I run the Under 10's football league and Sunday was the last day of the short season (there are lots of Americans here and they start playing baketball indoors instead after the end of season tournament next week). Our team needed to win to win the league, otherwise everyone's least favourite team stood ready to slip past us if they won the game after ours.

I couldn't find any neutral to do the refereeing and no-one on the other side wanted to share it with me so I had to do it. On reflection I should have tried much harder to find a neutral as I found myself in an impossible position:

With a couple of minutes to go and the scores 1-1, one of our team shot at the goal - the goalie was standing inside the goal and although he stopped the ball, it appeared to be completely over the line. If it had been another team I would have given it as a goal. But it was marginal.

It had been a great game and a draw was a fair result, but the result would decide the league. But it was my team which stood to gain. And as the league organiser, I need to show a good example of fairness, especially in view of problems we'd had this year with arguments amongst the parents of some teams in other games. So ... What would you do?

( You can probably guess from what I've written that I gave the other side the benefit of the doubt and the game ended 1-1, and in the next game the other team won and so won the league!)

I'd really like to hear some opinions.

It certainly makes you realise that being a referee is the toughest job - you can't let your attention wander for a second, and you go through the whole game dreading someone handling the ball accidentally (or not) or tripping someone in the penalty area. Even getting throw-ins right is a nerve-wracking challenge sometimes.

-- Anonymous, November 12, 2001

Answers

Advice Please!!

-- Anonymous, November 12, 2001

Bugger that, I would have awarded the goal. Alls fair an' all that. Anyway I thought the Americans would be pleased if you had awarded the goal, being that their motto seems to be win at all costs.

-- Anonymous, November 12, 2001

That's a very tough one.

From a refereeing point of view you should have given a goal as you thought it was across the line. You have the best view of the game so surely parents can't argue with you.

If they did you could have explained that you would have given the same decision regardless of the team.

However, from the point of view of keeping peace with everyone, it was probably the best thing to do (not giving it). The parents are happy with you as a ref and can't accuse you of being biased. Let's just hope that other team don't overtake you, then it's the best thing for everyone !

-- Anonymous, November 12, 2001

Tough one Barry - but I feel as Referee you have to call it strictly as you see it - without thought for any subsequent consequences.

Easy to say, more difficult to do - and remember at the end of the day it's only a game: it most certainly isn't life or death.

-- Anonymous, November 12, 2001

You obviously had doubts Barry so you did the right thing - you can sleep at nights because you're an honest bloke. As we are told these things even themselves up, you will find that next year your team will win the league by scoring a last minute penalty awarded by another referee against this other lot who everyone hates!

-- Anonymous, November 12, 2001

Barry...never mind who won the League. I reckon your team - and your League - are the real winners to have someone as fair minded as you in charge.

So "everyone's least favourite team" slipped by - well, Man United's Under 10s can't dominate forever...there's always next season.

-- Anonymous, November 12, 2001

No linesmen to help out ? You might have been able to justify awarding the goal with a bit of backing.

-- Anonymous, November 12, 2001

You big tart. You should have given the goal. If you were the ref at a Manu game would you not give a penalty for fear of upsetting the Manu fans? If you were the ref in the 1966 world cup final, we might have lost. Bah.

-- Anonymous, November 12, 2001

Nick has a point as there is very little difference in upsetting 10 year old kids and upsetting Man Utd fans.

It's a nightmare. I would probably not have given it, but if their lot had scored like that I would have given it. I hate it if people think that I'm cheating.

It's also very sad that you have had problems with arguments between parents over game. I thought football was meant to be fun.....

-- Anonymous, November 12, 2001

....that's why I gave up coaching the bairns when we lived in the US - the kids were fantastic; many of the parents were an utter pain in the proverbials.

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001

When I was about 10 or 11 I used to play for the school team. You know what it's like all the parents proud to see their little uns playing - except for one Dad (thankfully not mine). He used to stand by the side and everytime he did something wrong he would scream at him and shout: That's rubbish Peter, what are you doing Peter and words to that effect.

All the other parents would stand away from him embarassed.

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001

thanks_for_the_support._what_kegsy_and_clarky_say_about_the_parents_is _exactly_the_reason_no- one_likes_the_other_team....the_kids_in_all_the_teams_are_all_fine...m ature,_accept_decisions,_good_sports...but_that_one_team_have_a_few_pa rents_(not_Americans_by_the_way) _who_pressurise_the_kids,_even_make_them_cry,_dispute_refereeing_decis ions,_bring_in_better_players_who_aren't_registered,_etc

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001

What did the lino say???

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001

He was too far away to see anything, though on reflection maybe I should have asked the goalie to "freeze" and get the linesman to come and give a second opinion

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001

Is it that cold over there?

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2001