Jobi McAnuf, the Reading winger, played again last week for the first time since being sent off after the cup game with West Bromwich Albion. The fact that it was after the game seems to have puzzled many fans if the queries I have received is anything to go by.
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'When did this law come in that a player can be sent of after the game has
finished?’ was one of the questions. The answer is that it has been there as long as I can remember but perhaps it wasn’t so noticeable. In years gone by the referee would have had a word with the player and taken his
name; now, of course, showing the red card draws attention to the act.
The referee’s power to punish players or to use the correct
terminology ' to impose disciplinary sanctions', starts when the referee crosses the touchline entering the field of play to start the match, and finishes when he steps back over the line to leave the pitch after the final whistle.
This means, for instance, a player could be sent off before the game starts if he commits an offence between the referee’s entrance on the pitch and kick-off and also, as we have seen, at anytime until he leaves the pitch.
Two points worth noting. First, a player sent off before kick-off, can be replaced but only by a named substitute. The second point is that it includes misconduct during the half-time interval, even though neither the players, nor the referee is on the pitch.
Now what would happen if the offence had occurred at the end after the referee had left the field of play, perhaps a punch-up in the tunnel? The referee, providing he spotted the offence, would still be expected to take the names of the offenders and report them in the same way as for a sending-off, to the FA under which the game was played.
For instance, most local Reading football is played under the authority of Berks & Bucks FA. The FA concerned would treat the matter in the same way as a sending-off and fines and suspensions would almost certainly follow.
All this is covered by the referees’ jurisdiction, which starts from the moment he arrives at the ground and lasts until he leaves the ground. He has the responsibility to report any incident of misconduct, before, during and after the game, by players, club officials or spectators. So this includes any misconduct by players before stepping on to the field or after leaving it at the end of the game. It includes club officials such as trainers or physios, as they are often called these days, as well as coaches and managers.
Although a referee would not deny a team use of its physio, if a referee receives abuse from coaches and managers they can be expelled from the immediate surroundings of the pitch. We have seen many managers in professional football sent away from the dugouts. It’s not a sending-off and no cards are shown.
In local football it also covers any misconduct by club assistant referees, whose services can be dispensed with. Mostly, if the referee receives abuse from spectators he grins and bears it but, if he felt it was excessive or affecting the game, he could demand that the home club inhibit or remove the spectators responsible.
In the same way, players often have to put up with abuse from spectators and there are times when the referee would be expected to take
action. Racist abuse for instance should never be tolerated. Spectator encroachment would also be a cause for the referee to demand removal or face abandonment of the match.
I don’t think that everyone realises the amount of responsibility, jurisdiction and power that referees have when officiating at a match.
Dick Sawdon Smith
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