Referee Panel unfit for purpose?

[Phil]

I personaly as a club captain would not expect a player to travel to an away game to ref effectivley spending 10.30 - 6/7 out of his day to referee. for a home game its not so bad but a whole day is a big ask imho.

How then do you think the panel refs feel having to spend the best part of a day travelling to the distant clubs value for money at £30 pr game for travel expenses

Is the money that they get paid expenses?!

Phil

[Moaning Git]

At the NEMLA meeting last night there was a long discussion about provision of referees, and all the issues around the subject. Letters will be going out to clubs shortly, make sure that you note the contents and act on them or it could be quite costly, in more ways than one!

[LivTeamJones26]

Mandatory refs MUST be qualified, otherwise it's a non event?!?! Sorry but what is the point of the panel refs then? 3 refs at a game is no improvement on 2 in my opinion, and if anything makes it harder for referees to determine whose call it is, leading to nothing being called!

I'd rather take the 250 odd quid from paying the panel ref and invest it in getting 5 members of our club qualified each year, thus avoiding the penalties!

[whopead]

Have to disagree there....Panel refs this year have helped coach our newer inexperienced refs who did a good job in a 3 man team therefore giving new refs valuable support and tips

[Moaning Git]

Liv, you have got a real bee in your bonnet about provision of panel refs, you are totally missing the point that clubs are not providing the refs for each team, that is the problem not the panel refs at all. And Whop is right one of the key roles of the Panel refs we have is to mentor newly qualified officials.

[falseteeth0]

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MG, would you agree the more senior home refs will be doing the prem/north 1 games etc. the newer qualified refs will be refs in north 2/3, as there aren't enough panel refs the new refs aren't being mentored at all. How about switching the panel refs to start at north 3 upwards, then the new refs would have some mentoring, and leave the home and away to ref perm 1 down!

[dalglish]

We have refs who agree to do games home and away by taking the games in turn. These are people who would be spectators each week and don't wish to be on the panel or referee games not involving their teams simply because they are helping the club fulfil the rules of the league. If new refs are happy to travel to other clubs then there's the start of new panel refs coming into the game. Contrary to LTJ26 the game is easier with 3 refs IMO .

[dalglish]

FYI Poynton v Stockport game was played without a panel ref yesterday. The game would not have gone ahead had both teams not taken the relevent steps to make sure their refs were available. Score 12-3 Stockport.

[Moaning Git]

FT, I am not disagreeing, however the Panel Refs we have are a limited resource. They were allocated at the start of the season according to NEMLA requested priorities. Those priorities are now being reviewed. However it has to be said that having spoken to a number of players from Prem 1 teams they feel that having an experienced and neutral head ref is a must.

And I have to agree that the pace of a top flight game may well be too much for a home ref used to working North or Prem 2 games.

We are in a period of transition and it is a time for a certain amount of flexibility and planned allocation of resources to take things forward.

[whopead]

Panel refs are a great asset (mostly) and are especially vital in providing mentoring and support to newer refs. This is the best way to learn the trade, with an experienced Head ref to guide and support. Unfortunately In our game with liverpool yesterday the panel ref was injured so could not attend and it showed as there was no guidance for inexperienced refs, which made it difficult for them and both teams.