JK Rolling
20-04-2016, 06:22 AM
Saw this on the BBC site -
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36075347
Kevin Friend: Which teams do Premier League referees support?
The fallout over referee Jon Moss' performance in Leicester's 2-2 draw against West Ham took attention away from another officiating talking point.
Last week, Leicester fan Kevin Friend's removal from taking charge of (http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36042805) title rivals Tottenham's game at Stoke had already sparked debate.
Instead he will be in the middle of Manchester City's trip to Newcastle on Tuesday night.
But how does a referee's home town, or who they support, affect which games they are actually allowed to officiate?
Do referees have to say who they support?
Yes. And referees will not get appointed to the clubs they support.
"At the beginning of every season the referees' background information is audited," said Keith Hackett, the former head of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the organisation that makes refereeing appointments for Premier League games.
"They complete a form that includes who they support, the history of if they've played the game and with the addresses where they are residing.
"That gives you a picture that comes into use when you're appointing. It's about ensuring, for example, you wouldn't appoint a Sheffield-based ref for a Sheffield team."
There is then a list of the Refs and which team they support followed by the reporter's notes on who they have/have not refereed as a result of this disclosure.
Please forgive my lack of knowledge on the subject if you know more about it and can clarify if there is a similar set-up in Scotland, but if there is not then why not?
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36075347
Kevin Friend: Which teams do Premier League referees support?
The fallout over referee Jon Moss' performance in Leicester's 2-2 draw against West Ham took attention away from another officiating talking point.
Last week, Leicester fan Kevin Friend's removal from taking charge of (http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36042805) title rivals Tottenham's game at Stoke had already sparked debate.
Instead he will be in the middle of Manchester City's trip to Newcastle on Tuesday night.
But how does a referee's home town, or who they support, affect which games they are actually allowed to officiate?
Do referees have to say who they support?
Yes. And referees will not get appointed to the clubs they support.
"At the beginning of every season the referees' background information is audited," said Keith Hackett, the former head of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the organisation that makes refereeing appointments for Premier League games.
"They complete a form that includes who they support, the history of if they've played the game and with the addresses where they are residing.
"That gives you a picture that comes into use when you're appointing. It's about ensuring, for example, you wouldn't appoint a Sheffield-based ref for a Sheffield team."
There is then a list of the Refs and which team they support followed by the reporter's notes on who they have/have not refereed as a result of this disclosure.
Please forgive my lack of knowledge on the subject if you know more about it and can clarify if there is a similar set-up in Scotland, but if there is not then why not?