As players, parents, supporters and administrators we often forget about the importance of a referee to our games.
I know that referees are those random (sometimes more mature) chaps that turn up and try their best to 'ruin' your Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning or Sunday afternoon and therefore my defence of their importance will no doubt fall on deaf ears in some cases.
However, I am going to push some thoughts in your direction in a (feeble) attempt to try to tempt a few of you to be a little more supportive of what they bring to the table!
The nature of our sport means that a referee is perhaps more crucial to have on the pitch than in a game such as football where it is easier to self police. This complexity means that refereeing our wonderful game is perhaps a little more judgmental than we give a referee credit for.
For example, have you ever read the law book to appreciate how many offences there are at a single phase of play such as a scrum? So maybe we can all claim to know the obvious ones (feeding is a crowd favourite) and I'm sure the front rows amongst us will know a few more, but the reality is the referee could blow up for an offence at nearly every phase of play and where's the enjoyment in that?
I am not claiming that referees are faultless (as one I know I am far from it) but at the same time I believe it is important that all those involved in the game, in any capacity, appreciate the value they add. So next time you blame the ref, perhaps you'll stop and consider whether you could have done a better job or whether the reality is that they are simply human like the rest of us....
Rob Cross
If you're interested in taking up the whistle visit the North Midlands Referees website by clicking here.