS? Referees must take care not to ‘lose’ the player who has committed the foul. So, before play is stopped or the ball goes out of play, referees may find it helpful to say to themselves the colour of the player’s shirt and the number (i.e. Blue 8) to aid their memory retention. It is also important to communicate to the player who had been fouled that you have played the Advantage and that you have

spoken (or taken disciplinary action) to the player who committed the offence. THE FOUR P’S OF ADVANTAGE As an aide-mémoire, referees should consider the following four P’s when considering applying the Advantage: POSSESSION – active and credible control by the player fouled or by a team mate without possession, none of the other P’s matter. POTENTIAL – probability of a continuing and immediate attack or an attempt on goal. PLAYERS – number and skill of attackers versus the number and skill of defenders. PROXIMITY – distance from goal (traffic lights.) SUMMARY All Advantage decisions are at the discretion of the referee, based solely on his or her judgment as to the specific circumstances of each individual offence. Referees should never sacrifice their match control when considering applying the Advantage.

It is important however, following the award of an Advantage, and the completion of the move, that the referee takes the appropriate action against the player who committed the foul – this is the action the referee would have taken had play been stopped. It is important for the referee to learn and understand the proper application of the Advantage rule so that they are in tune with how the players want to play the game. When a potential Advantage situation arises, the referee must very quickly evaluate the situation and then decide if the attacking team will have a greater Advantage from maintaining possession of the ball or from a foul being penalised. Communication of the Advantage signal is essential to ensure that everyone is aware that the referee has recognised the offence, but prefers to keep the game flowing. The communication of “Advantage – play on” accompanied with the approved signal sends out a clear message to all the players. Applying the Advantage requires skill and experience. However, there is a great sense of satisfaction when a team scores after you have allowed play to continue. Good Luck!

Feature

COMMUNICATION AND BODY LANGUAGE The two skills vital to any referee

eter Jones, FA Level 3 coach, UEFA referee observer and mentor, writes about the importance of communicating both verbally and through the use of body language when making decisions during a match.

COMMUNICATION – the act of communicating information; means of imparting information. BODY LANGUAGE – gestures, unconscious bodily movements, etc., that function as part of communication. As we all know, the first rule of officiating is that you must control the match, which is partly achieved by a thorough knowledge of the Laws of the Game. Two important tools that are intricately linked when controlling the match are communication and body language.

Everyone is different, and although we may try and look and act like the top referees we cannot be the same as anyone else. We all have different bodies and shapes and the consequence is that we must use them differently. Excellent communication and body language set match officials apart. The shape of your body and the movement of your arms and hands tell more about your state of mind than you think. The correct use will portray a feeling of authority and calmness. The incorrect use will portray a person under pressure and struggling to cope with the situation. In my opinion there is no one better than Howard Webb in displaying authority and confidence just from his own actions. Accuracy in decision-making is expected but what if having made the correct call you fail to follow up with strong communication and body language? Will you have convinced everyone that your decision was the correct one? Probably not!

Good body language is just as important as verbal communication when making decisions.

Before I deal with match incidents please remember that your body language when off the field of play pre-match can be just as important when it comes to setting a good example. How you enter and leave the field of play can say so much about you as a match official. That goes for referees, assistant referees and fourth officials. Walk on to the field of play with purpose and remember the old saying, ‘you do not get a second chance to make a first impression’. ON FIELD SITUATIONS You will have read assessor reports talking about ‘positive body language and good communication skills’. That is too general and says nothing specific about the performance. There are many elements that contribute to this part of the management of the game and each has significant importance in maintaining match control. Assessors – please note that more detail is needed in the written report and the post-match debrief. Hand/Arm signals – How many of you have looked at page 77 of the Laws of the Game booklet that clearly show the approved referee signals? Why do referees use

We all have different bodies and shapes and the consequence is that we must use them differently. unorthodox signals? If you consider the approved ‘advantage’ signal, why do some referees point at the ball when they allow play to continue? Body language is a tool that the referee uses to: • Help him/her control the match • Show authority and self-control. Body language is not: • An explanation of a decision. It can sometimes be beneficial to use discreet explanatory signals appropriately to clarify an incident not apparently understood by some participants. This is a positive means of communicating with players and gives decisions credibility and conviction e.g. indicating simply that a yellow card is being given for a series of offences (persistently infringing the Laws of the Game) can be useful so that players realise that the yellow card was not given only for the final offence. The directional signal for a free kick should come with or immediately after the whistle. A strong and clear arm signal sends the message and should be accompanied by

clever use of the whistle depending on the severity of the offence. The use of voice and whistle should not be underestimated in the ‘toolbox’ of the referee. Pitch the whistle at different levels to get maximum impact. A whistle which is used too frequently or unnecessarily will have less impact when it is needed. PLAYER MANAGEMENT One to one conversations with a player can be needed at any time during the match. What you say and how you say it needs to have an impact on the individual. Many of us find it difficult or almost impossible to speak without using our hands and this is another important facet of your communication. A pointed finger can be aggressive and it is much better to use an open hand which suggests a more neutral position. With more and more matches covered by cameras the need to consider what is said and how you say it is vital. Aggressive and angry facial expressions paint the picture of a referee not in control of his or her own emotions.

Showing understanding or sympathy for a player can reap dividends, but whether a player is angry or friendly please refrain from making physical contact. The showing of a yellow card can take different forms but it is imperative that you isolate and identify the player(s) to be disciplined. There can sometimes be a benefit in showing a card quite quickly to prevent further misconduct but it is still important that the player(s) are clearly identified. Finally, body language and communication must be strong in confrontational situations and when making those ‘big’ decisions. Penalty area judgements, dealing with mass confrontation etc. will see the focus of eyes on the match officials. My involvement with referees spans all levels of experience and ability. I cannot stress enough how important body language and communication play in the role of all match officials. Best wishes to everyone and have a great season.

Showing understanding or sympathy for a player can reap dividends.

Feature Refereeing at The FA

ARE YOU READY FOR PROMOTION? By Adam Watts (Referee Development Officer, Worcestershire FA)

he refereeing family is united by one goal, to make a positive contribution to football through refereeing. Throughout the season football matches are successfully officiated by dedicated and committed individuals who derive enjoyment, satisfaction and pleasure from their involvement as a referee. Within the refereeing family there are some who are happy to make this valuable contribution without seeking promotion, whilst others embark upon a journey to achieve it. The focus of this article is on promotion within Levels 7 (Junior County Referee), through 6 (County Referee) to 5 (Senior County Referee) and can perhaps best be summed up by the words of Simon and Garfunkel: “We’d like to help you learn to help yourself” (Mrs Robinson, from the Bookends album, 1968). Throughout this article, please bear in mind the key question: are YOU ready for promotion? SO ARE YOU READY TO APPLY FOR PROMOTION? Yes, if you are a Level 7 referee who has officiated as a referee in a minimum of 20 games in one registration period. County FA’s will invite those eligible to apply for promotion in writing. This process must be completed no later than 1st March preceding the season in which promotion is sought – so YOU need to be organised, miss the deadline and you miss out, keep a diary of key dates and your matches. Whilst the responsibility for promoting referees within Levels 7 to 5 rests with your Parent County Football Association, as a referee seeking promotion you have a responsibility for both your on and off-field performance.

SO ARE YOU READY TO COMMIT TO PROMOTION? Promotion from Level 7 to Level 6 and from Level 6 to Level 5 requires dedication and organisation.

SO ARE YOU READY TO GAIN PROMOTION? In addition to the criteria previously mentioned, promotion is based on your practical performance on the field of play. Evidence will come from:

• YOU must attend at least one promotion in-service training event • YOU must successfully complete a written examination on the Laws of the Game • YOU will need to referee a minimum of 20 games in competitions where players are over the age of 16 years (a minimum of 70% must be in ‘open age’ competitions) during the marking season which runs from 1st March to 28th/29th February the following year. • If YOU are a Level 6/5 wishing to be considered for future promotion to Level 4 (Supply League Referee) you must also complete at least 5 games as an assistant referee. • If YOU are Level 6/5 wishing to be considered for future promotion to Level 4 you will be required to successfully complete a fitness test.

• Written assessments by FA Registered Assessors on a minimum of three games. • Club marks from competitions over the age of 16 years over a minimum of 20 games (a minimum of 70% must be in open age competitions) officiating as a Referee in the marking season.

Your County FA will advise you of the mechanism by which YOU should communicate your appointments so that FA Assessors can be appointed – YOU must be organised, failing to complete the off-field administration and YOU fail yourself.

Referees who demonstrate significant promise can be considered for accelerated promotion from Level 7 to 5 in one season by their respective parent CFA providing they meet the criteria as outlined; however remember to be realistic and patient. Every match should provide the opportunity to be a better referee from the experience. Referees can also seek promotion through the Women Referee Development Pathway. This follows the same criteria, except that referees choosing the women’s pathway cannot automatically crossover to the same men’s classification Level as this pathway is specific for the development of female referees only.

Referees who demonstrate significant promise can be considered for accelerated promotion from Level 7 to 5 in one season by their respective parent CFA

The Football Association

Assessors; mentor; coaches; RDO

Referee

Reﬂect

Plan

Make Sense

The Referees’ Association

County Football Association

Figure 1 – understanding the context in which promotion takes place SO ARE YOU READY TO WORK TOWARDS PROMOTION? Promotion does not take place in a vacuum. Look at Figure 1 – as a promotion seeking referee YOU are at the centre of the process. The Football Association provides excellent educational material to support learning about the Laws of the Game and practical refereeing skills (see http://www.thefa.com/ my-football/referee), as well as playing a role in regulating the process. The Referees’ Association (RA) through its national initiatives provides education and training to all referees, and through its network of local societies and branches it provides the platform for learning and an important source of support and friendship. Opportunities to talk things through with colleagues, whether it is to discuss an assessment, a concern over a point of Law, how to best deal with a match situation or general advice about administration, attendance and participation at RA meetings is an invaluable resource for a promotion seeking referee. County FAs co-ordinate the process, therefore YOU must have effective ‘two way’ communication to ensure that you meet all of the off-field requirements. Attendance at In Service Training (INSET) events is a mandatory requirement; however YOU should look beyond attendance and actively engage with the content of the sessions facilitated by experienced FA Referee Tutors. Show an open mind when it comes to new ideas and adapt them to your refereeing strengths to develop as a referee. Learning comes in many different guises. FA Registered Assessors will provide constructive critical feedback on your onfield performance, so YOU need to use that

Figure 2 feedback to reflect. Respect the feedback, carefully listen to the post-match debrief and carefully read your assessment report, then use this information to reflect and feed forward into your future matches. Breaking down areas for development into a manageable size is a good idea, as it is better to make minor modifications than major changes. Continue with the cycle of Referee (experience/doing), Reflect (what did you do?), Make Sense (What worked well and why? What did not work so well and why?) and Plan (What to do next time and what you will do to make this change). See Figure 2. Mentors and coaches can help YOU to recognise learning opportunities and reflect, make sense and plan. Referee Development Officers (RDOs) can also make a valuable contribution to your personal development.

ARE YOU REALLY READY FOR PROMOTION? Remember that YOU are the one who decides. Are you willing to accept the responsibility? If you are ready for the challenge, on and off the field of play YOU are your greatest asset, YOU should be your most demanding critic and YOU should ‘control the controllable’, for example, knowledge of the Laws of the Game, physical and mental preparation, organisation and communication (see Figure 3). If you do not succeed in gaining promotion, emerge stronger and more determined for the experience and look at what you can do differently, Albert Einstein the German-born theoretical physicist is believed to have said, “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. Best wishes to all who embark on your personal promotion journey, I wish YOU all every success.

BUILDING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR PROMOTION Promotion to the next level is not a function of time, it requires YOU to take responsibility for your on- and off-field performance, demonstrate commitment and meet the criteria

Take on the challenge of the next step on the promotion ladder Demonstrate that YOU are ready for promotion

Control the controllable & learn from feedback and experience In Service Training The FA; County FA; The Referees’ Association

Personal Responsibility commitment; reﬂection; admistration

Use and apply Figure 3

Laws of the Game

The Referees’ Association

RA-FA YOUTH COUNCIL LAUNCHED Supporting young referees around the country

aturday 14th July 2012 was an historic day for both The Referees’ Association and The Football Association, as the first RA-FA Youth Council was officially launched at the annual Referees’ Association Conference in Leicestershire where ‘Working Together’ was the theme. RA President and FA Referees’ Committee Chairman David Elleray opened the first meeting of the Council with FA Chairman David Bernstein joining the meeting before lunch. The RA-FA Youth Council is focused on developing the young refereeing community and the opportunities available to referees aged 25 and under across the country. It will be responsible for helping ensure that young referees are able to develop their refereeing and life skills. The Council will be the ‘voice’ of young referees and will support and connect with them. The RA-FA Youth Council’s aims include: 1. developing young people as “not yet” referees 2. developing young people as “irregular” referees 3. adapting or changing the way young people view and use their local RAs 4. working alongside The FA Youth Council and looking into their project work such as the Football Futures programme 5. creating a lasting legacy and a positive image as a group.

Following a rigorous application process in which 79 people applied, 12 council members were selected. Each of the council members represents a variety of backgrounds, refereeing levels and areas of the country. The members of the RA-FA Youth Council are: • • • • • • • • • • • •

Umar Ahmed (West Riding FA) Tom Bowkett (Birmingham FA) Mohammad Dilawari (London FA) Will Finnie (Bedfordshire FA) Sarah Grundy (Lincolnshire FA) Sarah Hobbs (London FA) George Kimber-Sweatman (Hampshire FA) Julia Ladbrooke (Bedfordshire FA) Sam Mulhall (Cheshire FA) Tom Nield (Norfolk FA) Martin Pates (Gloucestershire FA) Amy Robinson (Hampshire FA)

What has the RA-FA Youth Council done so far? • On the 14th July they met with The FA Youth Council to hear and discuss the work they do as well as looking at ways in which they could work together. • They have set up both a Twitter page@RAFAYthCouncil and a Facebook page to encourage ideas on key issues in regard to young people and refereeing and to keep people up-to-date and informed on the work they are carrying out. • They are planning their next meetings and incorporating County FAs and local RA Societies into our work in order to research the key issues; this is being done through meetings and looking at statistics in order to create targets for the Council. • They also attended the Young Referees’ Conference, a key part of the Young Referees Development Programme.

Following the first meeting, George Kimber-Sweatman said

“We enjoyed a fantastic weekend with our new colleagues and friends. We look forward to working with each other in the very exciting years ahead to make a difference and a positive impact for young officials around the country.”

RA-FA Youth Council with David Elleray and FA Chairman, David Bernstein

RA-FA Youth Council at RA Conference Dinner

Feature

MY DEVELOPMENT AS A YOUNG REFEREE By Josh Smith

aving just completed my fifth season as a referee, I have just been promoted to the Contributory Leagues as a Level 3 referee. I first began refereeing at the age of 14 in July 2007 when I passed the basic referee’s course under the guidance of Trevor Mitchell at Stamford Referees’ Association. The support networks I have benefited from as a referee have been second to none. I was first accepted onto the Lincolnshire FA School of Excellence as a Level 7 referee in September 2009 and have found the help provided by the School of Excellence, led by Gary Sutton, very useful. Since first being introduced to Gary at a School of Excellence meeting, I have found his advice to always be valuable and he has helped to develop my ability as a referee. Within the School of Excellence, I have had regular opportunities to interact with other referees of similar levels going through the same changes as myself, throughout both life and their refereeing career and have been given a mentor, Steve Ross from Boston. Throughout the last couple of seasons regular conversations with Steve have helped me to talk through incidents that have happened during my games with someone who has an understanding, but on an impartial basis. Steve also helped go through my assessments and to pick out the key points, which has been invaluable and helped me to develop my game as a referee.

The first league I refereed on was the Peterborough & District Junior Alliance where I first developed the basic refereeing techniques in a less pressurised situation. Having my dad at the majority of my games as my coach was very useful. We have a close relationship so we were also able to be honest with each other and discuss what was going well and not so well within my game to develop it further. At the age of 16 I progressed onto the Peterborough and District Saturday Football League, while also doing the Peterborough Youth League on a Sunday. This for me was a real culture shock as all of a sudden I went from being the oldest person on the football pitch to nearly always being the youngest. I can still remember how nervous I was before refereeing my first game at Crowland on the Peterborough League with butterflies continuing until the whistle began the game. At the end of my first season of adult football I received the letter I had been waiting for – Level 6 for the new season! I couldn’t wait to get started again as all of a sudden from just refereeing I would also be used as an assistant referee on the United Counties League, walking out in front of a crowd rather than the usual substitutes and managers. The 2010/11 season once again went absolutely perfectly for me, and at the end of the season I received the letter I had been dreaming of since I first started refereeing – I was going to be a Level 4 referee when the next season began and refereeing on the United Counties League Premier.

“...the most important piece of advice of all would be to ensure throughout your refereeing career you smile and enjoy yourself. Without enjoyment or passion, it will be difficult to perform to the level required.” 26

This last season has gone really well for me for varying reasons. With assessors this year I have consistently been performing well and have been in Band A (the top quarter of referees) all the way through the season, however, at half season marks my club marks were really low and I was struggling. A few phone calls to discuss where I may be going wrong with those who I have always trusted for advice have really helped. The advice given to me was to do my homework on the clubs that I was refereeing, motivate and inspire my assistant referees to enhance the performance of the team, and always be prepared to speak to the players in a pro-active manner when opportunities arose. I deposited the advice given and the perception of the clubs appeared to be more encouraging. Therefore I was delighted to see that at the end of the season I had moved my club marks also into band A. This resulted in a letter landing on to my doormat informing me of my promotion to Level 3 as a Contributory League referee – an opportunity that I can’t wait for, come the start of next season! In my refereeing career to date I have been supported by many people and I would like to use this platform to thank them. The first has to be Lincolnshire County FA who have been a massive help to my refereeing career and have always been at the end of a phone providing much appreciated advice, support and guidance. My dad, Nigel, has always been honest with me, helping me along every step of the way and I know that without his help I wouldn’t be anywhere near the referee that I am today. My regional development coach, Dave Bryan, has helped me evaluate and consider specific elements of my assessments and offered valuable expertise within refereeing, especially when help was needed on how to run a line. There are far too many to mention by name but they know who they are.

THE LAWS OF THE GAME AMENDMENTS SEASON 2012/2013 Important revisions to the Laws of the Game for you to know The local Referees’ Association at Stamford has been another pivotal pathway to my development as a referee. I would advise any referee to join their local branch. Practical elements of the Laws of the Game are discussed; best practices are shared along with social evenings that embrace the opportunities of developing as a match official. Quality guest speakers from the world of Football certainly enhance the ‘motto’ of the Referees’ Association being ‘service before self’.

There have been three significant amendments made to the Laws of the Game ahead of 2012/13 season. They are outlined below:

LAW 1 – THE FIELD OF PLAY COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING PRESENT TEXT Commercial advertising shall be at least 1m (1yd) from the boundary lines of the field of play.

If I was to give any advice to a referee looking to start their progression up the refereeing ladder, the first thing would be to create a small network of people who you can trust implicitly and speak to honestly and openly through the good times, but more importantly the hard times. However, the most important piece of advice of all would be to ensure that throughout your refereeing career you smile and enjoy yourself! Without enjoyment or passion it will be difficult to perform to the level required.

PROPOSED TEXT Advertising on the ground shall be at least 1m (1yd) from the boundary lines of the field of play. Upright advertising shall be at least: • 1m (1yd) from the touch lines of the field of play; • the same distance from the goal line as the depth of the goal net; and • 1m (1yd) from the goal net.

LAW 4 – THE PLAYERS’ EQUIPMENT PRESENT TEXT Stockings

PROPOSED TEXT Stockings - if tape or similar material is applied externally it must be the same colour as that part of the stocking it is applied to.

LAW 8 – THE START AND RESTART OF PLAY PRESENT TEXT Infringements and sanctions

PROPOSED TEXT Infringements and sanctions

The ball is dropped again:

…

If the ball enters the goal: • if a dropped ball is kicked directly into the opponents’ goal, a goal kick is awarded • if a dropped ball is kicked directly into the team’s own goal, a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team.

Feature The Referees’ Association

RA CONFERENCE JULY 2012 Working Together

n the second weekend in July, fitting nicely between the drama of EURO 2012 and the lead up to the new season, was the annual RA Conference, with the theme of ‘Working Together’. As usual, the weekend started on Friday afternoon with the business of the AGM. This was followed by The FA Forum, chaired by David Elleray and with Neale Barry, Ian Blanchard and Dean Mohareb answering a variety of questions on refereeing matters. On Friday evening, the focus of the Social Function was the presentation of RA Long and Meritorious Service Awards. At that time, members of referee academies all over the country were preparing for an early start the following morning to journey to Hinckley. George Laflin from Bury St. Edmunds RA gives his account of the Conference on Saturday: “This weekend was attended by 11 members of the Suffolk FA Youth Referees Academy who were accompanied by Trevor Pollard and Colin Hills, and I can confidently speak on behalf of everyone that attended from our group, that we found it to be an interesting and informative weekend which has given everyone extra motivation in preparation for the new season.

“Achieving high quality teamwork and co-operation”

With the theme of the weekend being “Working Together”, I thought that the video presented by Dean Mohareb and Ray Olivier was very fitting and was something that most in the room could relate to. It got everyone talking about something that was presented in an informative and interactive way, providing many learning points for referees of all ages and levels. The video was about a referee who was doing what he perceived to be an important game on the last day of the marking season. A large number of spectators were expected to be at the game and he had two assistant referees whose experience differed vastly. One was a new assistant doing his first game at that level and was clearly very nervous; the other was a very experienced official. There were many learning points that came out of the video. In particular the importance of pre-match contact with your colleagues, in terms of dress code and meeting time; that it is the first opportunity to build a rapport. The other thing which came out of it for me was how to deal with assistant referees, whether they are young or experienced and the importance of building the team. This was hugely relevant for me at Supply League level where you often have a vast difference in experience of assistant referees. The first part of the video highlighted examples of bad practice where the referee showed very little respect to his colleagues, and in particular post-match after a difficult game. The second part highlighted good practice and taking the positives out of the performance, delivering feedback to the young assistant referee, even though it was in difficult circumstances as the assessor disagreed with him on a key match incident that had occurred.

My favourite workshop was presented by Howard Webb and Sian Massey with the topic of “Achieving high quality teamwork and co-operation”. The workshop started off with us placed into groups and given a number of cards with different factors that affect teamwork and had to put them in order of importance; needless to say this brought a lot of debate within the groups. Then we saw video clips from Premier League games where we were able to discuss relevant points within them. Howard also spoke about his experiences and the importance of teamwork for his appointment to the World Cup 2010 Final with Darren Cann and Mike Mullarkey playing a pivotal part in that. This was my fourth year at the conference, and once again it has been an enjoyable experience. I am sure Suffolk will be taking back another group next year and I hope to be part of that once again.” George Laflin

Suﬀolk Academy: L-R Richard Cooley, Jon Block, George Laﬂin, DJ Driver, Dan Long, Aidan Kitchen, Kieran Kitchen, Brad Mingay, Darren Cooley, Tom Carter, Jake Fox, Trevor Pollard and Colin Hills)

On Saturday evening, it was time for the dinner suits and cocktail dresses to come out for another enjoyable dinner, followed by dancing to the excellent Likely Lads. During the evening the following were made Life Members of the Referees’ Association:– – – – – –

Harry Dixon Peter Griffiths Ray Mallery Alex McPhee Ted Ring Bill Williams

North Shields Doncaster & District Croydon Darlington Sheffield & District West Penwith

Also, those members present who officiated in the top FA finals during the season were presented with a trophy to recognise their achievements.

CONFERENCE 2013: 5–7 JULY @ HINCKLEY ISLAND HOTEL Preparations have already started for next year’s event, which coincides with the 150th Anniversary of The FA and will have the theme of: ‘Honouring the past, building the future – a celebration of refereeing’.

Life Members pictured with new RA Chairman Nigel Genner (left to right) Peter Griffiths (Doncaster), Ted Ring (Sheffield), Bill Williams (West Penwith), Ray Mallery (Croydon), Nigel Genner, Harry Dixon (North Shields)

RA NATIONAL QUIZ FINAL On the Sunday morning following the Conference, ten teams demonstrated another aspect of Working Together by taking part in the final of RA Quiz. The winners were Erewash Valley, with Worthing in second place and Bristol third. Andy Green (Erewash Valley) was the top individual scorer with the maximum of 32 points.

ARTHUR SMITH

he Conference weekend provided the ideal opportunity to pay tribute to Arthur Smith who has retired after 20 years as The Referees’ Association General Secretary. Throughout the weekend, tributes were paid to Arthur’s excellent work over two decades and the way he has guided Presidents and numerous Board members, as well as travelling the length and breadth of the county to support Societies and individual members.

As well as tributes from the refereeing world, Arthur also received a wonderful presentation from the PFA emphasising how Arthur has engaged successfully with other key sections of the football family.

It was appropriate in many ways that the Conference weekend was the time to pay these tributes as the new Conference format is one of the main areas of progress that Arthur has helped oversee and guide.

Arthur Smith symbolises ‘Service before Self’ and the RA is indeed fortunate that they are not losing his wisdom and influence as he has been elected to the RA Board and remains the RA’s representative on The FA Council.

At the dinner on Saturday evening, with Arthur’s closest family present and wife Joan by his side, the RA President paid fulsome tribute to Arthur and Joan before making presentations to recognise his outstanding devotion and service.

The Referees’ Association

EVE OF FINAL RALLY 2012

he change of venue to One Great George Street, close to the Houses of Parliament, proved to be a wise choice, not just in saving costs but also providing a better setting for this prestigious event while retaining an easily accessible central London location. The purpose of the event is a chance for RA members to honour their five colleagues who have been appointed to officiate the following day on what is still regarded by most as the world’s greatest club match. In response to an introduction by our President David Elleray, the referee is expected to respond with a few thoughts on the day ahead. On this occasion, Phil Dowd was fuelled by David’s revelation that he was the oldest cup final referee since 1890! There is always a Guest Speaker, usually from the football world; on this occasion David Davies gave a very interesting account

David Elleray, President of the Referees’ Association with 2012 FA Cup Final referee, Phil Dowd.

of his career in journalism, with the BBC and with The FA, as well as his thoughts on football generally. Probably the most appealing parts of the evening, however, are before and after the formalities when the match officials make themselves freely available to speak to members, have photos taken, sign autographs and generally talk about their careers; all in the presence of their partners who themselves are always well taken care of. Such a gathering is another key aspect of The RA-FA partnership where the officials recognise the importance of being seen not just as role models but as fellow RA members, recognising that in their presence may be The FA Cup Final referee of the future.

Among those present are always cup final officials from the past, this year going back to Alan Robinson, who refereed the big match in 1986, having also run the line in 1980. Assistant Referee Stuart Burt speaks on behalf of this year’s match officials by saying: “It was an amazing experience spending time with people who were genuinely proud of us in achieving our dreams and wishing us all the very best for the biggest game of our lives!” Whilst the match itself was not regarded as a great spectacle, once again our team in black did us all proud with a sound performance. Make a note in your diaries now for the 2013 Eve-of-Final Rally on Friday 10 May at One Great George Street. Who will be the referee team then?

Women’s Refereeing

SENIOR WOMEN REFEREE DEVELOPMENT EVENT

n the 21st July, 15 of the country’s top women referees came together in Staverton, Northants. The first gathering of its kind, the oneday event was organised after changes were made to the structure of women refereeing in February this year. The day kicked off with an introduction from David Elleray, who is now responsible for all international matters with regards to the appointment and selection of FIFA officials – both male and female. David outlined plans to further professionalise senior women referees and raise standards to a greater height using a new structure.

Aligned with David, Neale Barry will oversee the Women’s Super League and Premier League, with Wendy Toms (former FIFA referee) overseeing women’s education, training and development.

During the morning, there was a strong focus on the recognition of foul offences and we watched a number of match incident clips to help identify the difference between careless, reckless and excessive force among players. The aim was to discuss ways in which the differences could be spotted and handled by officials. Wendy Toms then spoke about the role of the observer and what they will look for when observing officials appointed to international games.

After lunch, Simon Breivik (Head of Sports Science, PGMOL) explained the importance of exercise and nutrition in ensuring we had both physical and mental fitness and agility. Discussing the type of training we should be doing as well as the type of diet we should be having, Simon shared ideas on how easy it is to build optimum fitness levels using fairly basic facilities. For many of us, it was the first time we had discussed this topic in any real depth and we are all very excited to be working alongside Simon in the future. Before the day ended, we took the opportunity to have an open Q&A session where we were able to share our ideas, questions and concerns and give David, Neale and Wendy the opportunity to respond. It was great to understand certain aspects in more detail and it has left us all excited for the new season. Overall, our experience of the day was a very positive one and we are convinced it is a step in the right direction for women referees, and we are all looking forward to future events of its type.

“The aim was to discuss ways in which the differences could be spotted and handled by officials” Fifteen of the country’s top women referees gathered for the first time after changes were made to the structure of women refereeing in February.

Feature

PARALYMPICS REFEREE With Keith Stroud, CEO at Bedfordshire FA and Level 1 Referee Q How did you first get into refereeing? I go back to 1987 when I used to run the line in local football in the Bournemouth area. I wasn’t very good as a player and so I was encouraged to take up the whistle. I thought I would give it a try, and from that moment my love of football and, in particular, refereeing blossomed. It’s important to never forget your roots, and throughout my journey in football I have always tried to put something back into the game because I just find it so rewarding.

From the local leagues in Bournemouth I moved to the Hampshire League and then the Wessex League. I spent seven years at this level and became rather frustrated until I was eventually promoted to Level 3 and operating in the Southern League.

I was then a Select Group referee for three seasons. My most memorable experience to date was being an assistant referee for the 2003 FA Cup Final – the first Cup Final to be played under the roof of the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. Wow, what an experience!

After one season I gained a double promotion onto the Panel middle and the National List Assistant Referees list. Six months later I became a FIFA Assistant Referee before becoming a Football League referee in 2003.

Q So why did you decide to get involved in refereeing Disability Football? A very good family friend has a disabled son with Cerebral Palsy. He is confined to a wheelchair and cannot speak. He drives his wheelchair with his head and understands everything that is going on. I have always taken a keen interest in his welfare, and

Eight officials have been selected as National Technical Officials for the Lodon 2012 Paralympic Games where Team GB 7-a-side CP football team will be competing.

THE FA’S 8 REFEREES AT THE PARALYMPIC GAMES

A Level 1 referee and CEO at Bedfordshire FA, Keith Stroud, speaks to Refereeing about how he got into refereeing disability football, officiating at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, and his thoughts about what it takes to be a successful disability football referee.

when the opportunity arose to get involved in refereeing Cerebral Palsy (CP) football I jumped at the chance. I had heard of blind football and football played by amputees but I didn’t know CP football existed. Needless to say, the players don’t have severe disabilities and from my initial experiences of getting involved they have great skill, a huge amount of energy and great passion for the game. I suppose in my mind it reinforces the fact that “Football is for all”. Continued on pages 34 and 35.

t the start of the 2011/12 season, The FA launched a programme to train match officials to officiate in Cerebral Palsy football. The programme aimed to identify and train a pool of match officials, for whom involvement in the London Paralympic games would be a possibility. After sifting through over 150 applications, a total of 25 officials were accepted onto the training programme where they attended a training seminar in November 2011, to learn about the differences between CP and mainstream football. Since then they have spent one Saturday a month travelling the country, officiating in the National Cerebral Palsy Football League which comprises of eight Regional Cerebral Palsy Centre of Excellences, with separate sections for adult and U16 males. Possibility turned into reality for eight match officials who were selected as National Technical Officials (match officials) for the Paralympic Games, Cerebral Palsy 7-a-side football competition, after impressing with their performances in the National League: • • • • • • • •

David Davies Scott Henry Hayley Ives Alex Kirkley Tom Nield Garry Polkey Keith Stroud Kevin Wright

(Staffordshire FA) (Cumberland FA) (Bedfordshire FA) (Manchester FA) (Norfolk FA) (Cheshire FA) (Hampshire FA) (Huntingdonshire FA)

The Paralympic Games represent a once in a lifetime opportunity for our country, our athletes and now, eight of our referees. They arrived in the Paralympic Village in advance of the Opening Ceremony on 29 August, to prepare for a once in a life time opportunity of officiating in the Paralympic Games on home soil. The Cerebral Palsy competition began on 1 September with Great Britain competing against Russia, Iran, Ukraine, Brazil, the Netherlands, Argentina and USA. In the build up to the games, the officials officiated at the BT Paralympic World Cup in Manchester from 22-26 May. The BT Paralympic World Cup is the largest annual international multi-sport competition in elite disability sport and Great Britain competed against Brazil, Republic of Ireland and USA in the Football 7-a-side competition. All fixtures took place at the Manchester Regional Arena, in the shadows of the City of Manchester Stadium.

Feature

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important that you use your personality; you sell the decisions you make, you communicate with the players

Q What skills are needed to referee in CP football? The first thing I have to say is that the expectations of the players is that they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be treated any differently to any other player. Believe me, they are competitive and they want to win. There are subtle differences and adaptations that you need to be aware of. There are different categories of CP and these are classified by the football authorities. As a match official you need to be aware how many of certain categories are on the field of play at one time. A lot of CP players have

restrictive hand and arm movements and therefore the judgement of handball needs to be carefully considered. You also have to be careful when making decisions, remembering that like any other game contact between players is inevitable and as a referee you have a duty of care. You need to have bucket loads of empathy to recognise what they are doing, their skills and what they are trying to achieve. I love the banter you develop with the players who really appreciate what you are doing.

Another important aspect is communication. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important that you use your personality; you sell the decisions you make, you communicate with the players, but also show that you are enjoying yourself being involved in this type of football. Q Not many people will know much about CP football. What have you learnt from your involvement so far? I had no idea that CP football was so global. You have the Brazilians who use their usual flicks and tricks when playing, the Russians who I believe are full time, while there are also strong teams in Iran and Ukraine.

The fourth official is crucial for substitutions by ensuring we have the correct number category of players on the field at any one time.

Ultimately this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am very grateful to have been selected to represent my country at London 2012.

I had no idea until I got involved that there was so much disability football being played in England with County and Regional networks. Getting nominated to represent the Great Britain team is a huge accolade and one which is taken very seriously. I have to say the support and encouragement given by The FA towards disability football is fantastic.

Q As a CEO of a County FA, how has refereeing helped you in your role? Refereeing is all about man management, having the right level of confidence and using your body language wisely. In life to be successful and to achieve you need bags of the above.

Q How have you benefited from your involvement in CP football? I am a great believer that every game of football gives you the opportunity to learn from your experiences, from the decisions you make and reflect on the impact you had on a game. I cannot help but feel humble after every game. The fact that the players have a disability but are able to put their bodies on the line playing football is just fantastic. However, I treat every game the same, whether it is a Football League, grassroots or a CP football match. I give my all and put in a professional performance, because that’s certainly what the players would expect and deserve. From a personal point of view I have developed a better understanding of the game and have really fine-tuned my man management skills, and overall it’s been a great eye opener. Q You have been nominated to represent your country at the London Paralympics. What are you looking forward to the most? It’s just a fantastic honour to be nominated and to be involved in such a huge tournament. I cannot wait to sample the atmosphere and to see the elation on the faces of everyone who is involved. Believe me, the game is taken seriously across the world and the standards are extremely high. The squads have a full back room staff including manager, coach, physiotherapist and doctor; in fact just the same set up as a Premier League Club. CP Football is played on a smaller field of play, with smaller goals utilising 7-a-side format. There is no offside but assistant referees and a fourth official are appointed. This is challenging in itself as you need to ensure you utilise the assistant referees, allowing them to assist when credible.

In management, whether off or on the field, you need to be able to talk to people, treat people with respect, listen, understand and then have the ability to make decisions, without fear or favour. I have tried to take all those qualities into my business life, and in return my experiences as a CEO have also helped my refereeing which has ultimately shaped me as an individual. I have been very fortunate that I have a great career linked to football and long may it continue. Finally, what piece of advice would you offer to any referee? There is so much I could offer but the one thing that’s so important in refereeing is to enjoy everything you do. There are times when the going gets tough, but even in those moments there will be a time when you can smile; either to yourself or with the players. It’s about feeling relaxed, being yourself, looking confident throughout, giving and gaining respect of all the participants and fundamentally loving every moment.

There were eight of us picked to go to the Paralympics and we had the opportunity to gel as a team. We all worked together at the recent CP Football World Cup in Manchester and we all got on well with each other. We met our head coach, Les Howie, who has a lot of experience refereeing in this type of football and gave us the insight into international CP Football. My family have fully supported me throughout my refereeing career, and I will be proud to walk out into the Paralympics arena with my wife Stefanie and my two children, Madison and Bailey, watching from the stands.

Refereeing at The FA

THE NEW FA CONTRIBUTORY LEAGUE MENTORING SCHEME By Rob McCarthy, Mentoring Scheme Leader

t has always been an aim of The FA Referees’ Department and FA Referees’ Committee to enhance the developmental support offered to officials at Contributory League Level, and for season 2012/2013 this has now become a reality.

David Elleray (Chairman, FA Referees’ Committee) and Neale Barry (FA Head of Senior Referee Development) have now launched the pilot of a new Contributory League Mentoring Scheme, encompassing all first year, and the majority of second year, Level 3 referees. The new Mentoring Scheme has been designed specifically to complement and work alongside the existing Coaching Scheme, by assuming responsibility for supporting the new and developing Level 3 referees in their first two seasons. Each of the 190 referees involved in the Scheme has been assigned a Mentor to offer stable, long-term support, which is aimed at making the transition from Level 4 to Level 3 smoother and easier.

PROFESSOR CLUTTERBUCK STATES THAT

There are 19 Mentors for this season’s pilot. All are highly experienced current or retired match officials. The Mentors operate under the leadership and support of the Scheme Leader, who oversees both the day to day running of the Scheme and the Mentors’ continued professional development, which has been designed in conjunction with Professor Clutterbuck, a leading figure in the World of Mentoring and Coaching. The Mentor’s role is varied. One day it may be advising on administrative queries e.g. the appointing system, Law based issues and the appeals/moderation processes; the next it could be offering ideas for selfimprovement; acting as a sounding board; reviewing assessments with their referees to identify trends; having 1:1 meetings; and supporting the referees in identifying and overcoming development areas, both as a referee and as an assistant referee.

The Mentors will discharge their duties by phone, Skype, e mail etc, so attending games is not required. However, they may do so where there is a major development area, where they can then offer more comprehensive advice. So how will it work? 1. The starting point is the Mentor and referee having conversations pre and post-match to both set up for, and then reflect on, every appointment; 2. The referee will complete a selfassessment which will then be discussed along with a copy of The FA official assessment later that week – enabling the referee to understand with more clarity which parts of their performance are working well, and which require some more focus in order for the highest levels of success possible. Meanwhile, the Coaches will continue their valuable work, now focusing on Level 2Bs and promising Level 3s. Thus the Mentoring Scheme, coupled with the Coaching Scheme, now ensures approximately 40% more Level 2B/L3 referees are offered support than in previous seasons, which is definitely a progressive step in Level 3 Referee Development.

“Mentoring is probably the most powerful developmental process people can experience; and when it works, it develops two for the price of one”. It is hoped therefore that this new Scheme will be highly rewarding for both the Mentors and Referees.

Refereeing at The FA

THE NATIONAL REFEREE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (NRDP) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUPS

By Roger Vaughan, FA National Referee Manager Recruitment, Retention & Development

he Football Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Referees Development Programme was launched towards the end of the 2010/11 season and has now been in place for one complete season. As you will recall from a previous article, the fourth and final stage of the programme is made up of eight regional Development groups formed of up to four referees at Level 4 (or exceptional Level 5s) and a coach. This stage is aimed at offering further development to officials who may have been involved in their county academies or development groups within stage three of the programme. The aim is to prepare these referees for further progression to stage three, and ultimately involvement in the professional game. Each of the regions is headed up by a coordinator with a wealth of experience, credibility and development of referees as their forte. In addition, the coaches nominated by County FAs have similar qualities and include representation from the professional ranks. Within this group there are over 200 referees at Levels 4 and 5 and over 50 coaches. Last season each group met roughly on a quarterly basis and received fitness training and advice on all areas of their performance from PGMO presenters and other senior referee developers.

In addition, many of the groups attended games with their coaches, which offered an excellent insight and development opportunity to share amongst the group. Furthermore, the regional groups were able to obtain kit as members of stage four as well as one from each region attending the Dallas Cup. Further opportunities in international and senior tournaments in the UK will become available throughout this season. The most important element of developmental support for the group was regular contact with their coach as well as

the opportunity for their coach to attend their games and offer support and advice. As a result of the support and development available to those in Stage 4 of the NRDP, over 30 referees were promoted to Level 3 last season with those that were not successful in being promoted now better prepared for the season ahead. If you are interested in any part of the NRDP please contact your local County Referee Development Officer/Manager.

The aim is to prepare these referees for further progression to stage three

Feature

A NEW NATIONAL HOME FOR COACHING Inside the National Football Centre

ast month saw the opening of St. George’s Park – a groundbreaking facility that will transform the development of football. The FA’s new 330-acre sports site is located in the National Forest, near Burton-Upon-Trent, in the geographical heart of England. As well as being the new training base for the 24 England teams, it will also be the home of FA Learning with outstanding education courses and an integrated sports medicine centre. Grassroots, professional and elite coaches, plus many different groups across football, sport and the business community will all benefit from the inspirational and accessible facilities. Included are a host of indoor facilities for winter training/Futsal, medical facilities and a fullsize replica Wembley pitch. The teams will also stay on site at the hotels. Refereeing will join the rest of the football family at St. George’s Park. The Select Group referees will use it for their regular training meetings and The FA Refereeing Department will hold many of their training courses there. St. George’s Park will become the national centre for coach education, enabling a step-change in both the quantity and quality of coaching development. It will help drive the changes recommended in The Future Game, The FA Technical Guide for Young Player Development, and The FA Youth Development Review making a long-term impact on the coaching and development of the next generation of English players.

“St. George’s Park will become the national centre for coach education, enabling a step-change in both the quantity and quality of coaching development” SIR TREVOR BROOKING

Coaches will be able to take courses from Level 1 for locally-based coaches up to UEFA Pro-Licence residential stays – and everything in between. They will learn from the very best tutors in a world-class training environment. Sir Trevor Brooking, The FA’s Director of Football Development, explains: “With the development of coaches from all communities at the heart of the ethos of St. George’s Park, we hope to effect a longterm change in the quality and quantity of qualified coaches at all levels. “St. George’s Park will be the cornerstone of our significantly enhanced training structure, which must empower both new and current coaches to dramatically transform the technical capability of our young English players. “I believe the opening of St. George’s Park will represent a significant step change in the ability of English football to produce more and better technically-able young English footballers.” This world-class facility will be available to use by UK and global football clubs as well as other sports and business organisations with the aim of driving excellence in performance The football workforce including administrators, managers and volunteers will all benefit from a range of new and improved training courses to be delivered in partnership.

Medics will attend FA Learning courses in the St. George’s Park educational zone, or book space in the diagnostics, treatment and rehabilitation facilities for treating athletes or private clients. Grassroots players will benefit from better coaching, while the local community will have weekly access to three pitches and quality changing facilities for local football leagues. Local school and club cup finals could also be staged there. Sports teams and athletes from home and overseas will be well accommodated in all facilities including the multi-sport indoor facility, with high-quality medical facilities for diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. Several sports are already looking to use St. George’s Park as their training and learning base. Also, professional football teams will be able to outsource their club’s medical needs and records to a specialist team at St. George’s Park. 2012 will be an exciting year for football in England and St. George’s Park will be at the heart of it. For updates and further information, see the new St. George’s Park website, www.TheFA.com/sgp.

“St. George’s Park will represent a significant step change in the ability of English football to produce more and better technically-able young English footballers” SIR TREVOR BROOKING

Feature

‘AN INVALUABLE INSIGHT’ – KICK IT OUT’S ‘LEADING THE WAY’ CONFERENCE By Jack Cavilla

aul Elliott led the focus on nurturing football’s next generation at Kick It Out’s second annual mentoring and leadership conference on Tuesday 27 March. Participants from across the country descended on the TUC Congress House in London for ‘Leading the Way’, an initiative supported by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), to discuss potential pathways into the football industry with key representatives across various fields within the game. Former Chelsea and Celtic defender Elliott, who acted as host, commented in his opening address: “This event is all about you. We have mentors here today from across different areas of the game and a variety of backgrounds. They have all taken their own unique journey into football, and can give you an invaluable insight into their field to help you along the way. Speak to as many people as you can and, most importantly, put the advice you’re given into practice.” Earl Barrett, the campaign’s Mentoring and Leadership project leader, emphasised the positive influences the game can have and the opportunities it has to offer. “Today is a perfect reflection of the positives that our game can generate,” the ex-England international commented. “It’s a unique opportunity to discover your own methods and forge your own pathway into the industry. There is a wealth of

“Speak to as many people as you can and, most importantly, put the advice you’re given into practice.” opportunity and many experienced and talented individuals are present today to help you, so please take advantage of that.” Keynote speaker Heather Rabbatts CBE, the first woman to sit on The FA board, supported Barrett’s beliefs in an inspiring speech specifically covering the topics of women and minorities working in football. “There are a whole range of professions that are involved in the world of football and often we don’t think about them when we are trying to consider our own careers. “One focuses on the talent that’s on the pitch but there are so many other roles, that if you want to really participate you can achieve. Football is a massive global industry and the great thing about being involved in English football is that it is hugely respected throughout the world.” Joyce Cook OBE, Chair of Level Playing Field, spoke about diversity in football and the progress being made to provide equality of opportunity for all participants: “We cannot accept compromise when it comes to equality and inclusion and we cannot kid ourselves nor try to justify that it’s OK to compromise because of the size of the challenge.”

The PFA’s Paul Davis. Reflecting on what has been a testing season for English football, Garth Crooks OBE, gave his own positive outlook: “When you think what you’re doing doesn’t matter, think again. Somebody is watching you and what you do, and appreciating what you do. You never know when your abilities might just come into focus. So don’t give up, keep doing what you doing.” There were a series of workshops, exhibitions and one-to-one mentoring sessions running throughout the day, with figureheads such as Charlton Athletic midfielder Jason Euell, The PFA’s Paul Davis; Cathy Long, the Premier League’s Head of Supporter Services; Lorraine Deschamps,

Former Charlton Athletic forward, Mark Bright speaking to former Chelsea and Celtic defender, Paul Elliott. Chair of The FA’s Referee Diversity Action Group; and Aisha Hughton from Sky Sports News, passing on advice. Andrew Muhammad, one of the country’s leading public speakers, delivered an energetic speech centering around people achieving future career goals, using the attitude and hard work of professional sportsmen and women as inspiration. The day concluded with a Q&A discussion, allowing attendees to quiz a panel made up of former Scotland manager George Burley, England C team boss Paul Fairclough; Scott Field, The FA’s Head of Media, BBC Sport’s Caroline Barker, Michael Nyarko of Rio Ferdinand’s ‘Live the Dream’ Foundation, and Riz Rehman from the Zesh Rehman Foundation. Members of the audience asked questions on a number of aspects relating to the industry and gained a valuable insight into some of the working practises within football. The lack of black and minority ethnic coaches, and the underrepresentation of females and Asians in the game, were some of the key topics discussed in the debate.

“One focuses on the talent that’s on the pitch but there are so many other roles, that if you want to really participate you can achieve.”

Lorraine Deschamps, Chair of The FA’s Referee Diversity Action Group.

NOTES

RA-FA LIAISON COMMITTEE Chairman David Elleray Chairman – FA Referees’ Committee President – The Referees’ Association The FA Referees’ Committee David Horlick The FA Refereeing Department Neale Barry Ian Blanchard Dean Mohareb Roger Vaughan

FA Head of Senior Referee Development FA Senior National Game Referee Manager FA National Referee Manager – Workforce Development FA National Referee Manager – Recruitment, Retention & Development

The Referees’ Association Nigel Genner Paul Field Colin Harris Arthur Smith Phil Joslin

RA Chairman RA F&GP (Chairman) RA ICC (Chairman) RA EAC (Chairman) RA General Secretary; (also on The FA Referees’ Committee)

FA Learning The Football Association St. George’s Park Newborough Road Needwood Burton-Upon-Trent DE13 9PD Postal Address FA Learning The Football Association St. George’s Park PO Box 8012 Burton-Upon-Trent DE14 9JA T: 0844 980 8200 F: 0844 980 8201 E: info@TheFA.com TheFA.com/FALearning FA Learning Hotline: 0870 850 0424 The Referees’ Association Unit 12 Ensign Business Centre Westwood Way Westwood Business Park Coventry CV4 8JA T: +44 (0) 2476 420 630 F: +44 (0) 2476 601 556 E: ra@footballreferee.org www.footballreferee.org