Referee Locked in Dressing Rooms

From DonegalDemocrat.com

The Donegal League say they will investigate incidents which followed a junior soccer match in Ballybofey over the weekend in which it is claimed the match referee was locked in the dressing rooms after the game before being threatened by a player.

The incidents occurred on Sunday after the Premier Division meeting of Cappry Rovers and Milford United at Cappry Park.

The match referee, David Wogan confirmed to the 'Democrat' that he was locked in the dressing rooms after the game and was only let out when he began knocking on the main door.

He also claimed to have been threatened by a Cappry Rovers player who blocked his car as the match official attempted to leave the ground.

"He was driving in front of me but all of a sudden he stopped and hopped out of his car, leaving his driver's door open," Mr. Wogan said.

"He came back and stood at my driver's door and told me he'd get me and get my car outside my job on Monday."

David Wogan says he was so shocked at what happened, he immediately attempted to report the matter to Ballybofey Gardai. However, because the station was closed, he ended up reporting the incident to Gardai in Letterkenny.

I've been refereeing now for 15 or 16 years and I've never come across anything like this. You get your odd bit of verbals every so often but to be intimidated and threatened in that manner, nobody wants that."

David Wogan included details of the incident in his match report which will be considered by the Donegal League.

League secretary, Nigel Ferry said he was not prepared to comment on the allegations until he received the referee's report. However, he did say that if the stories he'd heard were true, the League would not look kindly on those involved.

A spokesperson for Cappry Rovers FC declined to comment on the matter when contacted by the Democrat yesterday.

Gardai in Letterkenny confirmed yesterday that a report of the incident was made at the station.

Sunday's match finished in a 2-1 victory for Milford, a result which could well scupper Cappry's chances of winning the league title.

It's understood Milford's equalising goal which made it 1-1 shortly after half time was strongly disputed by the Cappry Rovers team who felt the goal should have been disallowed for offside.

Premier Division meeting of Crappy Rovers and Milford United at Crappy Park. :D :D

Sounds like they take the game fairly seriously up there :D :D

Read it properly it's CAPPRY :p

Yes I know that !! Jeez wheres your sense of humour ???

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pauliwallnuts

Yes I know that !! Jeez wheres your sense of humour ???

---

Same place as yours by the looks of it :p

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by harpskid

Same place as yours by the looks of it :p

---

.

Guys seems you are of to a flyer here, maybe I should enhance the topic to over biased linesman, I personally think this makes the job harder to do for the referee as he cannot trust any sideline decisions, if the clubs cannot be honest with referees on simple throw ins and most players don't seem to really understand the offside rule either, this only makes the referee's time in the middle harder, simple things like studs showing, tackling from behind and hand ball decisions are contested by every player as if the world is against him. If we stepped back and actually helped the referee's as in other countries our game would benefit but I doubt this very much as there is not much honesty in Irish Junior Soccer!!!

I expect this will have a number of people hopping, no doubt because some of the stuff above relates to them!! :eek:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by harpskid

From DonegalDemocrat.com

The Donegal League say they will investigate incidents which followed a junior soccer match in Ballybofey over the weekend in which it is claimed the match referee was locked in the dressing rooms after the game before being threatened by a player.

The incidents occurred on Sunday after the Premier Division meeting of Cappry Rovers and Milford United at Cappry Park.

The match referee, David Wogan confirmed to the 'Democrat' that he was locked in the dressing rooms after the game and was only let out when he began knocking on the main door.

He also claimed to have been threatened by a Cappry Rovers player who blocked his car as the match official attempted to leave the ground.

"He was driving in front of me but all of a sudden he stopped and hopped out of his car, leaving his driver's door open," Mr. Wogan said.

"He came back and stood at my driver's door and told me he'd get me and get my car outside my job on Monday."

David Wogan says he was so shocked at what happened, he immediately attempted to report the matter to Ballybofey Gardai. However, because the station was closed, he ended up reporting the incident to Gardai in Letterkenny.

I've been refereeing now for 15 or 16 years and I've never come across anything like this. You get your odd bit of verbals every so often but to be intimidated and threatened in that manner, nobody wants that."

David Wogan included details of the incident in his match report which will be considered by the Donegal League.

League secretary, Nigel Ferry said he was not prepared to comment on the allegations until he received the referee's report. However, he did say that if the stories he'd heard were true, the League would not look kindly on those involved.

A spokesperson for Cappry Rovers FC declined to comment on the matter when contacted by the Democrat yesterday.

Gardai in Letterkenny confirmed yesterday that a report of the incident was made at the station.

Sunday's match finished in a 2-1 victory for Milford, a result which could well scupper Cappry's chances of winning the league title.

It's understood Milford's equalising goal which made it 1-1 shortly after half time was strongly disputed by the Cappry Rovers team who felt the goal should have been disallowed for offside.

---

Is it any wonder that people are reluctant to take up refereeing. Anyone reading this will think twice before taking up refereeing.