Referees: The Final Whistle

Welcome to the latest episode of "Referees: The Final Whistle Podcast"! In Episode 43, we sit down with the incredible Dave Gerson, the driving force behind "RefsNeedLoveToo." Get ready to delve into the world of referees like never before.

🎙️ Join us as we explore Dave's journey, from his beginnings in officiating to his passion for advocating for referees' well-being. We'll uncover the challenges and triumphs he's encountered along the way, and gain valuable insights into the important role referees play in the world of sports.

🏀⚽🏈 Whether you're a sports enthusiast, a referee yourself, or simply curious about the behind-the-scenes of officiating, this episode is a must-listen. Dave's candid anecdotes and expert opinions will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the unsung heroes of the game.

🤝 Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on the podcast's latest episodes. Share this episode with fellow sports lovers and anyone who's ever wondered about the human side of refereeing.

Welcome to Referees: The Final Whistle Podcast! In this exhilarating Episode, we have special guest Eric Mann as well as discussion points around Howard Webb, and the sensational Vinicius Jr. Get ready for a captivating discussion as we delve into the world of refereeing and football.

Join us as we sit down with Eric Mann and his saviour Liam Lytham who literally saved his life by administering an emergency defib after Eric suffered a massive heart attack.

In addition to Eric, we have discussion around Howard Webb, a highly respected former referee who has officiated in numerous high-profile matches, including the FIFA World Cup final. Howard brings his wealth of experience and knowledge to the table, providing valuable perspectives on the evolution of refereeing, the impact of technology, and the demands of maintaining composure in intense situations. We discuss dissent and how football culture needs to change.

Last but not least, we have the rising star and electrifying talent, Vinicius Jr. who was recently embroiled in a racist attack during a match.

Whether you're a passionate football fan, a referee seeking insights, or simply curious about the intricacies of the beautiful game, this episode is not to be missed. Join us for an engaging conversation filled with fascinating anecdotes, thought-provoking discussions, and insider stories from the world of refereeing.

Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe to "Referees: The Final Whistle Podcast" to stay updated with future episodes featuring renowned personalities from the world of football. Let's blow the final whistle together and dive deep into the captivating world of referees!

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In this episode Ant chats about Lee Mason's mutual termination, body camera trials, David Coote being a Man United fan and the inspirational young referee called Charlie!  

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In this episode Ant speaks to David Gerson who you may know from TikTok and Instagram as  @refsneedlovetoo who gives us a unique insight into grassroots refereeing in the USA, we talk about referees on social media and the incredible benefits it has to a receptive audience and how getting promoted and assessed in the United States differs from what is known in England.  

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I discuss a very turbulent couple of weeks for grassroots referees and the MSM reaction to it and how I ended up in the National Press and on BBC Radio discussing it.  

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Referees, the final whistle podcast is a podcast all about the goings on in football. Covering topics such as unaffiliated football, shooting kids, as well as the latest football news from around the globe.  "The whistle" is a football podcast from The Referee Forum, hosted by veteran referee Ant Canavan, who focuses on all the happenings in and around football. The main topics covered in this episode are: unaffiliated Sunday League, shooting kids, as well as up to date football news from around the world.  

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If you do want to sign up to Refsix PRO, use my referral code CANAVAN10 to get 10% off the price FOR LIFE!  

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Check out the Refsix page on how to become a referee in England here: 

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Why Soccer Referees Deserve To Be Paid More  

Do you ever think about how much referees get paid? Probably not, but it's worth considering.  After all, they have a tough job. Not only do they have to put up with a lot of abuse from players and fans, but they also have to make split-second decisions that can often determine the outcome of a game. So, are referees underpaid for their job? 

Let's take a look.  

1. It's a tough life being a referee. 

2. You work long hours for not a lot of pay. 

3. And when you do get paid, it's often not nearly enough to cover all your costs. Initial training, DBS checks and safeguarding training, buying the kit and equipment, registering with your county, the cost to get to your assigned games... 

4. If you're thinking of becoming a referee, be prepared to be underpaid. 

5. But it's not all doom and gloom. 

6. There are some benefits to being a referee, despite the low pay. 

7. So if you "love the game" more than your family or leisure time...  

In conclusion, it is clear that referees are paid too low. This is a problem that needs to be fixed in order for the sport to survive. Share this article if you agree that referees need to be paid more.  

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Just a short podcast episode where I muse over club marks and how they are used in England to decide the promotion or relegation fates of referees and the fairness of such a subjective system.  

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In this episode we discuss:  

⚽Who is Mzeko Sharashenidze and how did she become a referee? 

⚽Refereeing icons and how they inspire the next generation of referees 

⚽If one thing in football could be changed, what is it? 

⚽What does refereeing look like in Georgia?  

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In this episode we discuss:  ⚽Abuse of referees at grassroots ⚽The cultural differences that exist between sports and nations ⚽What are the solutions to the rampant abuse? ⚽Do we need a police presence at grassroots football?  Follow Patrick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Patrick_SkeneFollow Club Respect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClubRespectTeamCheck out the Club Respect Article here: https://clubrespect.org.au/global-resistance-to-referee-abuse-the-referee-forum-u-k/ Buy my awesome merch at: https://www.backztitch.com Follow me on the social channels below: http://www.instagram.com/AntCanavan http://www.facebook.com/TheRefereeForum http://www.instagram.com/TheRefereeForum Check out: http://www.TheRefereeForum.com

In this episode we discuss:  ⚽Refereeing restructure and what it means for some familiar names ⚽Neil Warnock's foul mouthed behaviour to referees in a recent friendly ⚽Fans shameful display at Wembley ⚽How to control teenagers  Buy my awesome merch at: https://www.numonday.com/shop/divadesignsbydanii-store/  Check out the Facebook pages! https://www.facebook.com/refsupport.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/WeAreTheThirdTeam https://www.facebook.com/TheRefereeForum  Follow on Twitter! @refsupportuk @the3rdteam @therefereeforum  Visit the websites! www.thethirdteam.co.uk www.refsupport.co.uk www.therefereeforum.com  -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Please watch: "Match of the Week: Whitehawk v Three Bridges | 5 Red Cards!"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEdTcPDXOT4 -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-

In this episode we discuss:  ⚽The officiating throughout EURO 2020 ⚽Sponsorship and whether it damages the integrity of independent podcasts... ⚽Carding technique ⚽The Final of EURO 2020 and who we think should have been there.  Buy my awesome merch at: https://www.numonday.com/shop/divadesignsbydanii-store/  Check out the Facebook pages! https://www.facebook.com/refsupport.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/WeAreTheThirdTeam https://www.facebook.com/TheRefereeForum  Follow on Twitter! @refsupportuk @the3rdteam @therefereeforum  Visit the websites! www.thethirdteam.co.uk www.refsupport.co.uk www.therefereeforum.com  -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Please watch: "Match of the Week: Whitehawk v Three Bridges | 5 Red Cards!"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEdTcPDXOT4 -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-

In this episode we chat about what you need as a brand new referee, the promotion system for officials in England and what's wrong with it and taking a knee at the start of a match.  We discuss: ⚽A question from the general refereeing public ⚽Why the promotion system for match officials needs an overhaul ⚽Nathan's experience at an international match ⚽Should referees be able to take the knee even if the players don't want to?  We are Ant Canavan (The Referee Forum), Martin Cassidy (Ref Support UK) and Nathan Sherratt (The Third Team). This is a regular chat between 3 referees of various ages, experiences and levels within the football pyramid. We will discuss everything; from the very top of the game all the way to park Sunday Leagues. Along the way we will bring in familiar faces from the world of football to talk about all things refereeing. This is The Final Whistle.  Buy Referee T-Shirts!  https://www.numonday.com/shop/divadesignsbydanii-store/  Check out the Facebook pages! https://www.facebook.com/refsupport.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/WeAreTheThirdTeam https://www.facebook.com/TheRefereeForum  Follow on Twitter! @refsupportuk @the3rdteam @therefereeforum  Visit the websites! www.thethirdteam.co.uk www.refsupport.co.uk www.therefereeforum.com  -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Please watch: "Match of the Week: Whitehawk v Three Bridges | 5 Red Cards!"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEdTcPDXOT4 -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-

In this episode we chat about the closing chapter of what has been one of the most disjointed in the history of football.  We discuss: ⚽The female pathway onto the FIFA list ⚽Who is running the game and how it affects referees ⚽"Mercenary" referees - good or bad? ⚽Neale Barry retiring and how will change the landscape for referees  We are Ant Canavan (The Referee Forum), Martin Cassidy (Ref Support UK) and Nathan Sherratt (The Third Team). This is a regular chat between 3 referees of various ages, experiences and levels within the football pyramid. We will discuss everything; from the very top of the game all the way to park Sunday Leagues. Along the way we will bring in familiar faces from the world of football to talk about all things refereeing. This is The Final Whistle.  Check out the Facebook pages! https://www.facebook.com/refsupport.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/WeAreTheThirdTeam https://www.facebook.com/TheRefereeForum  Follow on Twitter! @refsupportuk @the3rdteam @therefereeforum  Visit the websites! www.thethirdteam.co.uk www.refsupport.co.uk www.therefereeforum.com  -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Please watch: "Match of the Week: Whitehawk v Three Bridges | 5 Red Cards!"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEdTcPDXOT4 -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-

In this episode we welcome our special guest Gary Bloom; sports psychotherapist, broadcaster and author of "Keeping Your Head in the Game" which you can pick up from Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3mFm2rJ  We discuss: ⚽How referees could change the narrative on abuse in a very short time, if they really wanted to ⚽Gary's book and how applying techniques from it can improve your mental state ⚽The "types" of captain on a football pitch and how to manage them ⚽A chance meeting with a UEFA referee and how a conversation over breakfast may have saved 2 red cards  We are Ant Canavan (The Referee Forum), Martin Cassidy (Ref Support UK) and Nathan Sherratt (The Third Team). This is a regular chat between 3 referees of various ages, experiences and levels within the football pyramid. We will discuss everything; from the very top of the game all the way to park Sunday Leagues. Along the way we will bring in familiar faces from the world of football to talk about all things refereeing. This is The Final Whistle.  Check out the Facebook pages! https://www.facebook.com/refsupport.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/WeAreTheThirdTeam https://www.facebook.com/TheRefereeForum  Follow on Twitter! @refsupportuk @the3rdteam @therefereeforum  Visit the websites! www.thethirdteam.co.uk www.refsupport.co.uk www.therefereeforum.com  -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Please watch: "Match of the Week: Whitehawk v Three Bridges | 5 Red Cards!"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEdTcPDXOT4 -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-

In this episode we welcome our special guest Alan Snoddy MBE who famously refereed in 2 FIFA World Cups (Mexico '86 and Italy '90) and went on to become a Technical Instructor with UEFA.  

We discuss: 

⚽Which World Cup was the best to referee at 

⚽Alan's experience with Diego Maradona 

⚽How Alan was nominated for an MBE and how that process works in the COVID era 

⚽Alan's autobiography which will be coming out soon!

In this episode we welcome our special guest Andrew Davey; the FIFA panel referee who became famous when a video of him during a cup final went viral on the internet...!  

We discuss: 

⚽The viral video and the aftermath of it 

⚽Andrew's path onto the FIFA panel 

⚽How a new FIFA referee received an induction in the era of COVID 

⚽Multi coloured whistles, the best combination and why Ant was right all along!

In this episode we welcome our special guest Kevin Day, author of "Who Are Ya", stand-up comedian and writer on shows such as "Have I Got News For You", "Mock The Week" & many more. You can buy Kevin's book using this link: https://amzn.to/3fcYVTZ

In this episode we welcome our special guest Kevin Day, author of "Who Are Ya", stand-up comedian and writer on shows such as "Have I Got News For You", "Mock The Week" & many more. You can buy Kevin's book using this link: https://amzn.to/3fcYVTZ 

We discuss: 

⚽A football fan's common misconceptions about referees 

⚽Colour-blindness and the impact it has on people in various roles in football 

⚽Graham Poll and refereeing at Old Trafford 

⚽Which colour referee shirt should you wear to show off a suntan

In this episode we welcome our special guest Sonia Denoncourt, the first ever female FIFA referee.  

We discuss: 

⚽Sonia's journey to become the first ever woman to make the FIFA referees list 

⚽Keeping mementos from the big games you referee 

⚽What happens after a FIFA referee retires 

⚽What it was like to be a female referee officiating in Brazil's top men's division in 1997...

In this episode we welcome our special guest Richard Fey, manager of Melksham Town Football Club.  

We discuss: 

⚽The impact of COVID on Melksham Town 

⚽Richard's career as a player and a manager 

⚽The "traffic light" spreadsheet that Richard grades referees with 

⚽How referees and clubs can work together to build rapport to help with game management

In this episode we welcome our special guest Ross Joyce, Referee Development Manager at North Riding County Football Association.  

We discuss: 

⚽How COVID has shifted a lot of learning online and how everyone has adapted to that 

⚽Ross' role at North Riding FA and how it feels to be the longest serving RDM in England 

⚽How to reach referees who don't want to take part in CPD events 

⚽Assaults on referees and how it's approached at county level  

In this episode we welcome our special guest Troy Townsend, Head of Development at Kick It Out.  

We discuss: 

⚽Martin and Troy's late night Twitter exchanges 

⚽Troy's role at Kick It Out and how he is working with key stakeholders in the game to challenge racism and abuse 

⚽The impact of social media on people and how it needs to improve 

⚽Nathan's joy at Andros Townsend's free kick goal whilst playing for Newcastle United and Troy's trip to the newsagents the next day 

⚽The areas of the game that are uncomfortable to address but NEED to be spoken about

In this episode we welcome Dorset-based FA level 3 referee Martin Underhay. Martin shares with us his stories of saving a knocked out player from swallowing his tongue (with match footage of the incident) and how tragedy on Christmas day affected him and his decision to referee on Boxing Day.  

We discuss: 

⚽Martin's playing past and how he became a referee 

⚽His early interactions with Martin Cassidy (who sent him off!) 

⚽The match incident where a player was knocked unconscious and Martin had to act to save him. 

⚽The loss of his mother on Christmas day and his decision to officiate the next day 

⚽Outlook on life and tips to succeed

In this episode we welcome Richard Storey; currently referee in the Republic of Ireland and formerly FIFA Assistant Referee whilst in Northern Ireland.  

We discuss: 

⚽Richard's memories of his time on the FIFA AR Panel 

⚽The pressures of officiating senior international football from the age of 24 and how he ended up on one of the biggest international matches 

⚽How he balances officiating at the highest level with a full time job 

⚽His brother's time also as a FIFA AR and how they worked together on matches

In this episode we welcome Ben Williamson; referee and Co-Founder of YesRef, a system that links clubs who need referees with referees!  

We discuss: 

⚽YesRef - what it is and how it works 

⚽Specialist roles within officiating and the factors in deciding which to choose 

⚽Referees rating clubs for things like hospitality, friendliness and so on and rewarding the top performers 

⚽Ben's experience with a nasty club secretary!  

In this episode we welcome refereeing legend and all-round nice guy Mark Clattenburg, currently Head of Refereeing with the Hellenic Football Federation and Ambassador for Leisure Leagues International.  

We discuss: 

⚽Referee's basic equipment 

⚽Communication and body language - how to communicate internationally 

⚽Mark's grassroots memories, such as the Whitley Bay summer tournament 

⚽How Pierluigi Collina helped Mark before some of the biggest games of his career 

⚽The support from family and the sacrifices made for a top refereeing career 

⚽PLUS WIN A SIGNED MARK CLATTENBURG UEFA Champions League Final Shirt!

In this episode we welcome Dave Brammer: former Premier League Assistant Referee and current contributory and supply league Referee Observer for the Football Association.

We discuss:
⚽Dave and Martin's 30 year friendship and the advice that helped Martin get onto the Football League
⚽What to do if you have an Assistant Referee who wants to get "too involved" and force awkward decisions on the referee
⚽How COVID has affected the Toolstation Weston League and how the future looks

In this episode we welcome Jerry Gill: current manager of Bath City Football Club and former player for Birmingham City FC, Yeovil Town FC and Northampton Town Football Club to name a few!  

We discuss: 

⚽Jerry's career and amazing memories from his journey 

⚽How the FA can engage with managers and clubs to improve synergy 

⚽Who uses the sunbed more: Jerry Gill or Mark Clattenburg?

In this episode we welcome: 

⚽Chris Hull (@mrchrishull on Twitter) - broadcaster, football administrator, referee and now helping Nationwide Building Society to promote their FA Respect partnership and Mutual Respect Award - is today’s guest on The Final Whistle.  

We discuss:  

⚽How this new campaign will look with Nationwide Building Society behind it 

⚽The existing respect campaign and how referees can become more central to it 

⚽Sharing and nominating outstanding referee stories and their contribution to the game and community  

Nationwide Mutual Respect Award: https://fb.watch/2O-fWoAPjo/

In this episode we discuss: 

⚽ Nuno Espírito Santo and Sean Dyche open critisism of top referees 

⚽ Double standards in the performance of elite players vs elite referees 

⚽ Should Sian Massey-Ellis go to the next world cup? 

⚽ Where to place your defensive wall with relation to pitch markings...

In this episode we discuss: ⚽ Dr Tom Webb's book Referees, Match Officials & Abuse ⚽ Almost 94% of all referees subjected to verbal abuse ⚽ What is the answer to fix the game of this problem?  

Buy Dr Tom's New Book HERE: tinyurl.com/y4rydz5k

In this episode we discuss: ⚽ Racial and homophobic language on the pitch ⚽ Jan Molby and how to deal with angry dugouts ⚽ The suicide of young footballers and the importance of mental health

In this episode we discuss: ⚽ How Ceri Travers changed the way youth refs are called upon in hearings ⚽ Using social media to confront bad behaviour ⚽ Mentors and the lack of follow up for newly qualified referees  

Reach out to Ceri and her awesome work at Ceri.refereewelfare@btinternet.com

In this episode we discuss: ⚽ Satyam Toki update - police to caution offender ⚽ Spanish Referee demoted for holiday photos ⚽ WIN a full Umbro Kit ⚽ Does the FA have a secret department & what is NAR? ⚽ COVID Guidelines for Referees ⚽ Keith Stroud kissing the matchball ⚽ Bilic vs Mike Dean (Red Card) ⚽ Referees Using Social Media for Support ⚽ Referee Development Officers: our experiences and what makes a good one good or a bad one bad?

In this episode we discuss: ⚽ Assaults On Match Officials ⚽ County FA Sine Die punishments (and lack of) ⚽ Police Response to Referee Assaults ⚽ Body Cameras and other forms of protection for refs

In this episode we discuss: ⚽ Techniques that should only be used by seasoned referees ⚽ Sian Massey-Ellis: best AR at the moment? ⚽ Project Restart - grassroots implementation ⚽ Referees on strike & CFA response

In this episode we discuss: ⚽ COVID-19 Impact on Referees ⚽ The mindset difference in midweek vs. weekend games ⚽ FA Learning and changes to the setup ⚽ Progression for referees: Meritocracy?

In this episode we discuss: ⚽ Anthony Taylor FA Cup appointment ⚽ Buying foreign referees for the Premier League ⚽ How American Football uses VAR ⚽ IFAB vs FIFA on Law Creation

In this episode, with our special guest, Jorg Oppers, Head of Referees for the Dutch Easter Open competition, we discuss:

Player ID cards, team sheets, the disciplinary system in Holland and much more...

In this episode we discuss:

Support from home and societies after a tough match

The Liverpool Fan who officiated them, VAR politics, Whistles

Body cams, using bad language and mental health

We are 3 football referees; Ant Canavan (The Referee Forum), Martin Cassidy (Ref Support UK) and Nathan Sherratt (The Third Team). This is the first of a regular chat between 3 referees of various ages, experiences and levels within the football pyramid. We will discuss everything; from the very top of the game all the way to park Sunday Leagues. Along the way we will bring in familiar faces from the world of football to talk about all things refereeing. This is The Final Whistle.

Ref Support UK was sent a tweet from Hamilton Academical Women and Girl's Football Club about a particularly amusing incident with an assistant who wanted to get a little too involved. We also discuss Socca penalty kicks and how they reminded us of the US in the mid 90s.

We had clips to chat about for this episode but we got sidetracked and ended up talking about something very personal to all of us. Hope you enjoy the episode!

In this episode, our guest Adam Penwell opens up on the effect that a career ending injury had on his mental health, how the PGMOL helped him through rehabilitation and how he feels now as a retired referee.

We have a special guest on this episode! The match referee from the clip we have been discussing for the previous 4 episodes, Adam Penwell, is joining us to share his own thoughts and experiences. Will he agree with the points? What will happen if he doesn't? Find out in this episode of... GOLDIE LOCKDOWN!

We have a special guest on this episode! The match referee from the clip we have been discussing for the previous 3 episodes, Adam Penwell, is joining us to share his own thoughts and experiences. Will he agree with the points? What will happen if he doesn't? Find out in this episode of... GOLDIE LOCKDOWN!

In this episode we dive even deeper into Martin's Goldilocks clip, Nathan calls Martin pedantic and Ant cracks open the popcorn to see what happened next!