From the referee's classroom......

I've spent 14 hours of the weekend in the company of very experienced referee's and 17 hopeful's including yours truly. Now more than half way on the road to gaining my Level 7 ref's qualifications. I've read, and re-read the rules of the game, completed DVD learning and now had two days classroom and on the field tuition. So what am I learning...... well here's the first of the regular 'questions of the week'.

A free kick is awarded to the defending team within the penalty area and the goal keeper takes the freekick. Attempting to pass to a defender stood level with him at the side of the penalty area, the ball fails to reach the player, or indeed the edge of the area and instead, rolls out over the goal line, between the goal post and the penalty area edge. How does the game restart?

a) An indirect freekick to the attacking side from where the goalkeeper took the kick
b) An indirect freekick from where the ball left the field of play
c) A corner
d) The goalkeeper is asked to retake the freekick

Answer next week.

Egerton U10 v Weaverham

Well, no such thing as a gentle return to the season. The U10's first game of the season saw me in the middle sporting new boots, new shorts and a new streamline appearance - yep, I wore all black, which does, apparently shave a few pounds off your outline. News of my impending ref's course made it to some of the spectators, I received a few comments of encouragement suggesting that getting some training was a rather good idea. The lads started off very brightly and were quickly testing my pre season fartlek training. An early decision when I awarded a freekick on the edge of the area despite both players ending up in the box was greeted by a friendly...."Big call ref". Not really, I was convinced of where I saw the foul committed. We had a bounce off the bar quickly followed by a question from another interested dad wanting to know my views on goal line technology. Thanks for that question. I'm actually against it. The referees decision is final in opinion, not law, and whether the balls has crossed the line is one of those great 'opinion' debates that contributes to the game we love. I know it may mean incorrect outcomes can sometimes occur, but I don't want a sterile, black and white, rules driven game. I want banter, opinions and good honest endeavour.
Anyway, back to the game. U10 is certainly a step up. Shoe lace tying appears to have been almost universally mastered now - just one incident which actually led to the individual being substituted to re-tie them. Progress indeed!
The game was a thrilling one, full of action, played in a really good spirit. Egerton dominated the first half, 4-1 up, but the heads of the worthy opponents never dropped and when getting a second back early in the 2nd half, they found early season energy and fought back to a tremendous 5:5 final score. Some noteable patches of sweat on my 'shelf' signalled a need to step up my training. 15km in the preceeding two days at the gym. The season has well and truly started, and I'm looking forward to more time in the middle very soon.

your man in black.....