The Stepy's Coaches Durham Sunday Morning Football League the North East's Premier Sunday Football League like many of the Sunday League's in the area is short of Match Referee's.
Referee'swith free Sundays, please Contact our League's Fixture Secretary Chris Tindale 01913867618
Latest Referee News
UEFA has asked referees to clamp down on dissent after the UEFA Referees' Committee, together with top officials, discussed various refereeing issues at their fourth annual gathering.
Bookable offences
Following the outcome of the discussions in Nyon on Wednesday, UEFA wants to emphasise that it has asked match officials to take immediate action by cautioning players in the case of the following offences: waving of an imaginary card to have an opponent booked; crowding around the referee, when at least one player should be cautioned and not only the initiator; and dissent by gesture or running towards to referee.
Immediate application
UEFA is determined to stop dissent and the harassment of referees and wishes to make players and team officials aware that referees in all UEFA competitions will punish such on-field confrontations appropriately. These additional instructions for referees should be applied immediately, starting with Saturday's UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers
Wearing of Jewellery
No Tolerance of the Wearing of Jewellery by Players. This policy applies equally to teams competing in fixtures sanctioned by Durham Sunday Football League and the Durham County Football Association. In the simplest of terms, players may not wear jewellery during matches. The exception is a wedding band – which should be taped. Piercings must be removed and any difficulties associated with this will not be accepted by referees as an excuse for non-compliance. If you wear jewellery which requires special tools to remove it then make sure you do so before coming to the game if it is not practical to do so at the ground. If you take the field wearing jewellery and your referee sees it you will be given two choices: Remove it. OR B. don’t play
The Shortage Of Referee's
Football leagues' bosses say a shortages of refs would be catastrophic.
John Topping, Durham FA's company secretary, said:
"We're talking about tournaments and league matches that it's going to have an effect on. It could be hundreds of games."All the new refs do it as part of their course but it's existing referees that were affiliated before."For some reason some have not done it, but we don't know why."Some would regard the response as laziness. Some have said they don't see why they should have to carry this out, but in September 2008 the Vulnerable People's Act comes into play and everybody who comes into contact with children must have a CRB check."It's proving that you do support the safeguarding of children and we would say get this done as soon as you can."To complete the process, FA referees have to pass the CRB check, which is carried out with the help of senior staff and costs £18, fill out a form and watch a 30-minute video on child protection.The organisation says additional officials, such as assessors and coaches, and 800 referees have already completed it or taken it as part of their training, but that the shortage would still cause problems.
Any referees who continue to oversee matches without being affiliated could invalidate insurance policies.The Durham Sunday Football League advise clubs not to play games with out an appointed referee, as this invalidates isurance policies ,If the club haven't got a ref, then the games simply can't go ahead.The FA has told County Associations that referees who officiate from September 2008 (but referees must be CRBd for season 2007-08 – otherwise no appointments) without completing the Child Protection Course (CPC), enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check, and then been 'accepted' into football, will be committing a criminal offence and liable to a fine of up to £5,000.
Similarly officers of a County, League or Club that appoint a referee without CRB clearance will also be liable to a fine of up to £5,000.This is the result of a QC's legal opinion obtained by the FA on the implications of the 'Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act' passed in November 2006. The legal opinion appears to confirm that all refereeing is a 'regulated activity' under the Act, because officials even in open-age football could be frequently 'in contact with children' (age up to 18) and anyone who seeks to referee must apply to be 'subject to monitoring'.The FA has already decided that no referee can be registered for 2007/8 season unless they have satisfactorily completed the CPC and CRB checks. The FA also says it is in dialogue with the Home Office regarding the implementation of the Act and particularly in relation to open-age football.
We in Durham Sunday Football League have a major problem. As you have no doubt seen we have a shortage of referees this year so I am writing to you and your club calling for volunteers to become the man with the whistle. If each club in the League sent an Official from their club on a Referee’s Course at the Durham County Football Association, this would help the problem.
Without your help the sides of the Durham Sunday Football League will be without a referee – a situation I am sure you will agree with me is most unsatisfactory.With an average of thirty matches to cover each Sunday and mid-week, we need as many referees we can get. Please discuss this matter with your fellow club members. I am sure there are ex players, retired players or players coming to the end of their playing career who will make excellent referees. The Durham County Football Association will train you, coach you and advise you along your path . Even if someone is only avaible every other Sunday this doesn’t matter, get in contact with me.
Graham Lilley |
