RateTheRef

Firstly, best wishes to Sam.

I think Leggy makes some good points. One of the match officials needing to be replaced is a pretty rare event and when someone has had to step in to fill an unfamiliar position I can't think of too many occasions where it has gone terribly wrong. I think there's some sense to having both a Fourth official referee and a reserve assistant for the occasional game such as finals but I don't really think the resources would be justified for general league matches.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/12/20/exclusive-fa-launch-clampdown-referee-abuse/

The FA to launch clampdown on referee abuse. It is hoped the new measures will help to both increase referee retention from the Premier League to the grassroots

The Football Association will launch a major clampdown on referee abuse next year amid increasingly toxic behaviour at all levels of the game.

A wide-ranging new "Referee Strategy" will be published in February to improve referee retention and availability while reducing on-field hostilities.

Multiple amateur leagues were cancelled over the past year after a shocking upturn in violence and abuse, with 380 players and coaches banned.

It is yet to be decided exactly what new sanctions will be, but campaign groups have called for bigger fines and bans for individuals as well as clubs, with potential stadium closures another option open to the authorities.

The FA's overall aim is to make refereeing a more welcoming environment, especially for minority groups, from the grass-roots to the Premier League.

In recent months, governing body chiefs have already been taking a more proactive approach in tackling abuse of officials at all levels. Jurgen Klopp, for example, was handed a touchline ban earlier this year after his initial punishment was not deemed severe enough by the FA.

In the grass-roots, meanwhile, the FA has held a national "silent weekend" to stop abusive behaviour from the touchline at youth matches. The major challenge within amateur and grass-roots football is referee retention on a week in, week out basis rather than overall numbers.

The new strategy is still at the consultation stage, but the aim is understood to be ensuring referees are treated as "people and not commodities".

A tougher stance against inappropriate behaviour and abuse will be outlined in the new document. A key ambition is to boost numbers of referees from minority groups to make refereeing more reflective of society.

Grass-roots sporting leaders have repeatedly warned of amateur players aping behaviours in the elite as abuse against referees surge at all levels.

Martin Cassidy, chief executive of Ref Support UK, has been calling for years for tougher sanctions. "We will welcome any escalation of punishments for anyone who abuses or threatens or physically assaults the referee," he told Telegraph Sport on Tuesday.

"We have asked the FA, and we're waiting for a reply, but we would like to see anyone who abuses or assaults a match official to face points deducted for their team. We also feel the FA should act automatically if anyone's found guilty of abuse or threats to a referee under the age of  18. That should be an automatic points deduction too. There needs to be more prevention that ensures that teams and clubs are held accountable for who watches their game and who is on the sidelines at grassroots level." 

The FA took the unusual step of writing to every grassroots participant, whether coach, player or parent, at the start of the season to warn that "inappropriate" behaviour went too far last season and that they will consider harsher sanctions.

Pete Carden, who is 72 and has been refereeing for 36 years in Manchester, has also described how abuse is the worst he has ever known in the amateur game.

He says he was the victim of two match-related assaults in the space of a year. At the elite end, the FA used its right of appeal in November after Liverpool manager  Klopp initially escaped a touchline ban after his red card against Manchester City the previous month. After a review, he was subsequently forced to sit in the stands against Southampton.

It’s being reported that both sides are going to contest the red cards at the end.

If they get thrown out the FA need to stamp a hard foot on behaviour like that when teams brawl. It happens far too much and clubs aren’t being punished hard enough.

Quote from: TheThingFromLewes on Tue 26 Jul 2022 19:59

Has to be Monzul for the final methinks if England and France progress.

If France progress and England don't-Welch
If England progress and France don't- Frappart
If both progress - Monzul
If both don't- either frappart or Welch