- Contents
- News and Views
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- Dates for your Diary
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- The Forum
- From the Archives
- Useful Links
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Upcoming Meeting Check the Dates for your Diary and Society Meetings pages for news of our upcoming meetings. Society meetings are always excellent evenings and all members are welcome, and encouraged, to come along on our regular monthly meetings (on Thursdays) to join in the proceedings. |
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One Law for the Rich? Why can't or don't, our Premier referees apply the offside law as it is written? The offside law has been much tinkered with over the last few years; all in an effort to encourage goal scoring. Our Premier refs often appear to be doing their level best to prevent this happening and I would like to know why. |
| As the law stands unless a player touches the ball or prevents an opponent from playing the ball, he's not offside. There are certain closely prescribed
situations - ball coming back off the keeper, attacker in the keeper's eyeline etc - where he can be offside for "interfering with play" or "gaining an advantage" but,
otherwise, all those old saws have been done away with. He has to play the ball. But what do we, in fact, see? We see offside given against players when the ball has gone over their head by several feet; sometimes into touch. We see players ruled offside when the ball has been cut out by a defender before it got anywhere near them. We see defending sides given the advantage of a kick upfield when the ball was going through to the keeper and the "offside" player either had no chance or no interest in getting to it. On the other hand we see "heroic" decisions given like the one at the weekend "against" poor old Bristol Rovers. A defender's header was considered deliberately playing the ball and therefore the attacker - "offside" by at least 10 yards - who received it was not offside. No one would have argued if the referee had ruled that the header was under duress, not an attempt to play the ball with deliberation while it was under control, that it therefore did not constitute the start of another phase of play and that the attacking player was offside when the ball was originally kicked forward (before the defender headed it). We saw the equally heroic - and equally unnecessary - wrong decision a few weeks back when an attacking player stationed between the kicker and the goal keeper in an offside position - and clearly influencing the keeper's actions - was ruled not offside because the ball was crossed above his head. Why are the PGMOL chaps making these "big" wrong offside decisions and not the straightforward, correct, little ones? | |
 Pat Morrisey |
The FA - Worth More than That? 22nd Century Visions - 19th Century organisations. The recently published Orange Future of Football Report 2008 presented a vision of football in the future where technology transforms the professional game into something akin
to a computer game. |
| The predictions include interactive stadium seats (which vibrate to make fans stand up when a goal is scored!), stadium villages which could control their own
micro-climate (would Northern clubs make it snow for their soft southern visiting clubs?), players wearing 'billboard shirts' on which advertisers can change a message during
the game, and super athletes bred to run 50% more distance than today... Fascinating as this creative brainstorming might be, the most interesting sections for referees are those predicting how decision-making would be improved through technology. Here are some extracts from the report "The 22nd-century pitch". The pitch of the future will be alive with technology to help referees make the right decision and to keep spectators informed, including robot linesmen designed to spot an offside and light-emitting pitches. The exact point of throw-ins could be worked out by radio frequency identification (RFID) chips in the balls or even by the camera technology described above. Spotlight systems similar to giant laser pointers could mark out the exact place where free kicks need to be taken, or a circle marking out 10 yards. Ref's little helpers Robotic linesmen On-field communication So much for the Orange vision of tomorrow. To me it seems more a horrific nightmare. Certainly the game could benefit from issues of fact being automatically determined - for example - timing, and ball in and out of play or into the goal. But I find it hard to understand how a robot is going to make judgements on the key 'referee's opinion' areas of advantage, offside and fouls and misconduct. And even if a robot could make these decisions, is this what players, spectators and viewers really want? Managers might come to regret their demands for 'consistency' from referees when decisions are given mechanically on the basis of some pre-programmed artificial intelligence. [They would obviously then revert to their alternative complaint of 'lack of common sense'.] I think the human element is key to football's mass appeal. If professional football goes down the path towards a computer game played by avatars (an artificial persona in the virtual world) and refereed by robots, it will have committed commercial suicide. And all of these predictions remain a million miles from our grassroots game where 99.9% of players participate to escape from their increasingly computerised working life. Hopefully the National Game and the County administrators will have enough sense to keep the grassroots game human, and a techno-free zone. The FA and the Counties - 19th Century administration Fortunately, the FA's National Game Board is trying to develop a Strategy to develop the grassroots game. And, coincidentally, the AFA Council is reviewing its internal procedures and relationships between Council, Board, Committees and the paid Executive. Many would regard these discussions as boring - but getting these areas right is crucially important to the future of the grassroots game. I believe one of the first Objectives of the new Strategy should be to encourage players to broaden their active participation into coaching, refereeing and administration at a much earlier stage. We waste so much young leadership talent and enthusiasm by not challenging the generally held perception that these are roles for older people. And if our game is for players, why is there no Players Committee to directly represent their views on issues important to them on Council? [The Chairman of one of our leading clubs recently asked an AFA dignitary how he could get onto AFA Council and help contribute to the future development of our game. He was told he would first have to get on to the League Committee and maybe after 5 years there he might get appointed as their representative on Council. Not really encouraging!] Development of Excellence Similarly the current Discipline Committee could be given a 'positive behaviour' development responsibility in addition to its 'punishment' role, by promoting the positive values of Fair Play and Hospitality - important values in all football, but especially important in grassroots football. The current AFA Referees Committee should benefit from the appointment of the Referee Development Officer and start providing, in addition to its recruitment and appointment responsibilities, the Development programme for all our referees that has been so sadly lacking. The National Game Strategy and our County strategy may well decide that Facilities Improvement is so important for grassroots clubs that a separate Committee should be established to focus entirely on Facilities Development - setting standards for our clubs and Leagues and helping obtain development grants. Structure should always follow Strategy. But if the final agreed National and County Strategies for football establishes objectives (backed by monetary incentives) for 'Increasing Participation', 'Improving Skills', 'Improving Behaviour', 'Improving Refereeing', and 'Better Facilities' (as I think they must), then reforming our Committee personnel and remits to directly address these issues is the way forward. Agreeing a properly funded Strategy and re-focused structure will have more practical benefit for tomorrow's grassroots game than all the technological fantasies in the Orange Future of Football report. Patrick Morrissey Pat makes lots of good points here and as one would expect, with some emphasis on refereeing. As a referee who also sits on league committees I have a slightly different take on the role of the FA. My first question is; can a single organisation represent and manage the interests of 500,000 park players and 92 professional clubs? The objectives of professional league clubs - and the issues they face - are strikingly different from each other, totally at odds with the clubs in the non-league pyramid and a million miles from what goes on in the leagues and clubs outside the system up and down the country. The county FAs take in massive sums from their affiliated leagues but the leagues have no say in what they do, In fact, it is worse than that with relations between county and leagues in most areas fractious and non-productive. This isn't a case of taxation without representation, it's more like Tesco's where the staff (at county) would be much happier in their work if it wasn't for the bloody customers (the leagues and clubs). Where was the voice of the FA when bidding for the Olympics - which now we've "won" them will impoverish grassroots sport for a generation - was first mooted? Where have they been while the Lottery fund has been sacked to pay for three weeks of self-abuse by overpaid and over vaunting professional athletes? How many counties put resource into training and supporting league and club officers? Without these volunteers the blazers would stay forever unworn on their hangers in the wardrobe. Instead we get welfare, womens' football liaison and referee development officers, and so on. All perfectly well and good but a bit bloody pointless once the last corporation sports field has been sold off because there were no no clubs left to play on it. The counties must be given the task of developing league football in their areas and that means getting all the interested parties - leagues, councils, schools and colleges etc - together with a view to building up our leagues. Only the counties can do this. The FA must be split so that clear attention and focus can be given to the grass roots game and officers saved from the distractions of rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous from the Premier league. Responsibility for the professional game could be transferred to Sport England where the great and the good that make up its ruling council are far more suited to dealing with sporting despots and less likely to have their heads turned by the closeness of riches and power. IFAB - responsible for LOAF - could be incorporated as a separate body. It is vital that the FA wakes up to its responsibilities to the football most of us play and that means reconnecting with the grass roots and breaking away from the shackles of the glistering higher reaches. They cannot serve two sets of masters. Brian Smith | |
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DOGSO (Denying an Obvious Goal-Scoring Opportunity) Ray Olivier was guest speaker at the society meeting at Alexandra Park FC on Thursday 22 November 2007. Ray is The FA Regional Manager for the West Midlands; National Manager for Referees' Instructors; he was a Level 1 Football League referee with international experience and is currently a referees 'assessor with PGMOL. |
| PG Ray opened by apologizing for having missed previous dates with the society but on each occasion he had been called overseas on duty. As
much as a night in Westminster might be attractive the chance of teaching in Ecuador instead was just too much to miss. Getting the DOGSO decisions right can be crucial in a match and can make or break a referee's performance. LOAF says "a player will be dismissed from the FOP if he denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player's goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or penalty kick." The key words are "obvious" and "towards the player's goal" and it is on these the referee must base a decision on which a game may hinge. Being the modest man he is, Ray showed several video clips from Football League games where the referee had got the decision wrong (even one of his own.) Nearly always the incident happened at speed and the referee did not have the best view with players obscuring his vision. However, the key factors to consider were whether the player was fouled, was moving towards his opponents' goal, whether the ball was under his control and crucially whether he had an "obvious" goal scoring opportunity. In one of the clips the referee was clearly uncertain as to what decision to make and his body language showed this. He consulted his assistant not once but twice and then made his decision (but putting the onus on his assistant who then got it in the neck from the home fans behind him.) Another referee had not kept up to speed with changes in LOAF and when a GK handled the ball outside his penalty area he dismissed him from the FOP. His body language again betrayed a feeling of "well, this is what I have to do but I don't go along with it, sorry player but you've got to go." Even one of our best referees took an age to sort out which player was guilty of the foul and exactly where it had taken place. In the light of these Ray cited some good refereeing practice: - quick thoughts, alertness and good positioning lead to quick actions and hopefully less dissent; - when dismissing always face the player showing the card in a non-threatening and aggressive manner with at least a yard between referee and player; - always keep abreast of LOAF; - show from your positive body language that you are in charge and confident of what you are doing; - if in the slightest doubt, don't dismiss; - and never over-react if you are not in doubt. Ray continued to show various match incidents with particular emphasis on whether the attacking player had the ball under his control, whether he was actually fouled and whether he posed a real threat to his opponents' goal. He asked us to imagine a series of three widening triangles emanating from the centre of the goal line and stretching say, 10 yards beyond the penalty area. Inside the narrower one an attacker with the ball under his control moving towards the goal has an obvious goal scoring opportunity. Widen the triangle and with a player moving at its periphery there is clearly less of an obvious goal scoring opportunity. And finally, broaden the triangle further and a player cutting in from the wing with the ball but not yet inside the penalty area has much less of an obvious goal scoring opportunity. With time short and a train to catch to the midlands, Ray invited questions: Q. Why do referees appear to ignore the pushing and pulling that goes on in penalty areas prior to set pieces particularly in Premiership and Football League games? A. The remedy is of course to caution/dismiss players and perhaps award penalties. Clubs met with Keith Hackett recently and as a result referees are more pro-active in resolving this before play re-starts. Q. Premiership and Football League managers are criticizing referees more and more in post match press conferences and getting away with it. A. Managers are fined because of this but to what real effect? The deduction of points would seem appropriate. Q. It has been suggested that Captains be the only players permitted to speak to referees during the game. A. This is being tried out in my County and we will report on its effectiveness in due course. Q. We continue to notice that foreign assistant referees behave differently to our own (this was noticed particularly in the England v Croatia game.) Are they trained differently; are they correct or are we just over fussy? A. Yes, they would be marked down for example for the flag in the wrong hand. In the UK the process of getting on in top football is the hardest and longest in the world. In some African countries for example it can take as little as 3 years from qualifying to becoming a FIFA referee. With time against us and Ray's train due Robert Caplin proposed a vote of thanks which colleagues endorsed warmly in the usual manner. This is my account of Ray's brilliant presentation delivered with skill and a ready smile. Gordon Kirby DOGSO; an area, perhaps, of as much controversy as the one tackled by Peter concerning the status of goalkeepers. There's no doubt that for every referee uncertain about the DOGSO law there are two or more who are unsympathetic to the whole idea. How do you feel about it and mandated penalties in general? And like every innovation DOGSO and its interpretation has changed and evolved since its inception. When first introduced players brought down as they crossed the half way line were judged as having been DOGSOd. Now they pretty much have to be about to cross the 18 yard line. Now, the offended player has to be heading directly to goal, and from a central area. Knock the ball left or right to round the keeper who brings you down and DOGSO is likely to be (should be?) ruled out. Send in your thoughts, I'll be delighted to publish any contributions you submit. Ed. | |
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Is the Goalkeeper a Special One? Peter Georgiou, successful Level 4 Referee, FA international Futsal Referee and FA Referee Licensed Instructor and Society member of 16 years was our speaker at Old Salesians FC on Thursday 15 November 2007. What follows is essentially a flavour of the general discussion that was lively, entertaining and informative. |
| PG said he would focus on goalkeepers (GKs) and their special status in English football and explore whether that special status had become
too special. Were we now cursed with the influence of mainland European football where a goalkeeper and the immediate space around him are regarded as holy
ground? GKs are unique characters (many say they must be mad in the first place) and there is no doubting their bravery and courage. But they have over the years built up an aura of self-importance based on their special role in football. They are often team captains and as such tend to "run" their team from 75 yards away from the action with a very loud voice. Not being an out-field player their knowledge of LOAF is generally somewhat sketchy to say the least. All of this can bring them into conflict with the referee. Many GKs believe they have special privileges and therefore expect to get away with things. As a result, too many referees are intimidated and allow them to get away with things that out-field players cannot. A blatant and frequent example of this is when a GK, having advanced beyond his 6 yard area to take a high ball, does so with a leg or both knees extended in a dangerous and threatening manner: justifiable defence or an unprovoked attack? Woe betide an attacker who tangles with a tall muscular goalkeeper in these circumstances. Not only is the player likely to come off worse in the clash but also he would probably have a free kick awarded against him and perhaps pick up a caution. A referee's relationship with a GK may start before the game or certainly before the kick-off. A good referee will go through a pre-ordained routine before starting the game: nets, corner posts, pitch surface, the ball, boots, jewellery, 11 a-side, players' colours, both sides in their respective halves of FOP, ball on the centre mark, opponents 10 yards from ball and in their own half etc, etc. But how many of us signal to the goalkeepers that we are about to blow the whistle to start the game? Why do this for the GK's benefit and not, say, the left fullbacks, the managers or the man selling programmes? (And incidentally, having started our watches, how many referees check shortly afterwards that they are both running?) Although the GK has special rights (he can handle the ball in his own penalty area, a team is not a team without a GK, a GK is the only player who may be treated on the FOP without then having to leave at the restart, he wears different attire to his team-mates, opposition players and GK and officials, he can wear gloves, a cap and a track-suit bottom, but not as one GK asked, sunglasses) but a referee and a GK may come into conflict over a whole range of issues, including: GK's failure to release the ball after 6 seconds in his hands. To avoid conflict with this (self)-important player a referee should employ man management skills. A colleague suggested the referee shouting "that's 4 seconds goalkeeper". PG warned that the referee must be careful not to turn this into a circus with the opposition counting also. A preferred remedy is to shout for the GK to "get on with it" so the opposition is aware that the referee is in charge and when the occasion next presents itself have a quiet (but publicly visible word) with the GK. Also useful is a hand gesture indicating that he should hurry up and get rid of the ball. GK handling the ball played directly from the feet of a colleague "The pass back". When caught out the GK (holding the ball) will generally throw it away thus incurring not only an indirect freekick for the offence but also a caution for delaying the restart of play. Following a lively discussion as to whether the referee should shout to the GK "Its OK to pick it up GK" PG said a referee should avoid becoming a team's twelfth player by offering such advice. However should the GK ask the referee as the ball is rolling towards him then he might shout "OK"? GK wasting time (as opposed to "consuming it". We have all seen a GK who when shaping up to take a goalkick decides to move the ball from one corner of the six-yard area to another or to resite the ball several times before taking the kick. This is blatant time wasting and should be stamped on not just in the last 10 minutes of the match but from the very first incident. Again a simple gesture with the hand indicating the watch should usually mollify an opponent's complaint and achieve the desired effect. Similarly, a shout to a GK or any player delaying a restart of "Come on let's go" shows the referee is on top of things and in full control. GK making illegal pitch markings: These should not be tolerated and if the referee catches the player in the act a stern public warning should do the trick (whether a C1 caution follows is up to the referee but the damage has been prevented.) Some random pearls of wisdom: - GKs seem to unable to resist the urge to handle the match ball before the kick-off. If circumstances permit let them (you may have earned some brownie points you can cash in later.) - Referees should check GKs' gloves before kick-off (and the substitute GK as he comes on). Who knows what is lurking under there? - GKs wearing black shirts that clash with the referee's uniform are not permitted. They should be asked either to change it for a shirt of an appropriate colour (i.e. not black, not similar to their own players', or opponents' colours nor the other GK's) or don a vest or something similar. If they refuse then call their captain over to resolve the issue, as the alternative is to abandon the game (this is the last resort of course). In any case the referee should mention the incident in his match report. (Competition rules will often cover this issue and Law 4 is very clear on this point.) - GKs and their movement at penalties should not be a problem. However, some colleagues sanction a move of one clear pace as acceptable (which it isn't of course.) As Pat Morrissey pointed out would a referee permit a player taking a throw in or a corner kick to stand a yard inside the FOP when doing so? The key obviously is the referee's pre-match instructions to his assistants and his clear warning to the GK before the kick is taken. He has effectively drawn a line and the player crosses it at its peril (what a pity our senior colleagues don't follow this!) In conclusion PG said undoubtedly GKs believe they are special ones and sadly we encourage them in this delusion. Now, if you've read through this article you must be straining to have your two pennorth, or is it just me? So much opportunity for controversy I can't believe you're not all reaching for your pens and keyboards. For starters: The deliberate pass to the goalkeeper. Only the referee knows whether it is or isn't. Doesn't fair play say that they should tell the keeper - who may be under pressure from attackers - that they can safely pick the ball up? No advancement at a penalty kick. Would we ever finish a game if we penalised every forward movement? Would an over zealous application of the law not destroy our credibility/bring us into disrepute? The six seconds issue. Do you want to be the only referee ever to blow for it? Or, if you have already, how did you get on? No signal to goal keepers (and assistants?) that you are about to start the match. Referees signal to the goalkeepers because everybody then sees it. If you signalled to the centre forward taking the kick would anyone else notice? Excessive protection. Only goalkeepers expose themselves to attack with both arms fully extended and in no position to defend themselves. Doesn't this alone justify some extra protection? I'll be delighted to publish any contributions you care to send in. Ed. | |
Are you an active referee? Are you an AFA & Lonsar member? Would you like to become a better referee?
If so, you are eligible to apply to join the pilot scheme to offer free, one to one advice from a top quality referee coach for the remainder of this season.
To apply for this new Society benefit please contact Training Officer John Cooke - by 31st October 2007.
e-mail Johncooke1uk@aol.com
Tel (H) 01992 719489 (M) 07973 136908.
Welcome to the New Season
A warm welcome to Argus and to another new season of refereeing with the AFA, London FA, other CountyFAs and The FA. For many of us the season started in August - and as early as July for the pre-season friendlies for the semi-professional teams, and for most it will be starting this month on the County-affiliated leagues. At whatever level we operate, this is a time to look forward to, enjoy and enthuse at the prospect of a full season ahead of our participation in this game as match officials.
As referees we are encouraged to set new goals for ourselves at the beginning of each season, so we should now give this attention. This is an ideal time to take stock of where we are and to spend just ten minutes writing down in a few sentences:-
- what we enjoy about refereeing
- what more we could do to increase that enjoyment
- what we reasonably hope to achieve in the season ahead.
For example we might note that we do actually enjoy keeping reasonably fit, and having the company of others involved in football, particularly other match officials, as well as the spectacle of watching games as the physical skills and the human feelings are openly displayed before our eyes on the field of play. We might admit to ourselves that we really do relish the responsibility of controlling games with impartiality, where the unexpected can happen, and managing players, especially at times when emotions run high and we need to draw on our best man management skills. There is nothing to be ashamed of in simply enjoying the situations in which we need to draw on our best resources, albeit that solemnity is needed at some difficult moments such as when issuing disciplinary sanctions. Spontaneous, appropriate humour can be one of our greatest assets in this business at other times - when being challenged by players or others on our decisions.
We might set goals for ourselves for 2007/8 to: -
- gain promotion - or even double promotion in one season
- pass a fitness test
- earn an end-of-season Cup Final appointment
- improve our average club or assessor marks by say 0.5
- identify aspects of our game where there is room for development, and change our styles to introduce improvements
- never arrive late at games
- referee at least 30 games
- always remain calm - on and off the field of play
- concentrate throughout games
- develop as referees by reading Argus each month and attending at least say three Society meetings.
At whatever stage of refereeing we may find ourselves, let us review where we are and set a minimum standard for each game to enjoy, learn and improve as match officials. This can be equally true for beginners as those in the twilight of their careers: the fun of refereeing can always be satisfying and the human interaction and man management equally demanding and fulfilling.
Officiating on the System (the "Pyramid")
Sometimes as match officials we may find ourselves awarded an unexpected proverbial 'penalty kick' and be propelled into a position to 'score in extra-time'. We should be prepared for whatever may present itself. With The FA's removal of age limits for promotion onto the Supply Leagues in the close season, my own experience has been of being offered a surprise and welcome opportunity for promotion to level 4, nine years after reaching 'Class 1' and being advised that I was too old to go any further! Further promotion had never been my goal, but when it was presented it seemed appropriate to give it a try, and so I now find myself on the system, lining on the Contributory Leagues (Ryman and Southern) and refereeing on a Supply League (Hellenic). I have no idea how long it may last, but even one season will be welcome. Refereeing on the Hellenic is already presenting new and different challenges and I feel confident with the higher-level lining.
It is taken as read that match officials will cry off games only in the event of genuine emergencies and will arrive in very good time for games, well suited and booted, with a full range of kit, physically fit, knowing the laws of the game and competition rules pretty well inside out and used to working with a team of neutral match officials. The emphasis is entirely on the application of refereeing skills: notably applying the laws, communication, advantage, positioning and work rate and match control. None of this is new, but the fine tuning demanded is far more acute, from clubs, players and assessors alike. Three of my first four games were assessed and there has already been much opportunity for feedback and development. All this is requiring some re-appraisal, particularly of communication skills and advantage. And a new set of goals.
Peter Holliman
Peter, a much-liked referee and Society member for some
15 years, sadly passed away after a short illness on 5th July at the age of
59. He was a huge football fan and dedicated his spare
time to sport. As a player he appeared in goal for Fulham Compton FC,
Clapham Old Xaverians and Alford until taking up the whistle in 1992,
attaining level 5 and remaining active during 2006/7. He organised
youth football on Sundays and was also a great
His funeral on 18th July was well-attended by friends and family including a strong contingent from the Society and the AFA, paying their last respects. Peter Kosciolek, who knew Peter well, kindly delivered an eloquent and very appropriate eulogy.
Hon. President Patrick Morrissey has written a further, fascinating article on this topic in this edition. His article on the same subject in May inspired a great deal of support and controversy within the AFA and within the refereeing movement and makes excellent reading (See the Society website for commentary by a Child Protection Officer). I remain extremely grateful to Patrick for his willingness to investigate, express the concerns of many referees and members and to air topics which require a razor-sharp mind and great courage in the face of some opposition in high places, and in the process to make this magazine much more interesting. Like criticism, we should be welcome Patrick's musings, because if they are correct it will help the football world to identify and I trust address and remedy the issue, before major mistakes ensue. If he is incorrect then by expressing widely held concerns in print it will help to identify the error, correct it and reinforce our understanding of some of the controversial aspects of child protection requirements.
There can be little doubt that the enactment of this piece of legislation arose directly out of the Soham murders just a few years ago, when a more rigorous system for checking the background of the Ian Huntley would have exposed the obvious risk he presented to young children if given close access to them in his work as a school caretaker. (Incidentally - it recently came to my attention that the father of one of the victims of that terrible crime is a registered referee). The current debate is on whether the SVGA 2006 and its interpretation by legal advisers to The FA properly address the obvious need to protect children from genuine risk in the context of football. If time permits I will return to this topic in later editions.
Content of CRB Disclosures
In the course of recently advising an RAE member who was eventually fully exonerated after interim suspension following his acquittal of a serious offence, I researched the Police Act 1997, notably sections 112 -119, which contains the law relating to CRB disclosures, together with a Home Office document - HO Circular 5/2005, and recent case law. Members may be surprised to learn that the enhanced CRB disclosure we are all now required to provide as a condition of referee registration includes: -
(a) any conviction (including spent convictions);
(b) any caution; and
(c) 'any information which in the chief officer's opinion might be relevant' - for the purpose of considering the applicant's position as a referee and which in their opinion ought to be included in the certificate
The CRB is effectively a 'post box' which refers all requests for enhanced disclosures to the chief officer of police in the locality where the referee resides, then receives replies and discreetly reports back to employers - in this case the FA.
It follows that Chief Officers of police, advised by their lawyers, are not just entitled, but are duty bound, to include acquittals and other damaging relevant information or allegations in an enhanced criminal record certificate which did not give rise to criminal charges - if they believe the person presents some risk. How that judgment is made may plainly be an extremely delicate matter. Any RAE member, including any convicted or referee acquitted of any offence, and especially any offence relevant to children but nevertheless suspended from refereeing, can always turn to the RAE for advice if unable or embarrassed to attempt to resolve any difficulties directly with The FA or through his Society Committee. Strict confidentiality is absolutely guaranteed.
It is also noteworthy that our CRB certificates as referees are prepared on the assumption that we are regularly involved in caring for, training or supervising or being in sole charge of persons under 18.
RA Supplies
An agreement has recently been reached with RA Supplies which will benefit members is several ways, provide orders are placed either: -
(i) through the Society Supplies Officer or
(ii) directly by members to the RA by post, phone of fax QUOTING AFA & LONSAR (call 02746 601701). Please note that this DOES NOT APPLY to orders placed online.
The benefits are: -
- cheaper prices: as the RA is a non-profit making organisation it is able to set prices which are cheaper throughout virtually the whole product range. See the price comparison published in the advert elsewhere on this website.
- free postage: postage of supplies is free for all members
- stylish new kit: a stylish, newly-designed, top quality referee kit has just been released by the RA in June 2007
- Society retarded commission: in return for the Society promoting RA supplies the RA has agreed after twelve months to pay the Society a 'retarded commission' on all sales to members where they have quoted reference AFA & LONSAR. This will naturally help the Society to sustain subscriptions at lower levels. For example, on last year's membership of 172, a commission of £516 would suggest to the committee that subscriptions may be pegged @ £3 p.a. less than they would otherwise be
- lower RAE subscriptions: placing orders through the RA will of course also help enhance RA profits which in turn helps to maintain RAE subscriptions at lower levels.
I would therefore encourage all members now to utilise this very good benefit to our advantage when selecting where to order supplies.
Bart O'Toole