THE MOST THANKLESS JOB IN THE WORLD!

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 677, 31 May 1929, Page 14

THE MOST THANKLESS JOB IN THE WORLD!

REFEREES GET MORE VERBAL BRICKBATS THAN BOUQUETS—THANKLESS WORK THAT ONLY REAL ENTHUSIASTS WILL TAKE UP—GROWTH OF REFEREES' ASSOCIATIONS IN THREE FOOTBALL CODES—TEST MATCH REFEREES OUTLINE MAIN FACTORS IN SUCCESSFUL CONTROL.

long as games are played under laws and rules, and results depend on decisions and interpretations. we must have referees, umpires and judges to control the conduct of our sports. The task is out which calls for an Admirable Crichton, but with two hostile teams loudly supported by opposing camps of ferocious barraekers, it is doubtful whether the Angel Gabriel with his trumpet could satisfy all concerned, and there are some players who are sure to argue about the hast Judgment on Doomsday. The task of holding the balance without bi&s or feeling in hotly contested games is nowhere more exacting than in a fast game of football, where the official in charge of the whistle hits to be physically lit to run*several miles in 90 minutes, keeping up with a flying hall, with eyes in the back of his head, and ready any moment to give prompt and accurate decisions on intricate points of law amidst a barrage of mixed remarks from the sideline. Still our hundreds of knights of the whistle carry on week after week with no compensation, but a sense of duty to the game well done and half-hearted conventional cheers from the combined teams as he seeks the sanctuary of the pavilion.

TT Is a thankless job. There are a few ‘"plums/’ such as big international matches, but the majority of referees give up their Saturday afternoons week after week to control games all over the city and suburbs. Sometimes, a trip of several miles is involved, and the referee who arrives home late on Saturday night from a suburban ground for a belated tea must be a genuine enthusiast to carry on the good work as he does. The powers of the referee on the field are enormous. He is sole judge of fact. On any question of this nature, what he says goes. His decisions on a question of fact cannot be upset. For the time being he is The Union, League or Association, as the case may be.

Players, spectators and even administrators are too often inclined to regard the referee just as “part of the show.” They fail to realise in many cases that he is giving up every Saturday afternoon and generally one night a week purely as a labour of love. He gets more criticism than bouquets. and it is with a realisation of this that one says: Hat’s off to the referee!

An outline of the progress of the three football Referees’ Associations in Auckland is given in this article. In each case it is followed by a short interview with a test match referee on essential factors in successful refereeing. Rugby Union

Rugby players of today with all their modern conveniences—adequate grounds and well-qualified referees, even hot water laid on—can hardly appreciate the difficulties encountered by footballers of the early days. Forty years ago one of the chief troubles was the securing of competent referees and umpires. These would be mutually agreed upon before the match, if the teams were lucky, and if not a spectator would have to be prevailed upon to take a stick or a whistle, which often caused a delay of 15 to 20 minutes. Those were the days when two umpires and a referee were required for every game—when the famous “maul” was in force—when tries did not count except to give a side a try with a kick at goal, goals then being the sole object of the game—hence the

derivation of the word “try.” The umpires and referees had no regular meetings, and each had his own inter-' pretation of the laws of the game. These were slowly brought more up-to-date by the English Union, one alteration being the relegation of the umpires to the line. It became necessary for referees to meet and discuss the rules and finally the first Auckland Referees’ Association was formed on June 4, 1894. Those who took part in this movement were Messrs. F. J. Ohlson, G. H. Katterns. P. Mackie, with Mr. W. C. Speight, as secretary. The strength of the association was 23.

CRISIS OF 1911

This body was one of the oldest and most influential of its kind in Noav Zealand, and for many years did yeoman service for the good of the game, supplying all the referees required by the Auckland Union, and also referees for many inter provincial matches. This arrangement continued until 1911, when discontent over the appointment of referees culminated in a crisis. The referees demanded that this duty should be left could not see its way to grant this. The majority of the members there-

fore carried a resolution refusing to act.

Several of those who remained loyal to the union promptly set about forming another association, and this was decided upon at a meeting held in August, 1911. Those present were Messrs. H. Frost, C. W. Oram, G. K. Katterns, J. Williams (old members), D. Hay. F. R. Wilson, H. D. Crawford, A. Miller, A. Tilly, W. Heath. J. D. Stewart, C. McDavitt, W Cunningham. F. H. Levien, D. Gallaher, W. H. Stevens, E. Donovan and F. C. Forsyth. Messrs. Frost and Oram were first chairman and secretary respectively. The new association fulfilled all duties required of it for the remainder of the season. The next year its numbers increased. and it had no difficulty in supplying all referees that were required. From that time the new association never looked back, until now it has become, both in numbers and ability, one of the most powerful in the Dominion. Of the old association some joined up with the new body, a few went over to League, and some dropped out of the game altogether. The old trouble, although it does still exist in a mild form, could, thanks to improved conditions, never reach another disastrous conclusion, as the selection of referees is now made by an Appointments Board, which is set up on an equitable basis entirely independent of the union or the association.

The present strength of the Referees’ Association is over 60 active members. The president is Mr. M. Kronfeld, and Mr. W. Maben is secretary. Messrs. Peter Mackie and Frank Sutherland are the only two Auckland referees who have controlled test matches in the Dominion. Mr. Mackie is the present president of the New Zealand Referees’ Association, and a recognised authority on the game. Mr. Sutherland holds what is probably a unique test record for New Zealand in having refereed three test matches. Pie held the whistle in two out of the three tests against New South Wales last season, and also refereed the test match between New Zealand and New South Wales at Auckland in 1925. On the subject of “Points that make for successful referees,” Mr. Frank Sutherland expresses the following views:

Several important requirements immediately come to mind in the qualilications of a successful referee. Knowledge of the rules and laws of the game, physical fitness, application of the rules. especially the advantage rule, temperament and position on the field. \

Each referee is supplied with a copy of the Rules of Rugby Football and it is his bounden duty to acquaint himself throuoghly with the many rulings now required, so that without a moment’s hesitation, he can give a correct decision. Physical fiitness is very essential, especially these days, as the cry is always to “speed up the game.” It is impossible for a referee to give correct decisions if he is no.t up with the game. This applies with great force when trhe play is of a scramble nature and is approaching the g >alline. If he is not in line with the foremost players his vision is often blocked, irregularities go unchecked, and tries are given which should never have been allowed. Physical fitness guarantees a clear brain and a natural demeanour.

The advantage rule in Rugby allows of a wide interpretation, and it is by a judicious restraint of whistle, but without losing control, that a referee proves his ability to appreciate the spirit of the game, and yet be “onside” with the rule book. A referee may fulfil all the foregoing conditions, but if he cannot exercise control of players and of himself he will be but a mediocre official. His duties must not appear insurmountable, and yet he must be dignified and courteous, but should never allow himself to be drawn into an argument. Always after blowing the whistle he should indicate the offence and give the decision promptly. The last heading that I consider part of a referee’s “stock in trade” is position on the field. Use anticipation, don’t follow a regular trail, as players, learning your habits, may take advantage of you. When play nears the goal-line always endeavour to have an unobstructed view of an area in front of the attacking players. To sum up. a successful referee re-

quires to work up an enthusiasm all his own. He should never have “fancies” in a football sense, but should learn to be fair in his judgments at all times, to accept criticism, listen to advice —from the right source of course—but never to intrude himself, more than is required to adjudicate within the rules of the game.

Association Football

We have no official record as to who was the first referee to shake up the pea and whistle for the first kickoff in the game of Soccer in Auckland, but there is indisputable evidence that the game was first introduced here by the late Charles Crave Dacre, who was sent home tOL finish his education and played for Surrey against Middlesex while attending the Clapham Grammar School in London. The late C. C. Dacre was the father of four Auckland Soccer reps. (Albert, George, Life and Ces.), and as introducer of the code half-a-cen-tury ago he no doubt took the whistle to teach the raw recruits the rules. Over thirty years ago there was a properly constituted Soccer referees’ association, when prominent censors of matches were Messrs. Fred Cash, Charlie Chambers, Bill Smytheman and Adam Philip.

Messrs. Smytheman, Cash and Philip are still to be found enjoying a view

of the game, and always willing to yarn about old-time players and historic battles. In those days the

referees’ association and mangement committee of the A.F.A. met in the old Sports Club which was the rendezvous of all the various field sports, and the roster of referees available for the game was submitted to the management committee to select from. Today the Referees’ Association has grown to an active membership of over fifty qualified officials, and is linked up with the New Zealand Referees’ Association in Wellington, which issues the highest diploma of efficiency obtainable—the New Zea-

land badge—after an exhaustive written and viva-voce examination in the laws and posers of problems arising out of interpretation. In addition to this severe test, the aspirant for the national badge must prove his fitness on the field in senior games before_a committe of badge-holders who only report favourably on his efficiency after a careful study of his personality and qualities when in action.

In addition to those members affiliated to the association there are a number of supernumeraries and volunteers who take the school games during the week, or the early morning and noon ones on a Saturday.

Last year one: enthusiastic official, Mr. L. J. Check, established what must easily be a record for the season by refereeing over one hundred games, which averages at over four a week!

the Referees’ Association are voiced by its own delegate on the board, and it nominates a member of the Judicial Committee which passes judgment on all referees’ reports. A few seasons back some friction between the management and the whistlers culminated in a brief “strike,” and to carry on the game the reserve of veteran players and others was drawn on while the dispute lasted, but it was soon settled in an amicable fashion with satisfaction to both sides. Affairs have run very smoothly since, with, perhaps, an occasional hot-box or heated bearing which soon cools down. But as the game grows the demand for more and still more qualified referees grows, and it is a matter for lament that as players’ active days cease they are not keener on linking up with the referees to continue helping the code rather than line the bank to criticise the accompanist who “is doing his best.” The esqsutial qualifications of a good Soccer referee are discussed in the following by Mr. George Cox, who refereed in the test match between New Zealand and Canada at Auckland, in 1927: It goes without saying that a complete knowledge of the laws of the game is absolutely essential,, ‘ and on a par with that attribute is the capacity to put that knowledge to practical use on the field at once without hesitation. Personality, tact and the anticipation to visualise the position of the HlUXglai n "t only during the actual

In addition to turning out cheerfully in. all weathers and on all sorts of swampy areas, the referees have the task of interpreting knotty points of law, examining candidates for membership, and giving their services freely and voluntarily to visiting club rooms and training sheds to lecture on the laws of the game and answer questions about their interpretation. For the most part the union of referees has worked in harmony with the controlling body, and on the new Board of Control the official views of

moment’s play, but the next move ahead, are also important factors. The most vital points for decision by a referee occur mainly when play is near the goal areas, and I cannot too strongly emphasise how necessary it is for a referee to be ready to bo near the outside penalty and goal lines, just sufficient to cause little interference with the play, and yet to be able to give corner kicks, penalty kicks or goals. Position is most important for a

referee. Personally, I do not care about stopping play for trifling breaches of the rules: nothing annoys both players and spectators, besides slowing up the game, than this, although it may be more correct according to the book to do so. Understand, dirty tactics are always to be suppressed and at once.

Rugby League

As the League Rugby code did not make its debut in Auckland until early in this century, a peep into the not very distant past reveals the whole story of progress of the Referees’ Association of the Auckland Rugby League. Hand in hand with the code itself, it has had a meteoric rise to prominence, and has been attended during various phases of its existence by personalities who have made football history.

Back in those days when the code first got under way and was suffering all those “ups” and "downs” in an attempt to gain public favour and become established, it was indeed surprising the numbers that came forward, prepared to study the rules and by-laws of the new game and take the field as referees. Among those pioneering "knights of the whistle” in the 13-aside game were Tom Fielding, Hooper, Oliphant and others. And as League Rugby, year by year, gained more support, there came lu large numbers, ex-footballers and enthusiasts prepared and keen to carry the whistle. Then in 1914, so great was the influx, that the Referees’ Association found it necessary to place a limit on its membership of 24. During the war period, however, there arose a serious shortage. Although it has been eased to some extent at various stages since, the present call is for more referees of the right type.

During its short and progressive career, League Rugby in Auckland has featured many referees of outstanding merit, and possibly the best known of those of the older school were Archie Fergusson, Billy Murray, Dick Benson, Tom Fielding, A. Ball, “Snowy” Neild and Frank Thompson. All of these were senior referees, while the majority of them controlled international games at some stage of their career.

Although not officially connected with the association at the present time, Archie Fergusson is still a keen enthusiast. Many will remember him as the referee of the New Zealand v. England game played on the Domain in the days before the war. He was also president of the association and held this office right up to 1922, When A. Ball took over the position. Arthur Ball is the present president and is one who has indeed done much for the game in general. He has had the rather unique experience of having been connected at some time or other with every committee set up by the Auckland Rugby League. He also has controlled many big games, his first on coming over to League in 1914 being the match between Auckland and Canterbury. Dick Benson was the first president of the Referees’ Association, and was also at one time chairman of the Auckland League. Unfortunately he is not connected w-ith the game at the present time: Then Bill Murray, who was one of the prominent referees of his day, was secretary of the association for a time. Tom Fielding, who controlled a number of senior matches, is another who has dropped out of the game, while one of the original members of the association who. during his career, did so much to popularise the code, was “Snowy” Neild. He was a good referee, and only those who knew him intimately could possibly realise the great services he has rendered to the game in so many respects. Of the present band of referees possibly the most prominent are Les Bull, Billy Mincham and Percy Rogers.

connected with the code for ainv years, playing for the old Grafton Club when it featured such crack players as Karl Ifwerson, Dick. Roope and Co. Strange as it is, only one out of every 50 good exponents of the code makes a- good referee, but Le 3 Bull has certainly excelled at both Billy Mincham played fullback for the City Club in years gone by. whii e Percy Rogers once played for City juniors. In brief mention of it is necessary, however, to introduce the South Auckland “knight.'' jj r Harloek. who came into the limelight during the recent tour of the Enefish Leaguers when he was chosen to control the test game played at Christchurch. The present officers of the Referees’ Association are: President, Mr. a Ball; vice-chairman. Air. Les Bullsecretary, Air. V. Simpson; Selection Committee, Alessrs. AV. Mincham. A Sanders, A. Ball: senior delegate. Air W. Mincham, and junior delegate' Mr K. Menzies. Of these officers of the association, much praise is indeed due to Air! Vic Simpson, whose keen iuterest in the game and quiet but pleasing manner has won ‘him much popularity in League Rugby circles. The main points in successful refereeing are traversed by Mr. Les Bull, who refereed the first Jest between England and New Zealand last season, as follow: A referee in order to be successful in the League code must bear iu mind three main principles which may be enumerated as follow iu order of their importance: (1) A proper knowledge and interpretation of the rules in the field of play; (2) physical fitness; and (3) personal appearance. Referring to No. 1 a referee must have the theoretical knowledge which will enable him to give a quick decision on the field of play. He must above all things remember that the main idea in the game is to keep play going, and should know- immediately how to apply the advantage rule. There is only one rule in the book which prevents him from applying this rule, i.e., the scrum rule. On a breach of any other rule he may, if he thinks it necessary, apply the advantage. Of course, he must be very sure that the non-offending side gets the advantage, and to be consistent in dealing similarly with each side. A referee should not blow his whistle too quickly, but wait for the advantage. The other rules as laid down should not give much trouble to a

referee who knows the practical side of the game. Referring to No. 2, physical fitness, this is essential as the play moves so quickly from end to end. A referee at all times must, endeavour to keep up with the ball or at all events be in a line with the play. If a referee is up with the game, the players and spectators know «when the whistle goes that the referee is on the spot and that his decision cannot be challenged as he is in the best position to judge. A referee, when he gets experience, will easily find the short cuts to enable him to keep up with the game. In reference to No. 3,‘ personal appearance is quite a big factor in the control of the game. If a referee is correctly and neatly clad, he at once inspires the public and players with confidence. If a referee is slovenly in his dress and actions, he does not seem to have the same control. A referee on going on to the ground should, by his appearance and actions, let 'everyone know that he, and he only, is in charge of the game. He must absolutely be deaf to the barracking of the crowd and give his decisions without any fear or favour. This is only a brief outline of the duties of a referee, but the writer is sure that if every referee would endeavour to combine the above three main principles he will be a success.

Les Bull, of course, is the outstanding member of this trio. He has been