Copyright© 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 The AFA and London Society of Association Referees established 2006
Time rolls by: By the time you read this we shall be starting the month of February with
the end of the season in sight with all that this means. For you there may be cup-
promotion but for most of us we can enjoy the warm satisfaction of another job well done
for the benefit of grass root football. Should any of you feel that it is time to hang up your
boots please reconsider as you are part of the life blood of real football. We may think our
refereeing days are coming to an end but there is a lot more to do by way of assessing,
tutoring [new term for instructing] and mentoring. We have so much valuable experience
and it would be a pity to let it go to waste. The “bus pass referees brigade” plays a large
part of our football; long may it continue.
Focus UK: During the next few months the world’s attention will be focused on the UK.
We will have the usual end of season football competitions but most importantly the
Queens Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the Olympic and Para Olympic Games. Further
afield there will the Champions’ League final and the UEFA European Football
Championship in Poland and Ukraine from 8 June to 1 July 2012. The 13 European
Championship tournaments have been won by 9 different national teams. Germany [of
course] is the most successful team in the history of the tournament, winning 3 times in 6
final appearances. France and Spain are the only other multiple-
The other European Championship winners are Italy, Czechoslovakia, Netherlands,
Denmark, Greece and inaugural winners Soviet Union, with one title each.
I am sure that the arrangements Lord Coe and his followers have made will mean a
successful Olympics and a very positive image for the UK. Perhaps less certain is whether
our boys will do any better at the UEFA European Football Championship than they did at
the World Cup in RSA. We live in hope but maybe come the end of June I will again be
looking down at the swirling waters of the Thames off Kew Bridge and wondering “Where
did it all go wrong?”
Alexandra Park Meeting: If you missed last month’s Society meeting at Alexandra Park
FC where Dean Mohareb was our guest speaker you missed a real treat. His discourse on
“Free Kick Management” was superb [see elsewhere for fuller details] as was his relaxed
and engaging style of delivery. As always our hosts in the shape of Nigel Grimes,
Chairman of APFC and his colleagues laid on a superb bar, food and atmosphere and those
who attended did so in numbers it being the second best well attended meeting of the
season. I hope you will continue to support the Society throughout the remaining meetings
of the 2011/12 season.
A Champion Struggle: The struggle for the premiership is particularly fascinating this
season with new kids on the block Manchester City maintaining top spot. It is possible
therefore that a new champion’s name will be added to the just 4 clubs so far since its
beginning in 1993. Since 1888, a total of just 23 clubs have been crowned champions of
the English football system. Of the 45 clubs to have competed since the inception of the
Premier League in 1992, just 4 have won the title: Manchester United (12 titles) Arsenal
(3), Chelsea (3) and Blackburn Rovers (1). It is unsurprising that the Premiership has
become the world's most watched association football league and the world's most
lucrative football league in terms of revenue, with combined club revenues of over
£2 billion in 2008–09. It is ranked first in the UEFA coefficients of leagues based on
performances in European competitions over the last five years, ahead of the Spanish La
Liga and German Bundesliga. It is the number two football league in terms of average
attendance behind the German Bundesliga.
Betting, the curse of the modern game?: TV exposure, the vast sums of money
available and the recent development of spread betting have in my view increased the
temptations to players, managers, club officials, referees and fans to look for easy money
and exposure to enormous pressures. Years ago you could only bet on whether team [a]
would beat team [b] but now vast sums of money change hands on the number of corners
in a game, the time of the first throw–in etc. For anyone involved directly in match rigging,
say for the sake of argument a goalkeeper, takes an enormous risk in deliberately fluffing a
save. However, an outfield player can at the first opportunity kick the ball out of play for
the first throw-
of this is hypothetical but nevertheless potentially dangerous for the good of the game.
The pressure on referees during these big games has increased enormously and thank
goodness we have the best and most honest referees in the world. I was tremendously
impressed [yet again] with Howard Webb’s performance in the Manchester City V Spurs
game recently when he had the courage to award a penalty to City in the 95th minute of
the game. In spite of this excellent decision debate rages currently as to whether Mario
Barwuah Balotelli should have been on the FOP to execute the winning penalty kick. [He
has subsequently been banned for 4 matches as a result of an incident during the game
involving Spurs’ Scotty Parker.] One thing is constant though: we have the best and most
incorruptible match officials in the world and any decision is based on the evidence, seen in
the blink of an eye, made by dedicated and expertly trained referees. It’s a pity TV
commentators don’t give them more credit for their expertise, accuracy and courage.
Race, but not the one we enjoy: Sadly, racial matters have reared their ugly head in
English football again and unfortunately the forces of law and order [haven’t they got
enough to do] have become involved. This may lead to charges being brought against a
player, a court appearance and perhaps a prison sentence or a heavy fine plus suspension
by The FA. All this is bad for football’s image. But are we to see the boys in blue arresting
players as they leave the FOP? But contrast this incident to one say of head-
even stamping. If these acts of raw violence are proven by the referee at the time or
subsequently by The FA should the forces of law and order become involved given that an
assault has occurred? This would be a sad day however it appears of late that some have
forgotten the rule of proportionality.
Let me have your best ideas: I mentioned in my last article that I would be launching
a “Tips and Tricks” series of articles based on simple advice for newly qualified referees. I
asked for contributions from experienced referees who have known that awful feeling
when something has gone wrong with a game during your first season or two. I have
hardly been inundated by e-
put on your thinking caps and let me have your tips and tricks in time for the March Argus
And finally: I had a lovely Xmas with our adult children with us on the big day. We
relived earlier Christmases with the magic of a tree, lots of presents, and a traditional
pantomime. One of my children reminded me of a tortoise she once had and how we had
opened a bank account for him 25 years ago. I had forgotten about this completely and
the money I had over the years invested therein. The account is named “Bungy1986” and
is still extant. Perhaps I should contact the Suriname Savings Bank and see how my little
investment is progressing. Only kidding.
Have a good one.
Chairman’s Comments