[Football] Do Referees Actually Enjoy Their Job?

[Cowfold Seagull]

Watching Darren England on Saturday, and witnessing the abuse he was taking for most of the game from players and fans alike made me think.

Is it really worth their while for referees to take all the non stop vitriol that they often recieve? Ok at Premier League level they are very well paid for it, but much less so further down the pyramid, physical assaults from players and fans are not unknown at non league level either, plus the situation is getting worse, not better. An awful lot of travelling involved too, and time spent away from family and friends.

It all leads to me asking myself this question, would l do it? The answer is no, l don't think l would.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

I tried it for one season when I stopped playing regularly. Ran the line in the County League and ref’d lower down. Kids games were appalling but the final straw was when I booked a player for swearing at me and he kicked off. I dropped out of the game I was supposed to be refereeing the following week. Tough. To be honest footballers and fans don’t deserve people giving up their time to be involved. That’s why you won’t see me having a go at refs on the tiresome threads on here every time a decision goes against the Albion.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I ran a line for a mate’s Sunday League match once. Never will I ever do that again.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

One thing that we do need to remember, is that despite how appalling we may consider the officials to be, without them there would be no football at all.

 

[dazzer6666]

Wouldn’t even do it at junior level willingly (had to a few times when ours failed to turn up) let alone at pro level. It seems to suit a few attention-seeking egomaniacs who thrive on it (yes you Mike Dean) but for a reported c70k pa (potentially up to 200k for elites getting CL games etc) definitely not worth it imo.

 

[Acker79]

And in the face of all that vitriol they need to show confidence in their decisions - if they show any doubt that gets preyed on. But of course, this leads to more abuse as they are pinned as arrogant and full of themselves.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Wouldn’t even do it at junior level willingly (had to a few times when ours failed to turn up) let alone at pro level. It seems to suit a few attention-seeking egomaniacs who thrive on it (yes you Mike Dean) but for a reported c70k pa (potentially up to 200k for elites getting CL games etc) definitely not worth it imo.

Well, we get the refs we deserve. Why would decent people bother to put up with the abuse ?

 

[LamieRobertson]

Oh dear…I must remember to never shout at the ref again or criticise any decision he makes …after all I’m only paying £800 quid a year for the privilege of watching.

As regards to the question I think you’ll need to ask the refs themselves

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Refs are getting into it for different reasons I think. When I was growing up, people (more commonly) reffed because they loved the game and wanted to be a part of it.

Now if you're a ref it's almost like the chance to be a minor celeb, to have a bit of the PL stardust fall upon you. Get your name on MOTD, maybe get a TV career after. For that reason the people attracted to the role now tend to be people who love themselves a bit too much to be a good ref.

I think they will always take some stuck from the terraces and I guess that most don't mind the "you don't know what you're doing" stuff too much. To me, the biggest problem is the stuff where they genuinely fear physical assault or have to deal with aggression from players or managers at close quarters. The authorities should back refs up more. If the ref wants to book 6 players who have surrounded him and made him walk backwards, he should be backed in this. Any deliberate physical contact no matter how minor, even if an arm on the shoulder, should be an instant red and a very long ban. We need to get much tougher. Hopefully this new attitude of respect will filter down from elite to grassroots and refs will be more attracted to get into the game for the right reasons.

 

[Springal]

Refs are getting into it for different reasons I think. When I was growing up, people (more commonly) reffed because they loved the game and wanted to be a part of it.

Now if you're a ref it's almost like the chance to be a minor celeb, to have a bit of the PL stardust fall upon you. Get your name on MOTD, maybe get a TV career after. For that reason the people attracted to the role now tend to be people who love themselves a bit too much to be a good ref.

given it takes probably 10-15 years to get anywhere close to the EFL / PL level - and lots of that is earning £15-£20+petrol money at grass roots level, I’m not sure you can really say people are getting into it for that reason.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Refs are getting into it for different reasons I think. When I was growing up, people (more commonly) reffed because they loved the game and wanted to be a part of it.

Now if you're a ref it's almost like the chance to be a minor celeb, to have a bit of the PL stardust fall upon you. Get your name on MOTD, maybe get a TV career after. For that reason the people attracted to the role now tend to be people who love themselves a bit too much to be a good ref.

I think they will always take some stuck from the terraces and I guess that most don't mind the "you don't know what you're doing" stuff too much. To me, the biggest problem is the stuff where they genuinely fear physical assault or have to deal with aggression from players or managers at close quarters. The authorities should back refs up more. If the ref wants to book 6 players who have surrounded him and made him walk backwards, he should be backed in this. Any deliberate physical contact no matter how minor, even if an arm on the shoulder, should be an instant red and a very long ban. We need to get much tougher. Hopefully this new attitude of respect will filter down from elite to grassroots and refs will be more attracted to get into the game for the right reasons.

Definitely

 

[Da Man Clay]

I’m coming to the end of my playing days now and have thought about reffing just to keep involved. I’ll miss playing and being in and around it. To be honest though the abuse against refs have got worse the last few years (unsurprisingly the standard of ref has then got worse and worse as the abuse has) and it’s put me off. Just not worth the time and effort

 

[Swansman]

It probably sucks. Any time a team lose or draw a game they expect to win, the manager, players and fans are all blaming the ref for the result despite spending the actual 50-60 minutes of effective game time doing little if anything useful.

20 shots, a couple of very good chances... lets blame Darren England for not taking them.

Everyone on the pitch makes mistakes. People generally tolerate it unless it is a goalie, striker or referee. Darren England did not have a great game against Fulham but f*** knows if he was any more shit than for example Mitoma.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

given it takes probably 10-15 years to get anywhere close to the EFL / PL level - and lots of that is earning £15-£20+petrol money at grass roots level, I’m not sure you can really say people are getting into it for that reason.

Exactly, it does take an awful lot of hard graft, committment, and ability (though you wouldn't necessrily think it after Saturday), to make it to the very top of the tree.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Watching Darren England on Saturday, and witnessing the abuse he was taking for most of the game from players and fans alike made me think.

Is it really worth their while for referees to take all the non stop vitriol that they often recieve? Ok at Premier League level they are very well paid for it, but much less so further down the pyramid, physical assaults from players and fans are not unknown at non league level either, plus the situation is getting worse, not better. An awful lot of travelling involved too, and time spent away from family and friends.

It all leads to me asking myself this question, would l do it? The answer is no, l don't think l would.

Elite level refs get well paid for being part of an elite game of football. The best seat in the house for a PL game, chance to travel to referee internationals, name in lights at the Euros or World Cup, time in Stockley Park basically watching a game of football on telly and getting paid for it, a sense of power over young millionaires and a career afterwards talking and writing about football and refereeing. Input into the laws of the game too. It's a pretty decent gig when you think of it like that.

Everyone below that is either trying to get there and doing whatever they can to succeed, or reffing through altruistic concerns so that grass roots games can go on. While the latter group really need protecting I'd imagine the former group just carry on regardless.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Elite level refs get well paid for being part of an elite game of football. The best seat in the house for a PL game, chance to travel to referee internationals, name in lights at the Euros or World Cup, time in Stockley Park basically watching a game of football on telly and getting paid for it, a sense of power over young millionaires and a career afterwards talking and writing about football and refereeing. Input into the laws of the game too. It's a pretty decent gig when you think of it like that.

Everyone below that is either trying to get there and doing whatever they can to succeed, or reffing through altruistic concerns so that grass roots games can go on. While the latter group really need protecting I'd imagine the former group just carry on regardless.

How many potentially decent elite level refs are lost to the game though because they get sick of the abuse lower down ? Smaller pool to choose from means lower standards at the top.

 

[LamieRobertson]

It probably sucks. Any time a team lose or draw a game they expect to win, the manager, players and fans are all blaming the ref for the result despite spending the actual 50-60 minutes of effective game time doing little if anything useful.

20 shots, a couple of very good chances... lets blame Darren England for not taking them.

Everyone on the pitch makes mistakes. People generally tolerate it unless it is a goalie, striker or referee. Darren England did not have a great game against Fulham but f*** knows if he was any more shit than for example Mitoma.

Absolutely let’s just all sit there totally emotionless with nice polite applause…and chant for he’s a jolly good fellow.

This must be the way ahead

 

[Guinness Boy]

How many potentially decent elite level refs are lost to the game though because they get sick of the abuse lower down ? Smaller pool to choose from means lower standards at the top.

I don't disagree. And I'd also like to see some ex players doing it. But my point was very ambitious people will carry on.

You're a teacher, you must realise there are people in your profession who will put up with a low salary to be abused in an inner city school because they want to become a Head or Deputy Head somewhere nice one day?

 

[raymondo]

I'm surprised they get paid that little, given the money sloshing around in football. Increase the pay greatly, increase the training, a proper career path, pension, performance reviews etc etc

 

[Swansman]

Absolutely let’s just all sit there totally emotionless with nice polite applause…and chant for he’s a jolly good fellow.

This must be the way ahead

You think being emotionless is the only option to abusing the ref? It isn't. Have a look at foreign leagues, people sing and get behind their team etc. Might not believe it when you watch the PL, but people attending games actually have more options than choosing between being emotionless and calling the ref a ****.