Blimey - Calm Down

Well the season is well under way. The pressure is on, whether it is Premiership or Grassroots. I'm not just talking about the pressure of playing, though that can get hot under the collar;

I referee'd at weekend. Two teams renowned for being overly enthusiastic!!! Though pleasantly suprised that they concentrated on the job at hand. They played really well, and their teamwork was excellent. On team had only 10 men for the first 30 minutes, and did so well to keep the opposition to 1-1.

As opposed to that. Last week I ran the line. 8 cautions, 3 reds and a rather heated fight later, I was knackered. What's all that about - Calm Down.I am competitive, but I know when far is too far. It's a game, get over the 'Football Rage'. I sometimes look at the Footballers in question, and wonder what they would say to their own Children if they acted the same?

Like I said - The pressure is on!!!

People watch a match, they cheer or they jeer, then they go home. They forget that it isn't just the players on the pitch that are under pressure - no matter what league. In fact the grassroots I would say are under immense pressure, in fact I think that even some of the players walk away not realising what people are doing on their behalf in the background;

Financially they are down to the bone. they have to fulfill FA rules and regulations, they need to pay for grounds,lights,food, kit wash, officials, programs etc. That money has to come from somewhere, whether sponsorship, charity matches, football cards or quiz nights. Of course there are things that can be done, maybe a website with advertisement etc, but someone has to give up their time to do this.

I've been watching 'Class of 92, out of their league'. I think it's great for showing those local Salford heroes who give up there time, who support their club through sun, rain and snow. Who are passionate  about giving the footballers the best facilities, the best support, and the best club.

Those back office helpers are at every club. They need our support and our thanks for doing a fantastic job. The Salford Heroes may now be the pin-ups for those people, and your own people may still be very much invisible to you, but the Salford Guy's have at least now heightened the awareness that the club cannot function without them

Referee Association - - #KEEPCALMANDMANAGE 2016

Amazing Weekend put on by the hard working RA-FA Council members. 

Registering on Saturday morning at the Hinckley Island Hotel, I was quite early, but gradually as more and more referee's arrived, I saw familiar faces. That's the thing with the referee world, you might not see someone for a year, but when you greet each other you carry on a conversation as though it's been 5 minutes. 

Once we were registered and had said our hello's, it was off to the practical training sessions. These are sessions that are too good to miss, with the benefits of 'Premiership Referee's', knowledge, and the professional coaches that have given up their valuable time. We were put through real scenario's, and given great feedback on our work. It was a full on couple of hours, complete with fitness tests. 

We then went back to the Hotel to go into syndicate rooms, Again fantastic presentations, handy hints, great knowledge about how to deal with certain situations It's great being able to listen to people at the top of their game talk on a level with you about the business that you want to go into. It's great to see that they are just like you, and it gives you the inspiration to get to the top of your game and become a premiership referee. 

In the evening we had a dinner night, along with a topical quiz. It gave me the chance to dress up, and enjoy socialising with the other course attendee's as well as the top Ref;s. It was a late night (as if you hadn't guessed), but absolutely brilliant. Next day, a good training session allowed us to clear our heads and keep on with the learning. 

This is a weekend for any referee wanting to climb the promotion ladder, any referee with hopes to get to the top. It's Networking at it's best, learning with the best, fitness training, brain teasers and comradeship all rolled into one. 

Make sure you book onto it next year - it's so worth it.See the video of the event on Vimeo below. RA FA - Keep calm and Manage (see if you can spot me - I'n in it for all of 5 seconds)

https://vimeo.com/175206052

Football - Back to Basics

Football - The Multi-Billion pound industry, where the players are the pinnacle of success. With companies from team bus transport, to catering. From betting companies to PR. Where one shot of Beckham can make a pair of socks sell out by the next day.

Where tactics are everything, losing that amazing natural football grit and determination. Where betting companies can employ statisticians who can invariably work out who will score next, who will win the match. Where we have lost that awe of sheer talent - I'm not saying that the top Guy's aren't talented, but once your in those top teams, they literally train that talent out of you, so you will play those set moves.

Where you initially loved Football, lived for football, breathed football. Where every day when you got home from school you ran upstairs to change into football kit and went playing on the field till it was too dark to see the ball. When the excitement of grabbing your scarf and setting off to the match was incredible.

How much fun to throw your jumpers on the ground to mark the goal posts, to have 30 of you from school, scouts, youth club playing on the pitch at the same time. 15 a-side, with no referee, yet no trouble at all - just team work and laughter. No set time each way, in fact probably not swapping sides at all. Playing on a sandy beach, playing in a clearing in the woods, playing on a hillside, with holes in the ground that could swallow your foot - yet no one broke their ankle!!!

I saw this video the other day. There's nothing like nature to remind you of what football IS about - and it's not those billions of pounds???

No matter how high up the football pyramid you go, No matter how many millions you make - NEVER lose sight of what made you love the sport in the first place x

IT'S HERE - Let the season begin

Well that summer went quick???

On Saturday I was back at Nottingham Forest in the morning, refereeing the under 16's team against Fulham. Great match, although Forest had the edge. It was a beautiful day, and when we got there it was obvious from the car-park that the 1st Team were in - one day I will get one of those Range Rovers!!!!!. They were playing at home against Burton, with a kick-off of 3pm, but at 11am, they were out training next to my pitch. At half time for my match the pressure was on, when they finished training but decided to watch my match for around 20 minutes. I reckon I did ok, my Mum was sat with some of the 1st team that were playing that afternoon, and she heard them saying 'She did well' - As I was the only female on the pitch, I'll take that one.

On Sunday it was my first match of the season with Radcliffe. Gorgeous day again, if not slightly too warm. We played Coventry and we played really well. Considering we had only started training two weeks before, we really played as a team. I hit the bar twice before rocketing the ball past the keeper and into the net - I'm almost glad that she didn't get behind it, cos it would have really hurt. 

Hitting the bar again!!!!

It was great to be back to normal again, and I felt great on the pitch.