The number of referees in football has seen a drop in recent years, with many local leagues struggling to have enough officials for the weekend games.
This could be due to suffering abuse from players, not having enough time to officiate or simply not having enough interest in the first place.
After all, why would anyone want to enter a field of work spending their weekend surrounded with hatred just for trying to do their job?
Rob Morrison is the website administrator for the Cheltenham Association Football League, and also referees when he is called upon.
Rob says: “I’ve refereed a couple of games this season, the reason I got into it is because post-covid the league felt they were going to struggle, so some referees stopped, a number got promoted, and I don’t think there had been referee courses so there was a lack of referees coming through.
“Last year the league lost seven teams so they had really good coverage, but this year a few more teams have entered and they are struggling a bit.”
The biggest factor in referees quitting seems to be the abuse that they suffer during a match.
Whilst it has always been in the game, many believe more should be done on both sides to come to a solution.
“I see it with players I’ve played with and I see it on the sideline, there’s always been abuse.
“My personal view is that the referee’s got two weapons in their pocket: a red and yellow card, I used to be club secretary and you would get an email from the league about a referee’s complaint, but nobody would be booked.
“If players are causing you problems, book them or send them off, don’t write an email afterwards.”
In regards to junior football, younger refereeing is in need of a much quicker change if there is to be any solution to the referee shortage.
If teenage referees are getting abused by parents, why would they continue down that career path?
“I think you only have to look at the news and read refereeing websites to see the amount of abuse particularly youngsters are getting, there’s a massive issue in junior football.
“If you’re looking to start out your refereeing career and you go in as a 14-year-old and you’re getting lots of abuse from players and parents, you’re very quickly not going to want to carry on, and I think that’s where some of the problems stem from.”
Evidently, the footballing bodies need to act as soon as possible to save the game, before there is nobody left that wants to referee.
