New - The things that really annoy you

[EpsomWolf]

What age group is that May I ask?

Shouldn’t make any difference but I found the U13/14/15 absolutely horrendous and didn’t enjoy those years one tiny little bit. I only ran the line but never in a million years would want to be a ref. Respect my arse.

Thing is at those year groups you had the greatest disparity in physical ability, some lads with squeaky voices and others in muscle vests and bandanas (I’m not joking either), and so aggression and intimidation was an amplified tactic by the coaches which had maximum affect at that time.

That exposed the weaker refs, but if you’re lad is younger than that I’d strap yourself in as there’s a lot more coming down the tracks I’m afraid.

 

[Tredman]

What age group is that May I ask?

Shouldn’t make any difference but I found the U13/14/15 absolutely horrendous and didn’t enjoy those years one tiny little bit. I only ran the line but never in a million years would want to be a ref. Respect my arse.

Thing is at those year groups you had the greatest disparity in physical ability, some lads with squeaky voices and others in muscle vests and bandanas (I’m not joking either), and so aggression and intimidation was an amplified tactic by the coaches which had maximum affect at that time.

That exposed the weaker refs, but if you’re lad is younger than that I’d strap yourself in as there’s a lot more coming down the tracks I’m afraid.

U15s - had it at the same ground with same ref for many years. The sides were pretty evenly matched tbf.

Since found out at least 2 other teams are boycotting games there at our age group.

 

[EpsomWolf]

Ok well that’s good it’s isolated to one team/ref.

Should make it easier for the local FA to do something about it.

 

[Tredman]

Ok well that’s good it’s isolated to one team/ref.

Should make it easier for the local FA to do something about it.

RFU… and nothing will happen, should do but never does.

It should be different with rugby because, as happened today, the consequences can be much more serious with dangerous tackles and foul play.

 

[sycophantia]

RFU… and nothing will happen, should do but never does.

It should be different with rugby because, as happened today, the consequences can be much more serious with dangerous tackles and foul play.

Surprised to hear that, I watch the local younger age groups at my local club and the reffing is pretty good (and neutral) especially from a safety aspect.

 

[Tredman]

Surprised to hear that, I watch the local younger age groups at my local club and the reffing is pretty good (and neutral) especially from a safety aspect.

It’s pretty much only Longton where I have ever seen this. Wasn’t going to name them as they may be the local team for some on here but fuck them.

 

[Alan]

I don't know much about grassroots football over there, but seems logical that they'd have significantly fewer resources to train refs properly and thus you'll get huge variability in quality of refereeing.

 

[sycophantia]

I don't know much about grassroots football over there, but seems logical that they'd have significantly fewer resources to train refs properly and thus you'll get huge variability in quality of refereeing.

This is Rugby Union Alan (I think). In my experience grass roots sport, Rugby is generally better run.

 

[Alan]

This is Rugby Union Alan (I think). In my experience grass roots sport, Rugby is generally better run.

Woops! That's what I get for sticking my nose in.

Everything I hear about organized rugby over there is that the style of reffing is significantly better than what we get in football matches.

 

[Tredman]

I don't know much about grassroots football over there, but seems logical that they'd have significantly fewer resources to train refs properly and thus you'll get huge variability in quality of refereeing.

Bad refs are ok, cheats are not.

 

[Alan]

Bad refs are ok, cheats are not.

Absolutely, not trying to excuse, just theorizing to understand.

 

[Johnny75]

It’s pretty much only Longton where I have ever seen this. Wasn’t going to name them as they may be the local team for some on here but fuck them.

They are a local team to me.

Don't know the ref but that is terrible. I know Newcastle teams have terrible trouble with Longton.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Don’t want to be all Karl Henry but the ‘refereeing’ my kids endured today in a cup semi final from a 50+ year old man was a disgrace. It got to the point was he was literally serenaded from the pitch by the home parents.

ˌser.əˈneɪd/ us. /ˌser.əˈneɪd/ to play a piece of music or sing for someone, especially for a woman while standing outside her house at night: Romeo serenades Juliet in the moonlight. Shoppers are serenaded with live piano music.



He couldn't have been that bad then?

 

[Tredman]

They are a local team to me.

Don't know the ref but that is terrible. I know Newcastle teams have terrible trouble with Longton.

By the look of his red face I’m not sure he has many games left in him.

It doesn’t really help his team either as they always get frustrated when they are away as they expect the same.

 

[Tony Towner]

Not related to this but there is a chronic shortage of refs, my son plays U16s and I'd say for half the games it's a member of one of the teams who ends up doing it. You then add the more often than not biased linesman into the equation with many of the lads being borderline men and it's often a free for all.

 

[EpsomWolf]

I recall a couple of times when we asked the FA to appoint a neutral ref for games where there was previous bad blood they would, and send one or two observers along too.

Although to be fair, the previous ‘bad blood’ was pretty exceptional with the teams having the dubious honour of having the only Cambs FA U14’s match abandoned before it even kicked off! - kids fighting during the warm up which turned into a mass brawl, with parents still going at it in the car park when the police arrived!

Found it all settled down a bit again U16/17’s but it was a bit wild for a time.

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

Picked my son up from after school club to find out he’d broken his glasses while playing football at lunchtime. Great.

Got home to find the boiler flashing with a fault and it won’t come on. Fantastic.

Thankfully, we have boiler cover so an engineer is coming out tomorrow afternoon. The boiler is getting on a bit now though (I don’t think Ideal do replacement parts for it anymore) so fingers crossed it’s a fix and not a new boiler needed.

 

[Sniffer]

Picked my son up from after school club to find out he’d broken his glasses while playing football at lunchtime. Great.

Got home to find the boiler flashing with a fault and it won’t come on. Fantastic.

Thankfully, we have boiler cover so an engineer is coming out tomorrow afternoon. The boiler is getting on a bit now though (I don’t think Ideal do replacement parts for it anymore) so fingers crossed it’s a fix and not a new boiler needed.

Got a couple of the glasses t shirts.

Who is your cover with? British Gas will replace if it’s less than 7 years old. Mine is 6 and they’ve basically replaced every pert on it when it broke a few weeks ago. They’ll replace it if it goes again but I’m just happy that it’s working now.

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

Got a couple of the glasses t shirts.

Who is your cover with? British Gas will replace if it’s less than 7 years old. Mine is 6 and they’ve basically replaced every pert on it when it broke a few weeks ago. They’ll replace it if it goes again but I’m just happy that it’s working now.

We have British Gas Homecare but the boiler is about 13 years old now. Every time they service it they warn us that it’ll be hard to get parts for it if something breaks.

We have an immersion switch in the airing cupboard (which I’ve never used nor do I understand how it works!) I presume I can get hot water via that if the boiler is knackered?

 

[Sniffer]

We have British Gas Homecare but the boiler is about 13 years old now. Every time they service it they warn us that it’ll be hard to get parts for it if something breaks.

We have an immersion switch in the airing cupboard (which I’ve never used nor do I understand how it works!) I presume I can get hot water via that if the boiler is knackered?

Yes but it’s likely to be expensive compared to the gas heating the water. Like a kettle element warming up your water tank.