FOLLOWING on from last weeks opener with football referee Matt Drew about the concerning number of referees leaving the game, Matt tells us about the time he was almost attacked at a game in Bristol.

I have to be totally brutal in saying, that I believe this will become more of an issue in the future as I really do believe the authorities and the clubs have to start banning players for longer and this has to apply to supporters.

Matt Drew’s response to my comments were: “I remember going to Hartcliffe in Bristol and trying to have to deal with some very difficult people and the jury had come out to tell one of the players he wouldn’t be able to play as he was wearing an earring, so you are already on the back foot and then during the same game, the team became really aggressive when they were losing 3-0”.

“I felt that I had to get out of here in one piece and it really was a case of trying to make sure every player remained on the pitch and had I sent off a player, I would have probably lost the whole game, fortunately the away team won, but the abuse you get does cramp your refereeing style and you do feel intimidated”.

“Your sort of thinking, if I send this player off, will my shoes and socks still be in the changing rooms, because in those type of games you usually change with the players and even when you are in a changer area in the corner, you are very much in the same environment and twenty years ago as a 35 year old man, you would feel intimidated in certain places”.

“Your question has it got worse in recent times, I am still not quite sure, as an adult and coming from someone who has played the game, it is relatively straightforward to get the cards out, but I do feel for the younger inexperienced young lads and young girls as well, they will feel more vulnerable going into a man’s game and having to deal with the abuse”.

“I remember another game in Bristol and being told after the game, if you come into our clubhouse, I am going to smash your f_____g head in, that came from one of the players and I felt quite uncomfortable with that obviously, I did tell the captain in the clubhouse what the player had said to me, his response, don’t worry about it, he doesn’t really mean it”.

“Quite frankly there is also a perception amongst spectators and certainly towards match officials, that anyone can say what they want to you and then shake your hand in the clubhouse afterwards and they think that is sufficient, but of course it isn’t”.

“Week in week out this happens and your strong opinions on this subject are totally correct and officials will continue to walk away from the game for a multitude of reasons and one of the main reasons is that you are being exposed and I gave up running the line in the Western League because you are standing in front of the dug outs for 90 plus minutes and you are forever being told how useless you are”.

“I was getting about £35 and we all say we don’t do it for the money, but it is nice to get your beer money, but after a while, you think for thirty odd quid, do you really need the money that badly, just to be threatened and abused for 90 minutes

In next weeks final part, Matt Drew will be telling you, which areas of a football stadium appear to be the hardest areas to appease.

by Merv Colenutt