(Above) A busy morning of youth football matches at Bearwood Recreation Ground, Winnersh.
*Click here to watch an exclusive interview with qualified youth referee, Jon Betteridge*
There are many differences between football and rugby: the shape of the ball, the size of the goals and the number of players on each team. However, there is one difference that should, in the opinion of many, not be a difference at all. The way the referee is treated in rugby sets an example to all other sports. The official commands the respect he deserves, and he gets it. Only the captains can approach the referee, and all of the players know that they may not under any circumstance challenge his authority. Now of course there are the odd exceptions but, on the whole, it is a universally accepted view that rugby sets the standards for match official respect.
In football, there is a big problem with abuse directed at the officials. This comes from the very top level of English football: the Premier League. Back in 2015 the Football Association chairman Greg Dyke labelled players’ pressure on referees “pretty scary” and warned of the potentially toxic effects at grassroots and youth level. There is the argument that the referees at the top level are paid very well for what they do, and that disputes with players are part of their job. They are strong-willed people and are often praised and celebrated when they put in a good performance. However, the culture of official abuse in football has filtered down the leagues and is now commonplace in youth football too, where officials can be as young as fourteen.
To become a qualified referee, even at youth level, is no easy task. After a £145 ten-week course, you become a trainee referee, and then after six successful 11-a-side games under your belt, you will become a qualified level eight referee. Ordinarily, that would be the hard part out of the way, but are youth football referees finding the actual refereeing the hardest part?
Berks and Bucks FA qualified youth referee Jon Betteridge spoke to me about the difficulties posed by refereeing youth football. Like most aspiring referees, Jon wanted to “earn some money,” and said that “as I’ve always really enjoyed football, it made sense to try refereeing.”
Unfortunately, it would be more difficult to find a youth referee that has never experienced any verbal abuse, than one that has. Jon is no exception saying that “I think the hardest part would definitely be dealing with people shouting things at you. Players and fans can get very angry towards some of your decisions and take it out on you.”
In 2016, after a campaign ran by the Telegraph focused on stopping referee abuse, the FA introduced a ‘zero-tolerance’ crackdown on treatment of referees. The FA claimed that officials would take stricter action against dissent, intimidation and physical contact against them. The Telegraph’s report also concluded that “60% of officials in grassroots football were experiencing significant verbal abuse”.
However, two years on, the problem has not gone away. When asked what could be done to reduce abuse directed at officials, Jon said “I think a system similar to rugby where you can hear what the referee is saying to players could be effective. It sounds silly, but a lot of players don’t really know the rules that well, and I think seeing a referee on TV explain their decisions will give them both a better understanding, and more respect for referees.” This could be an interesting proposition. It would not help reduce professional player abuse, as they must know the rules as well as anyone can, bar the referee, but could help educate fans of the game and in turn reduce their verbal assaults as they might understand the thinking behind the decisions better.
Jon goes on to talk about how the professional game has made improvements in combating abuse, and that the abuse that is there is expected due to the high tensions and importance of the games that affect so many people’s income. When asked whether professional referees should be stricter when players react to their decisions he said “I think professional referees certainly could be, but don’t need to be. In my opinion there is a big distinction between frustration immediately after the decision, and aggression towards the referee. I think professional referees tend to have a very good grasp of what is and isn’t acceptable.”
It is clear that whilst the professional game is not perfect, referee abuse does not affect people’s enjoyment of the sport. However, youth football is a different scenario. The reason so many thousands of people across the country get involved in grassroot football stems from enjoyment. This includes referees. However, referees will not keep coming to grassroots football if their enjoyment of the game is affected by abuse from players and spectators.
“The abuse from players and spectators definitely affects my enjoyment of refereeing. I would enjoy it so much more if I could guarantee there would be little abuse.”
Exclusive interview with qualified youth referee Jon Betteridge.
