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As more and more football matches are called-off across south Wales each weekend due to a shortage of referees, Caerphilly Observer asked what the problems are, and what’s being done to fix them?

According to the Football Association of Wales (FAW), 60% of football matches played on any given weekend do not have a ‘neutral’ referee.

While the figure includes junior matches – which are typically refereed by a coach or parent – it’s become a serious issue for many senior sides which play in leagues that will cancel a match if there are no official refs.

Worse still, the FAW recently revealed one in four referees have experienced physical abuse, while a further 88% have suffered verbal abuse.

Caerphilly Observer spoke to Amin Said, a long time referee and secretary of the Cardiff Referees’ Society, to ask about the current challenges facing referees in Wales. He said: “It certainly can be difficult for referees at times, especially early on in their career.

“It takes a type of person, and mindset, to be a ref. I’ve been refereeing for many years now so I can shrug it off, but some people don’t last long for several reasons.

“Of course there is abuse from the players and coaches which is well documented, but sometimes a referee can’t handle a game or make big decisions.

“A referee may spend 15 to 20 hours training online, but when you step out onto the field it’s a different experience. The first game is always make or break.”

Founded in 1886, the purpose of Cardiff Referees’ Society is to “nurture and develop” referees through their careers.

“I understand why it’s not for everyone however”, Mr Said added.

To combat these retention issues, the Welsh football governing body has introduced a yellow armband for youth referees in a bid to reduce abuse.

By identifying referees as under 18s, the FAW hopes they’ll be treated with “more respect”.

Mr Said, who referees in the third tier of Welsh football, continued: “Retention schemes are where the focus should be. The trends are technically on the up, but we’ve still got a long way to go in Wales if we want to see most matches officiated.”

Asked if there needed to be a cultural change to the way fans, coaches, and players treat referees, Mr Said told Caerphilly Observer: “Everyone in football needs more patience. You wouldn’t abuse a cashier on a till if they were taking too long to scan your shopping, so why do it to a referee on the pitch?

“We get that players and parents might have had a hard week in work, but that’s no excuse. At the end of the day without a ref, there’s no game.”

On the players specifically, Mr Said noted: “I think it does start at the top. I see players acting like they do in the Premier League and thinking they can get away with dissent.

“I usually go to the coaches first and set the tone early on that I wont be standing for it.”

Mr Said was keen to add however that he does have a love for the job personally, and that in his own experience, incidents have been dealt with quickly.

Blue card trial

Another way the FAW has attempted to reduce abuse at matches is through its ‘blue card’ trial.

The blue card – which is actually just the yellow card – gives a referee the option to send a player to the sidelines for ten minutes if they show abuse towards match officials.

This ‘sin bin’ approach has been rolled out across several leagues in Wales, including the South Wales Alliance League, in which Caerphilly Athletic, Aber Valley, Cwrt Rawlin, and Nelson Cavaliers play.

The Gwent Premier League is also part of the one-season trial.

On the scheme, the four year secretary of Cardiff Referees’ Society said: “I’ve done a few matches now in the Alliance League and I must say it’s been strange.

“The attitudes of the players have completely changed. Previously you’d have everyone shouting at once, now players come up to you and ask if they can speak, even calling you sir.

“I always lead with the policy that discussion leads to dissent, so I don’t ever engage too much in conversation after making a decision, but this has improved attitudes greatly which we’re pleased to see.”

It’s obvious why the players have quickly adapted to the change, as statistics from the FAW show 60% of matches in which a player is shown a blue card, that team has gone on to concede a goal.

“It’s a shame we haven’t seen it implemented at a higher level, but generally the players at the top are less fussed about moaning to the ref because they’re getting enough stick from their manager.”

Noel Mooney, CEO of the FAW said: “Our mission is to make football the most inclusive, accessible and successful sport in all parts of Wales. The trial will help us achieve our aim by encouraging fair and respectful behaviour in grassroots football which will only increase participation and strengthen the game as a whole.”

Female referees

By its latest estimates, the FAW says there are only 50 women registered as referees in Wales.

To help improve this figure, the FAW introduced the Adran Leagues Referee Academy, with hopes of getting more women and girls involved in refereeing.

It’s proving successful so far, with more than 130 women and girls signed up to the programme.

Welsh Referee and the FAW’s first ever women’s referee development officer, Ceri Williams, previously said: “Refereeing in general has a really poor retention rate, which isn’t something specific to Wales, it’s across all the countries.

“This is due to the general abuse that you can receive as a referee. But I think the dropout rate is significantly higher in women for that reason, that’s why introducing initiatives that offer support and aid retention are so important. 

“I would often receive comments such as ‘go back to the kitchen’ or ‘go home to your husband.’

“Psychologically I think personal comments were sometimes harder to deal with as they were targeted at me due to being a woman.

“We see a lot of girls walking away from the game because of that reason and this highlights the importance of having a support network that the Adran Leagues Referee Academy will provide, and an opportunity to learn from those who have experienced this.”