What a great summer of football on television with the Confederation Cup in Brazil and then the European Women’s Cup. What! You didn’t watch it. If like my neighbour, you ‘can’t get into watching women’s football’; the Sweden v Germany …
Back in July one of the countries leading dailies had the headline, ‘Offside rule changes could cause chaos for new season.’ It reported that the Premier League could be thrown into chaos as a FIFA amendment to the offside rule …
Regular readers of this column may recall that last season I finished with a moan about BBC’s Match of the Day and how I felt it failed its audience. Sad to say that I start this season with a classic …
Should unnaturally positioned hands be penalised? Read more »
For our first meeting of the current season, we were pleased to welcome Will Finnie from Luton. Although he is only 18 Will is already a level 4 referee and an FA referee tutor having qualified in February 2009. He …
Guest speaker Aug 2013: Will Finnie – Communicating with Players Read more »
I was asked recently about the origins of the “From the Middle” column and the RRA magazine “The Reading Referee” so here is a potted history of the column and the magazine which to some extent coincide. The magazine was started …
History of the RRA magazine and ‘From The Middle’ articles Read more »
In the days when my refereeing journeys meant getting home a little later on Saturday evenings, my sons were strictly forbidden to even hint of the results of any games played that day, in case it might spoil my enjoyment …
After officiating at an academy game at Reading’s training ground recently, I was having a cup of tea in the player’s canteen, when my eye was taken by a glossy magazine that I hadn’t seen before. Little wonder perhaps as …
Life after football for the professional footballer Read more »
One of Corin Readett’s ideas when he was the RDO for Berks & Bucks FA, was the introduction of a County Roadshow. Something similar happened a few years ago, when a team of referee instructors in the Allied Counties visited …
Guest speaker Apr 2013: Alf Field – “Crossing the Line” Read more »
Royals fans who watched Reading’s hard earned draw against Liverpool at the Madejeski Stadium and those who watched it later on Match of the Day, will no doubt remember an unusual incident with referee Mark Clattenburg. In the second half, …
Must yellow cards be shown for cautions to stick? Read more »
Just over a fortnight ago, I was asked what had happened to goal line technology. After the fuss made about it when the International FA Board agreed that it could be used after FIFA withdrew its previous opposition, everything my …
