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Recruiting, training and developing referees at the Football Association

Background


The Football Association (F.A.) is the governing body for the game of association football in England. As football is the most popular sporting activity in the country the F.A. has a very high public profile.

The laws of football are agreed internationally through the federal governing body, FIFA, which has 206 member associations. In March of each year, these member associations have an opportunity to agree amendments to their laws. However they have remained fairly static, with the last major change implemented in the 90s – this concerned ‘denial of the obvious goal-scoring opportunity’.

Football must be conducted according to these laws in a huge number of games that occur every day. These range from school football and six-aside games in leisure centres through to amateur competitive leagues, the professional football and premiership leagues to the international and world cup competitions. One of the essential, but less recognised roles of the F.A. is to ensure that sufficient referees are recruited, trained, retained and developed. In total in England, there are some 3500 referees currently registered to operate at the most senior professional levels and another 28,000 who are registered to referee at the lower levels.

Training for skills


In the United Kingdom, referees are registered from non-active Level 10 up to Level 1, which comprises the 19 international panel referees. The system allows and encourages the able and interested to progress upwards through the levels supported by appropriate development and assessment processes. This system is operated throughout Europe. The most populous groupings are Level 7, the junior county referees, and Level 5, which the senior county referees

Ian Blanchard, Head of National Referee Development at the F.A., works with a team of seven regional staff to ensure that this refereeing facility is available and the required standards are maintained. According to Ian Blanchard, the qualities of a good referee are ‘good communication, a strong personality and clear and confident decision-making, a great awareness of what is happening and empathy for the game’. Such interpersonal skills are, to an extent, innate (not everyone could make a good referee, however highly motivated) but can be identified, developed and assessed through their application in practice. Two other obvious pre-requisites for a capable referee are knowledge of the laws of the game and physical and mental fitness.

Some 7,000 new referees undergo initial training through the F.A. each year and a similar number leave the system. Given the total figure of 28,000 operating below the most senior levels, this is a high rate of attrition. However, a significant number, over 60% of those entering the system, are under 16 and many of these are acquiring a referees’ license in support of a leadership qualification – for example, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – and do not intend to referee any games. In addition significant numbers drop out after they have refereed their first few games. To ensure an adequate pipe-line of referees, there is a constant programme of recruitment with advertisements in local newspapers, at leisure centres and in libraries. University career fairs have produced a good source of recruitment as a higher percentage of the populations enter full-time education.

An internal project team, lead by Ian Blanchard, has recently redesigned the subsequent training programme after recruitment. One of the challenges has been that referee training must be delivered at local levels, by County Associations and the system relies on the commitment of volunteers. Nevertheless, standards must be maintained if the game is to be supported and developed.

Every person who expresses an interest in becoming a referee is sent an initial information pack. This includes prior reading material, a questionnaire on their previous experience and their ambitions, booklets and a CD-ROM. They are then invited to participate in a training programme which consists of five modules. The first is an introductory session where the training and subsequent development patterns are explained to them and they are tested and assessed on their knowledge and the extent they have absorbed the material in their initial reading. This is not pass or fail, but at this stage the less committed may withdraw.

Some County Associations will run the subsequent modules together over a weekend; others will deliver them separately in the evenings. Modules 2 and 3 are the most practical. In Module 2, participants will be outside on a football field. After initial inspection of the pitch they will referee five- or six-a-side games. The trainer will check and give them feedback on their interoperation and control procedure – for example, whistle-blowing. For Module 3, they must referee at least six games – ideally accompanied by a member who will offer guidance and feedback. Module 4 consists of an examination and in Module 5 participants discuss the next steps and the way forward.

To assist in the earlier modules and ensure consistency, the F.A. have prepared a number of interactive CD-ROMs which show incidents in live games. These can be played and paused and participants can discuss the appropriate response.

Ideally there would be sixteen participants in the same cohort, particularly at Module 3 where numbers would allow the practice games to take place. It can be seen that, although there are reading and CD-ROMs available, the process is underpinned by the capability (and indeed the availability) of a trainer to give guidance and feedback. A major part of Ian Blanchard’s team’s responsibility is to identify and train a sufficient number of trainers to conduct the courses.

Once this initial training has been completed, the new referees are licensed at Level 9. Successful completion of a further examination and refereeing a requisitie number of games will allow the referee to advance to Level 7. Further advancement involves independent assessment, attendance at further training courses and refereeing a requisite number of games. To advance beyond Level 5, referees must be nominated by their County Association as having recognised potential.

It should be added that the F.A. is considered a world leader in the training of referees and there are frequent requests to support emerging associations overseas – particularly from developing countries.

Some issues


Perhaps the most striking feature of referee training is the complete dependence on volunteers to deliver the system. There is a need for a cohort of trainers and a mentors (where these can be found) at Module 3, and of independent assessors to maintain standards at the higher levels. Referees are paid (£300 at professional level to £30 at the most junior), but it is the level of commitment to the game that produces this pipe-line of enthusiasts.

Enthusiasm however is not enough and standards must be maintained. Regular checks are made and continuing training and development opportunities are in place. The F.A operates an assessment scheme for all referees who are offered advice on their performance detailing strengths and development points. Also in place is an annual appraisal system designed to maintain standards as well as assist Instructors development. On occasions licenses are withdrawn because of poor practices.

Moreover, the high profile and permeance of the game as a national culture means that demands on the F.A. refereeing system are increasing. For example, recent decisions about Criminal Records and Child Protection mean that the F.A. has required all referees to undergo appropriate checks with the Criminal Records Bureau. Enforcing this at the centre presents a considerable challenge. The regional team work closely with County Football Associations to ensure this happens.

Set against that, that there is a general acceptance on what is required of referees. There is a good measure of agreement on the competencies of a good referee. The knowledge and skills have been identified and the job itself does not change much. The F.A. is confident that the redesign of the training course on a modular basis is an appropriate vehicle and combines the right balance of knowledge against practice and assessment. The challenge is that it is delivered through volunteers so that standards are maintained in a situation where central direction has its limitations.

 
 
 
 
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