Originally Posted by
Interested
There has always been and will always be differant standards of refereeing and some of your comments are well wide of the mark. Being a former Referee myself who still watches a lot of local football, I know why I gave it up. The 2 referees that you mentioned as standard bearers are League of Ireland referees, neither of them I think played Junior Football which makes a mockery out of your quote "How many have actually played soccer". For the record... M. O'Holloran, J. Stanford, J. Dennieffe, D. McCarthy, A. Murphy and a couple of new refs have all played Junior Football.
The 48.00 match fee is a bit more than in my day, but still not enough for some of the comments and abuse directed at you on a continous basis.
You would also want to do your maths again. According to you, the referee got a handy 48.00 for 1 and a half hours work. What time did he leave home at and at what time did he return? I can only speak for myself but I would be gone from home at 9.45 or 10 depending where my first game was and would normally be home at 4.30 or later depending on my second game. What you seem to forget is that you only have to get organized for one game on a sunday wheras the referee normally has 2 games.
As old git has already broached the subject, how many former players have actually seriously thought about becoming refereees and listen to your physical condition, your parentage, your knowledge of the game etc, questioned on an ongoing basis.
I took up refereeing for the love of the game, it was several forms of the above that made me pack it in.
Every referee officiates to the best of his ability, if you are not satisfied with it get on to the League or the Referees Inspector.
I for one would not have liked my name broadcast on a website for everyone to have a pop, as unless you are aware, the referees are unable to reply themselves.