Classic Ref Stories

[smellyfeet]

I was just reading tru one of the Limerick threads and they were talking about some ref in limerick that has made some comical desicions over the years.:D So i said i'd start this to see what the other leagues around the country have to offer with regards to refs..

I'm sure there are are a few good tails to tell:D

[sinabhuil]

I played in a match in London a few (??) years ago and we were losing 3 nil. On clearing the ball from the backs I hit the ref in the face with the ball. Knocked him out. Ambulance came and brought him to hospital. He recovered fine. The match was cancelled. In the replay we drew 1 - 1.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Playing an U-15 match last year when one of our players was blatently fouled in the box. The ref didn't give the peno. My manager didn't say anything but was shaking his head. He was sent off for just shaking his head.

[First]

I was once sent off for calling offside, I was playing sweeper and my cousin who was playing centre half stepped up to catch the center forward offside , I called offside and the ref decided that it was his job and duly and very officiously showed me the red card. My cousin officiously then knocked him out.

[joeSoap]

I was at a junior game in Limerick one Sunday morning. Two brothers were playing in oposition and lets just say they were in a tussle near the corner flag when one practically kneecapped the other. The ref, who was quite fat with varicose veins (well known in Limerick Junior circles a few years back) came running towards the lads. While running towards them, he went for the top pocket, and roaring at yer man that he was off, he produced the three of clubs from his pocket and waved it in his face. The back of the card was red alright but it was straight from a deck of cards. Needless to say, everyone fell around the place laughing at him. Priceless..:D :D

[headerball]

what about the one where the infamous tommy power was the official one day.
his son was playing for one of the teams and tommy went to book him for a foul.
he asked his son his name trying to maintain control,however his son replied his name was "mickey mouse", tommy then produced the red card for failing to comply with his request and the player had a long walk to the sideline !

[Roadend]

I was once sent off for calling offside, I was playing sweeper and my cousin who was playing centre half stepped up to catch the center forward offside , I called offside and the ref decided that it was his job and duly and very officiously showed me the red card. My cousin officiously then knocked him out.

Got a yellow for something similar, scremed for an offside, which was eventually given. I was than carded for shouting too much for it.

[smellyfeet]

A few years back the team i was playing for were running away with the league. In one game we won 10-0. The next week we were playing away in the cup. We were doing are warm up before the game and along came the "REF" to check our boots and shinpads as they do. He then wanted to have a few words with us about how we could/couldn't play this game.

He informed us that we wouldn't be scoring 10 goals in this game and that if we were scoring to much take he would call off the game.( this is true ). He then informed 1 of our players who was a great player that if he would book him if he was taking the p!ss out of the other teams defence.. We went on to win 4-2 i think but our whole team was booked and 1 sent to the line for 2 yellows.

The one and only "THANK GOD" PD....Clare league

[irishyop]

Was at a C team game last year when one of the Cbar Celtic players went into the box and was hawled down, waited for a peno and it never game, manager went ape screaming at ref.
Someone was there with a camcorder for some reason and the manager screamed at the ref that the incident was on camera, the ref abandoned the game based on this comment!!

[pineapple stu]

Remember reffing a game once and two lads broke through the defence, who were calling offside. They clearly were, except for the player who was standing beside the goal getting sick and playing the two lads onside.

[smellyfeet]

Played in the Kennedy Cup in Limerick about 13 years ago.
Alot of the teams and officals ate in this place called The Stables in the UL Campus. Thing is that loads of us got food Poisoning from the food there.

We were playing in a game and all of a sudden the ref legged it off the pitch holding the arse of his shorts.He had the trots and never returned to the game. One of the linesmen had to finish the game as ref...

[drinkfeckarse]

I was playing a game a few years ago when the ref gave a shocking decision against us. I shouted something at him and he started to look around to see who said it. One of their boys goes up to him and tells him it was another player (who had already been booked) so he calls him over, gives him another yellow card and sends him off. I mean the fact he was looking around to see who said it proves he hadn't a clue.

I was trying to tell him it was me while he was booking him and then lost the plot when he sent him off thus earning myself a red card. I've never met a bigger gobsh!te of a man.... He'd the cheek to try and speak to me in the clubhouse after an all.

[Spongey]

here's 3 incidents with the same ref in Sligo

1. throw ball for the opposition. He makes a hash of it, bangs off his head and the ball falls right in front of him. Obvious foul throw (apparently not), the throw taker plays the ball down the line and crosses into the box. Ref allowed it, luckily no goal came from it

2. I was shielding the ball out for a goal kick on our end line and ref blew whistle. Everybody jogged out of area for the goal kick, the ref picked up ball and put it on spot. Penalty!!!!! Opposition just laughed.

3. Same game, long cross field ball to their right back. Ref blew whistle for a throw to us, right back says it didnt go out, ref says ok play on. He launches ball over our defence and we are caught out and they score. We lost that game 3-2 and ended our hopes of catching them in league

[the 12 th man]

Ref booked one of my Players (under 13's) for wearing an anti-racism rubber wrist band.Ref described it as wearing jewelry which is forbidden during games.

[sinabhuil]

I know that no harm is meant on this thread and its funny stories you are looking for but someone has to say fair play to the refs. If they were not there we would not have local football. Some are good, some are not as good but in general most are fair.
To help matters I note in Mayo that some Cbar refs chat to players using their first names, especially at half time. I would suggest that it would be better if this did not happen during the games. Refs should be called ref and not by their christian names. Players should be referred to by their number. Over friendliness by refs often makes opposition players feel that they are biased. Most of the time this is not true but the impression is still there.

[smellyfeet]

:rolleyes:
but someone has to say fair play to the refs. If they were not there we would not have local football. .

I'll say it so.
Fair play to the refs.:p

[smellyfeet]

Ref booked one of my Players (under 13's) for wearing an anti-racism rubber wrist band.Ref described it as wearing jewelry which is forbidden during games.
I know this has nothing to do with thread but
i have always been curious about the jewelry rule.:confused:
Why is it that on tele players get away with wearing it and not local soccer.
Can't remember who was playing but for most of the game there was a fella fixing this huge chain around his neck,like something MR.T would wear.It must have been wrecking his head for the whole game.Whats the point in wearing it anyway.

[Thunderblaster]

I heard and saw a couple of referee boomers. In America, I was told a story of a local team in Connecticut giving away a corner kick and the first defender got booked for "jumping jacks". While I was in America at the Guilford Soccerfest, a well ran girls/ladies soccer tournament in Connecticut, two teams were having a right tussle so the referee brought the teams over to their respective dugouts and told them to cool it or the cards will come out. The very same game, the supporters were tearing into each other and I was stuck in the crossfire.:eek: Another story was that a referee in Westport once asked his son his name while booking him. The son replied "You know my f*cking name dad. You live with me!!" :D In the Kennedy Cup, a Mayo player was running through on goal and the referee blew for what looked to be offside. There was no flag up and the referee gave a free to Mayo instead.:eek: Another game, a manager roared over to the referee about an offside and the ref looked over to me and told me to shut it.

[Réiteoir]

Had a few good ones over the 10 years I've been refereeing.

1. Once turned up to a game - only to find a burnt out Ford Fiesta parked neatly in the Centre Circle - had to move the game onto the next pitch at the complex :D



2. Turned up to another game - had a bit of a problem - so had to play the game at another ground.

Phone call to the League Secretary that night goes something like this:

Me: "Jeff - the game this morning I refereed had to be moved to Perdiswell"
League Sec.: "Why's that?"
Me: "some tw*t nicked all the goalposts from Howard Road...."



3. Once gave a free kick after an attacker was pulled down about 5 yards outside the Penalty Area - he was heading for the corner flag at the time to put a cross in.

Defender comes over and politely asks me what I have given.

I reply "It's a Direct Free Kick player"...

A look of confusion comes across the defender's face - he replies with the following:

"But it can't be Direct... He was going away from Goal..."



4. Under 12's game - Free kick on edge of box, player shoots, keeper saves, I whistle for offside for a player in the middle who was offside when the ball was hit.
'You can't be offside from a shot ref,' shouts little Johnny
"Yes you can" I reply,
"No you can't" says he.
So then he says, 'Right I'll ask my dad.'
"You do that", I reply.
His dad shouts 'Don't bother, the ref was right anyway!!' :D



5. Local Parks Game:
Player. "Ref, your assistant just told me to **** off"
Me. "Well what you doing here then?"



6. Coach: Ref what sport are we playing?
Me: I've been told to stand here with a whistle, I don't know what sport your lads are playing.



7. Supporter: That was shocking ref!
Me: You think i would be refereeing you if i was any good?

[razor]

Heard a story about Cork legend Tony Hennessey reffing a local game at the Cross years back.
An absolutely awful game with absolutely no chance of either team scoring.
When a corner came in at the Shed End, Tony rose imperiously and buried the header. He then said "Sorry lads I couldn't resist it".

[pineapple stu]

Was playing a GAA match once (well, sitting on the touchlines very hungover because the regular keeper had turned up in the end) and the two teams provided a linesman each. Ref ended up sending off one of the linesmen for getting into a fight over an alleged wrong call. The linesman later came on for our team and scored two points - we won by two points as well.


He then informed 1 of our players who was a great player that if he would book him if he was taking the p!ss out of the other teams defence
That happened to me too. Playing a game in a St John Cadet tournament years ago. We were one of the favourites and were playing against a girls' team. I got sent off for knocking the ball past one of their players, who rugby-tackled me. We still won by double figures, I think.

Edit - remember a story about UCD v Derry last season in the Brandywell. Last minute and we're losing 2-0. Derry send in a cross, the linesman flags for offside, we stop playing and Derry bury the ball. Goal - ref overrules the linesman. Alan Mahon goes over to complain to the linesman, who tells him "Sure it doesn't matter anyway - it's the third goal". Same linesman did the exact same thing the following week in the Shels v Drogs game!

[football fan]

Classic one in Kildare a couple of seasons ago. The referee sent off his own brother after only two minutes!!

[Thunderblaster]

There was a girls final on one evening and the linesman stuck his flag up to get the referee's attention. The referee comes across and everyone is worried that there may be a sending off. The linesman informed the referee that Estonia were 1-0 up on Portugal and the game then got going again after all that commotion.:eek: :D

[superhero]

Played in an under 17 game few years back, waiting for the other team to come out for the second half, standing around the half way line ready to kick off our striker farts and the ref gives him a yellow card for lack of respect!!

[BallBreaker]

I remember one,it was just after one of the world cups, Local league(s) were insistent on players wearing their socks up,one of our lads (Rocca) decided he would wear his down,after a few minutes the ref stopped play and asked him to pull up his socks,Rocca said "Ah ref come on did you not see them in the world cup with their socks down" Ref replied "Yeah i did oh seems you watched so much of the world cup did you see this" Showed him the yellow card.....Classic

[Réiteoir]

One cold February (sub-zero tbh) morning on the Parks Leagues
- only 10 minutes gone - and this one player was constantly on my back over decisions - getting in my face at times as well.

One of his players goes down on half way - and I can safely say that he hadn't been touched.

The moaning player turns around and starts moaning his exact comment was "Aren't you gonna give us anything this morning ref?"

To which I pulled out my notebook and replied - "Yes player - which colour would you like?"



To a man - the rest of his team and management on the touchline told this player what they thought of him - and it wasn't pleasant! :D

[lim abroad]

One cold February (sub-zero tbh) morning on the Parks Leagues
- only 10 minutes gone - and this one player was constantly on my back over decisions - getting in my face at times as well.

One of his players goes down on half way - and I can safely say that he hadn't been touched.

The moaning player turns around and starts moaning his exact comment was "Aren't you gonna give us anything this morning ref?"

To which I pulled out my notebook and replied - "Yes player - which colour would you like?"



To a man - the rest of his team and management on the touchline told this player what they thought of him - and it wasn't pleasant! :D
and what did he say???

[Thunderblaster]

I remember being at a match in Enniscrone in 1995 and early in the game, Enniscrone United got a goal from an offside position (1995 rules of course) and the line protested. The referee ordered everyone back from the line. Five minutes later, the team physio started laughing and the referee came over and ordered him out of the ground:eek: . The physio had to watch the game in the company of cows and sheep:D and one of the Westport players got injured near half time. It was a serious injury that needed the attention of the physio and the referee refused to let the physio on.:eek: Westport won the game that night 4-3 but the highlight was the refereeing.

[Thunderblaster]

and what did he say???

Player: Jez ref, I can't see cos I'm colour blind. What does yellow look like? Aragh bejaysus, I love red so give me the aul red card instead. I'm having a murderous bleeding hangover and I'm sick as a parrott.:eek:

Ref: Player, you are the weakest link, goodbye!!:D