The official publication of

The Referees Association

The Referees Association
1c Bagshaw Close
Ryton on Dunsmore
Warwickshire
CV8 3EX
Tel:
Email:

02476 420360
contact@the-ra.org

Web: www.the-ra.org

The Voice
of The RA
Supporting Referees
since 1908

March
2016

The evolution continues

Welcome to the March 2016 edition, which details important headlines of change. In the coming weeks every LRA will be given
precise details as we continue on the journey of progression. This move forward is designed to provide every LRA with all the
necessary tools and to give every member outstanding value for money.
From the 1st April members will enjoy market-leading insurance cover, plus the ability to purchase additional health packages. Our
younger referees will benefit from a process which may provide a cheaper car insurance*, and physiotherapy* will now be included
within the policy for every referee in membership of the Association (* both subject only to normal policy terms & conditions). The
precise enhanced details of all these will be transmitted over the coming weeks, and all at the same price of just 4 as previously.
At the Board Meeting last month we welcomed newly-elected Phil Reade, who was immediately co-opted on to the Board. Phil has
been asked to look at other potential benefit streams which would enhance membership values. We would welcome any ideas on
this subject from our members.
A key goal is to achieve real membership value via the RAshop. If you recall, in 2015 we agreed with Sporting Touch a long-term
arrangement. This agreement, plus digging deep into the retail sales channel, has allowed us to tune the shop so that sales to nonmembers can still be made, but we will have on offer bulk discounts to LRAs and individual discounts to members, all protected by
a firewall. We will be emailing all our retail customers directly with regular special offers, and the first such transmission was put out
on 3rd March. We urge all LRAs to support the-RAshop.org - its to your benefit!
It has recently been brought to our attention that a company has emailed every LRA secretary using information which they have
gained inappropriately. We have taken legal advice, and the company has been written to accordingly. Nike have been advised,
and they will be taking action due to the release of commercially sensitive information on social media sites without permission.
In 1913 to 1914 the Arthur Adams case was a catalyst for the Referees Union at that time, when it fought for a member and the
Union as a whole. This inspiring story has led me to conclude that the Association has to be stronger in its defence. We are now
getting the business side right. With the training and development which is coming on stream soon, the RA will be in a position to
challenge these imposters. The RA has a proud history of representation, and this is an objective which we under-sell. Over
the last few years the RA has achieved a number of positive outcomes for individuals. You will also recall the introduction of
cooling-off periods within certain leagues. At the moment we are working on another significant issue, namely 3rd party providers
v. competition rules v. laws of game, with a separate matter under discussion surrounding the welfare of referees v. duty of care.
However these objectives have to be carefully managed, as miscommunication can cause other problems with the football family.
Something for everyone - we seek your views and comments for the positive development of the Referees
Association. Please get in touch with us via email at: contact@the-ra.org

Whats inside?
New RAshop website - RA Insurance update - Project update on Operation Sutcliffe - History of the Referee - RA Events

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The-RAshop.org
During the next few weeks the RA shop is changing to

www.the-rashop.org

This change will enable us to provide all our MEMBERS and LRAs with unique offers and
discounts. We have launched a bespoke website (all linked) so that the user functionality will be the same
as before. We also have the ability to email all our current and potential customers directly as we seek a
more focussed marketing approach to increase our market share away from competitor retail operations.
LRA sales are currently around 5% of the referee equipment supply chain, but this needs to increase. By

enhanced bulk discounts to LRAs

giving
, these Local Branches have been given
additional tools to engage with local referees and also make a small return.
The retail landscape has changed away from bricks to

clicks, and is now brand-driven and

internet-based.

By the end of March, the RAshop will have the ability to take on new RA
membership recruits and offer them an immediate discount on equipment. The general pricing strategy
will remain market-leading as we respond quickly to all cost threats from our competition retailers.

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Insurance Update Headlines

In October 2015 the Board commissioned a significant review of the insurance on offer to RA members, and asked some
fundamental questions to our partners:
1) What are our competitors offering that is impacting on the RA?
2) What is the relevance of our current cover to the modern referee?
3) Any amendments to policy must be kept in the same 4 premium.
In recent times a number of LRAs have claimed they can get better insurance from other providers, but on the whole this has NOT
been entirely correct. The negative propaganda has however brought the current RA policy into question. It is interesting that some
organisations who have been promoting insurance have fallen into the trap of NO claims history, and are now finding out the frailties
of their decision. But we are here to look after our members first, and what follows is an article written by Paul Bentley, who is our
Consultant at the RAs insurance broker Spencer Hayes.

My colleague Bill Hudson has looked after the RA Insurance Policy for over forty years. I became involved in 2005 to
further help and develop that Policy, and more recently to include additional member benefits.
Back then Bill would have been considered a pioneer alongside the RA Council (as it was known then) by
introducing the provision of an Insurance Policy for members who had become injured, as the result of an accident,
whilst refereeing. Both Bill and the Council worked on the premise that the welfare of the referee is paramount.
The policy had to encompass all members of the RA from the local parks right through to Wembley Stadium.
The reason I go back to the inception of the RA Insurance Policy is that we take great pride in the position we hold
of being able to help members who unfortunately cannot continue refereeing following an accident, and this hasnt
changed in over forty years.
They dont pay claims - I dont mind touching upon claims, knowing that this may be what some of you are
thinking or even saying out loud right now. We cannot pay everything, as terms and conditions will always be
written into every insurance policy, but I can say with hand on heart that all valid claims are paid, and ultimately we
are here to serve you the member. For every claim where cover is not applicable, we have numerous claims where
we provide a real day-to-day benefit to help RA members.
Things have certainly evolved over the years from the first Insurance Policy to what I am now going to write about,
namely the 2016/17 major revamp of member benefits.
We have always endeavoured where possible to uplift cover and/or introduce new benefits whenever the
opportunity arose, some of which are detailed below:
2000/01

Referees Kit Included at 100

2007/08

Victim Support / Funeral Expenses Included & Weekly Benefit Increased to 125

2009/10

Weekly Benefit Increased to 200 & Dental Cover Increased to 200

2011/12

Personal Effects Included at 200 & Kit Increased to 200

2012/13

Public Liability Included for Society Meetings & Official RA Functions

Over the last 12 months we have worked closely with the Association and have listened to the feedback from RA
members across many different levels of cover.

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Insurance Update Headlines

The insurance doesnt reflect the modern game was something mentioned on more than one occasion; another
comment was I can get this through my county FA. Due to such feedback we, along with the Associations Board
set out to produce something that would hopefully help all members in one way or another.
We believe in the blank piece of paper approach, so we effectively went right back to basics and considered the
day-to-day needs of the modern referee.
Trust me: your Board works hard on your behalf. Our brief from them was simple: increase the cover in all sections
of the current Policy, add some new benefits, introduce some new relevant products - but DONT increase the price
per member.
Its only fair that I mention Aviva in this article as they have provided the cover for us ever since the RAs Insurance
Policy began way back when. There can sometimes be a misconception around insurers that it is all about the
numbers or the loss ratio, but I can honestly say Aviva value their long-standing relationship with the RA and the
sense of loyalty shown, at a time when in truth there isnt much loyalty knocking about nowadays in the real world.
Aviva were all too happy to work with us in developing the newly-enhanced RA Insurance Policy and including
several new sections of cover. Long may this relationship continue.
A couple of key areas were identified, namely referees equipment & physiotherapy. Basically the thought process
was to get a referee back doing what he or she loves as soon as possible should an incident occur.
You will be pleased to know that we have delivered in both of these areas. Referees Kit & Equipment cover is
being increased by 50% from 200 to 300, as is Personal Effects cover, and Physio will be extended to include
injuries suffered whilst refereeing where previously a valid temporary disablement claim needed to be applicable.
We have also looked at how referees get to games and what they carry with them in the modern world. We will be
providing access to specialist insurers catering for the younger generation who find it notoriously difficult to
purchase motor insurance, plus there will be on offer an exclusive gadget cover that can be purchased to protect
items such as mobile phones, tablets and laptops specifically.
I dont want to preach about insurance as, lets face it, its not the most popular topic in the world. I have therefore
created the 2016/17 comparison table to outline what benefits you receive by being a member of the RA,
especially where the level of cover has increased substantially since last year (e.g. dental cover for remedial work
following an assault has gone up by 25%), or where new sections have been introduced (such as hospitalisation
and broken bones), plus several commercial and self-care opportunities at preferential rates for RA members.
Without the hard work of the RA Board and the feedback of you the members, nothing would evolve or progress,
and to that end I would welcome any further feedback (good or bad!) so that we can then continue striving to make
things better for you.
OH, I NEARLY FORGOT - THE PRICE REMAINS THE SAME !!
My colleague Bill always says the same to me about his long-standing relationship with the RA - without you the
member, it doesnt exist, nor does our involvement. We are here to serve, and we take great pride in doing so.
Paul Bentley
Spencer Hayes Insurance
0161 711 0304
pbentley@spencerhayesinsurance.co.uk

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Insurance Update Headlines

Insurance Update Headlines

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Appeal for articles and video footage

To improve as far as possible the standard of
Operation Sutcliffe
Refereeing and to assist all existing Referees
Education,
Entertainment,
Encouragement
Do you have
any training articles
or interesting news items?

Associations in their educational and general

work.
If so,
then let us spread the word that the
Thursday
5th March
1908in the development
Referees Association is open for business. Let others know how you
are leading
the way
Charles
- RA Chairman
of your own LRA and in enhancing the performance
of Sutcliffe
your members.

Project update

Please send your articles in Word, images as jpegs, and videos as MP4 (or something similar) to:

We are in discussion with 5 training providers regarding portal tools, with one already
providing a market-leading educational tool for FA coaches.

Our recent survey on social media illustrates there is an overwhelming need for on-line
training for members - interestingly, ex-members stated that this lack of training had
been a key reason for them previously not re-joining the RA:

We are currently developing the first training material, which will be made available
once the video edit and the tutor verification has been completed.

Below is an example of what the training resource may look like this example will
enable every LRA to have a resource pack, and every member to have development
material available 24/7.

contact@the-ra.org

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The Referee
It has taken hundreds of years for the role of the referee to develop into what we take for
granted today. It was the early pioneers that set the scene in an era where Rules were almost
non-existent and punishment unheard of.
It was way back in the mid-1500s that football's first administrator,
Italian Giovanni Bardi (Count of Vernio, literary critic, writer, composer
and soldier) produced the first known set of rules for calcio storico, a
rudimentary game similar to football.
The first 'arbiter' appeared as early as 1688 and was probably known
as the maestro de campo, the same year in which Memore del Calcio
Fiorentina was published, believed to be the first book dedicated to
the game. The maestro was responsible for keeping the peace and
passing judgments on disputes. It was nearly 200 years later before
the referee as we know him today originally appeared in the form of
two umpires.
The non-existent referees of the English Public School days in the
1800's would have been the actual players themselves or the team
captains. So long as football was played purely for recreation
between friends, the onus of control remained with them.
Rule 16 of Harrow School Football expected all "new boys to be
required to make themselves thoroughly acquainted with them [the
Rules]". It is a great pity that modern players are not given the same
advice, for seldom today do they actually study (or even know) the
Laws of the game that pays their salaries.

UEFA European Championship

2004 - Semi Final - Greece v
Czech Republic. Referee:
Pierluigi Collina, one of the best
ever referees. (PA Photos)

The duty of the umpires is to score the goals!

As the game progressed in popularity, it became clear that, in the interests of school discipline and the
personal safety of the players, some form of external management was needed. This lack of neutral
control was further exasperated by the introduction of a competitive element for a specific honour such as
winning the Harrow School Cock House Trophy. Following an established practice (probably copied from
the game of cricket) of using two umpires to control games, it was in1847 that Umpires were first
mentioned in the Laws of the Game. When these two officials were unable to come to a conclusion,
disputes were 'referred' to a third man, who later became known in football as the referee (i.e. the man
referred to). He originally took a subservient role as the mediator whilst patrolling outside of the
touchlines. The umpires were bound to accept the referee's ruling if he was appealed to. Umpires could
only intervene in a game after an appeal by the team captain of the opposing side! This is something that
the modern game is reconsidering in an attempt to minimise the dissent that is the scourge of the modern
game. The match officials in the early days would certainly not have been neutral, but were in fact school
colleagues or associates chosen by each team. The two umpires originally stood at opposite corners of
the field of play, commanding a view along the touchline and the goal line. They later moved on to the
field of play itself.
Winchester Rules: "The duty of the umpires is to score the goals, and, in all cases of doubt in which they
are referred to, to give their decision, which is final".
It is interesting to note how the above words 'score', 'referred' and 'their decision which is final' remain
part of our football culture. Of course, the umpires did not actually score the goals, but rather scored the
details into their notebook, or sometimes gouged them into the sides of the wooden goalposts.

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The referee now had the power to award a free kick,

"without any appeal".
In 1871, the first official reference to a 'referee' in Association Football occurred, when the Football
Association inaugurated its own F.A. Challenge Cup. Rule 15 of that competition read as follows:
'The Committee shall appoint two umpires and a referee to act at each of the matches in the Final Ties.
Neither the umpires nor the referees shall be members of either of the contending clubs, and the decision
of the umpires shall be final, except in the case of the umpires disagreeing, when an appeal shall be
made to the referee whose decision shall be final'.
It was at this time that the match officials were also asked to be the "sole judges of 'fair and unfair'
[dangerous] play", as well as deciding infringements of the Rules, such as "neither tripping not hacking
shall be allowed". It is also here that the neutrality of referees was born.
Professionalism for players was legalised in 1885, and winning games therefore assumed a greater
importance for the contestants. With greater financial incentives to be had, players' conduct began to
deteriorate during matches. Countermeasures were quickly and drastically introduced into the Rules, to
give match officials more power to make the decisions. The referee now had the power to award a free
kick, "without any appeal".
It is here that the referee moved from being 'only a person "referred" to in the case of need' to becoming
an important match official with punitive powers higher than those which had previously been possessed
by the two umpires.
In 1890, it was also the referee (still positioned on the touchline) who was given the power of determining
if an offence was committed intentionally, or if it should be punished by awarding penalty kick. It was
here that mention of referees first appeared in the Laws of the Game.
'By mutual consent of the competing matches, a referee shall be appointed whose duty shall be to decide
in all cases of dispute between umpires. He shall also keep a record of the game and act as timekeeper.'
This greater delegation in 1890 created a more powerful referee, who inevitably usurped the umpires by
making his way into the middle for the first time, and then taking sole charge of games in 1891. The dualcontrol on the field of play was therefore abolished, and the two umpires were relegated to patrolling the
touchlines, thus becoming the equivalent of the modern-day Assistant Referees. The referee was now in
full command of the game and empowered to make decisions without having to wait for appeals.

There are always two pairs of eyes, watching

every movement on the field of play from
opposite sides.
The first major overhaul of the Laws took place in 1891 and was undertaken by the International Football
Association Board (IFAB). Prior to 1891, the two umpires who governed play on the field used to wave a
stick in the air to allow an appeal to be made by the captain. In 1891 the sticks became flags for the two
linesmen (ex-umpires). Flags were also mentioned in 1896, in a column entitled 'Hints to Referees' in the
first Referees' Chart (known today as the Laws of the Game).

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By 1923, FIFA had its own committee to look at the Laws of the Game, the Comte consultatif des regles
du jeu et de l'arbitrage. The most important task of this Referees' Committee, as it was later known, was
to ensure that the Laws were followed by all of FIFA's member associates. Moreover, this was
complicated by what became known as the 'Spirit of the Law'. The Committee were keen to know how
the many affiliated Football Associations were organising their referees and how they appointed them to
international matches.
British referees remained the very best in the world for the first 80-90 years of their existence. Following
a change in the Offside Law in 1925 (from 3 to 2 defenders required) the game speeded up considerably.
Many referees could no longer keep up with the game and were generally vague about what position they
should take in relation to play. It was following this that the diagonal system of match control actually
began to slowly take shape.
Stanley Rous (later to become Sir Stanley Rous) developed the diagonal system of control after,
according to Belgian Referee John Langenus (1930 World Cup Final referee), he had seen Belgian
referees making a similar attempt at scientific positioning on the field of play. This was destined to
become the blueprint for all refereeing.
A group of referees, including Rous in particular, used the system with some success when refereeing
international matches on the Continent. But the 'Diagonal System of Control had yet to receive
recognition by The Football Association (FA), and there were a number of referees and officials who were
opposed to it. The breakthrough came in 1934. Rous used the system when he refereed the
Manchester City v Portsmouth 1934 FA Cup Final. Six days after that Cup Final, Rous attended an
interview for the post of Secretary of The Football Association. Two months later he was confirmed in
that post, and continued there for nearly 28 years (1934-62) until he became president of FIFA. After that
Cup Final of 1934, Rous also submitted a Memorandum for discussion with the Association, and after the
pros and cons had been carefully considered, the FA approved the 'Diagonal System' for use in matches
under their jurisdiction.
The system proved to be a success, particularly with The Football League (England) who sent out
instructions to all of its referees, stating that they must use this method of control. The Diagonal System
of Control was featured in a long article in Football World in 1939, but it was nearly 10 years later (in
1948) when foreign delegates at the International Conference of Referees held in London also approved
the adoption of this system, which has since been used throughout the footballing world. The great
advantage of the diagonal system when it is properly carried out is that there are always two pairs of eyes
watching every movement on the field of play from opposite sides.

Ken Aston, on his return from military service in 1946, became the first Football League referee to wear
the black uniform with white trim, which subsequently became the standard outfit for referees. The
following year (1947) he introduced bright yellow linesmen's flags in place of the pennants (in the colours
of the home team) which had been used before. In 1956, the following Decision of the International
Board was added into the Laws:

"In International Matches, Linesmen's flags shall be a vivid

colour, bright reds and yellows. Such flags are
recommended for use in all other matches".
Modern-day flags are luminous yellow or red/orange, and can be seen much more easily by the Referee.

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The idea of using red and yellow cards to

indicate dismissals and cautions also came
from the great English referee Ken Aston.
Following the infamous sending off of the
Argentina captain Antonio Rattin by the
German referee in the 1966 World Cup
quarter-final between Argentina and
England, Aston (who was acting as a FIFA
official) went onto the field to remonstrate
with Rattin by trying to make him leave the
field of play. It is difficult to know whether
Rattin genuinely did not understand that he
was being sent off, although the referee
constantly pointing to the touchline must
have given him a clue! Subsequently,
Aston tried to think of a better system of
allowing a referee to make his intentions
clearer to a player who might not speak the
same language.
As Aston drove away from the stadium, the
solution came to him!

1966 World Cup in England - Quarter Final - England v

Argentina
(PA Photos)
FIFA referees' official Ken Aston (second left) tries to
persuade Argentina captain Antonio Rattin (hidden, third
left) to leave the pitch after he was sent off by referee
Rudolf Kreitlein (centre, right)
(PA Photos)

As I drove down Kensington High Street

(London), the traffic light turned red. I thought:
Yellow, take it easy; red, stop, youre off.
Aston later become Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee and brought these coloured cards to the
game. Red and yellow cards were officially introduced at the World Cup Finals in 1970. But it wasn't
until 1992 that the cards were actually incorporated into the Laws of the Game and thus made mandatory
at all levels.
In 1991, the refereeing team grew from 3 to 4 when FIFA incorporated the Fourth Official into the Laws of
the Game. The 2006 FIFA World Cup introduced us to the 5th Official as a replacement for one of the
Assistant Referees should they be injured or unable to continue in the match.
I wonder how many match officials there will be in 2116?

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Events 2016

The RA Conference 2016

Hinckley Island Hotel, Hinckley, Leicestershire
Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th July 2016
AGM - Saturday 16th July at 10:30am
Development Weekend - Full programme out shortly

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The official publication of

The Referees Association
The Referees Association
1c Bagshaw Close
Ryton on Dunsmore
Warwickshire
CV8 3EX
Tel:
Email:

02476 420360
contact@the-ra.org

Web: www.the-ra.org

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