I was once introduced by Sue Roberts who runs the Special Events company that bears her name, as, 'the only person I know who, when he goes to a football match, watches the referee instead of the game'. That's only partly true, because there is a whole army of people out there watching referees.
Match of the Day 2 has been sending a reporter out each weekend covering many of the jobs involved in staging a football match. For instance he recently spent a day as a steward and two weekends ago he followed a Premier League referee assessor, the ex-referee Paul Durkin, carrying out his duties.
When I started refereeing, the only assessors you heard about, were the ones who assessed the newer referees who had applied for promotion. That still happens today but there have been considerable improvements. One of my early battles with footballing authorities was that any referee who had been assessed for promotion, would only get a letter at the end of the season telling him whether or not he'd been successful. My first demand was that if a referee was not considered proficient enough for promotion, he should be told why.
When this was finally conceded it turned out that much of the information was of little use. Comments were made like 'needs more experience', or when some observation was made about his performance, the referee would try to relate to which game the comments referred, as they didn't know when they had been watched. Assessors never made themselves known, in fact it was a standing joke that assessors wore false beards and hid behind trees when watching a game.
My next battle therefore was to achieve what happens today - the referee has to receive the assessor's comments within a week of the match. By taking note, I contended, the referee could be performing better by the end of the season, which surely is what everyone wanted.
The other problem area was that, although assessors were mainly ex-referees, some were local FA officials who had never refereed a game in their life. Nowadays, assessors must have personal refereeing experience over a creditable period of time. Even ex-referees had their own petty prejudices, like expecting referees to wear white laces.
Now all assessors have to be trained before they can take up their positions, and learn what they are expected to look for, with the emphasis on being positive. Rather than just criticism, the comments are intended to focus on those points that will help the referee improve.They also have their first reports validated before they are let loose commenting on referees on their own, as an FA Registered Assessor. Their registration lasts for five years after which they have to be reassessed.
In their reports assessors are required to comment on ten areas of the referee's performance: Appearance, Signals, Stoppages, Advantage, Co-operation with assistant referees, Application of the Laws, Positioning and movement, Control and authority and finally Misconduct.
Of the 10, positioning and awareness often feature in an assessor's suggestions for improvement along with man management. Any major incorrect application of Law will greatly affect a referee's markings. Assessors also learn to deliver their messages in a manner acceptable to the referee but they must be constructive and truthful. These days, when referees are promoted and move out of local football and up the footballing pyramid, they continue to be assessed. Every league has its own team of trained assessors.
I think it can be seen, that from the local parks up to the Premiership, there are many people who go
to football matches for one reason alone. They go to watch the referee and all football should be grateful to them, for assessors are the guardians of refereeing standards
Dick
Sawdon Smith