May is a special time for football. It marks the end of the football season in this country but it also is when most Cup Finals are played.
Throughout the land there will be clubs congratulating themselves on reaching the final of their relevant cup competition, but few will be thinking of the referees appointed to those games. For referees it is an honour, and many will have been waiting, hoping, to see if they are appointed in their local competitions.
That also goes for the top referees and the FA cup final. Originally known as the FA Challenge Cup, it is the oldest cup final in the world and Wembley is the one ground all referees would love to have on their refereeing CVs. It is also a time for celebration and companionship.
The Eve of the Final Rally is held every year on the evening before the big day, when not only the chosen referee and his assistants take part, but any member of the Referee’s Association can attend this celebration held in London.
My first cup final was played at Maidenhead’s ground, not as distinguished as Wembley of course but it too has its own history.
Maidenhead’s is the oldest ground in the world where football is still being played. The final was the Berks & Bucks FA under 18s and I created a rather dubious record, in that I was the first referee ever to send off a player at any Berks & Bucks cup final.
Finals can also be an exhibition of comradeship locally. When I later refereed the Reading Junior Cup Final at Elm Park, many refereeing colleagues came to watch and also came into our changing room afterwards.
One member however came back after all the others had left, to give me a little advice. Another one who lived in West Reading went home and wrote me a letter, and then walked down to the main post office in Friar Street to post it.
It may seem incredulous today, but if you posted a letter there before midnight it would be delivered the next morning. Both gave me the same advice, ‘sitting in the stands we couldn’t hear your whistle’. I went out that week and bought a new whistle.
There is one thing above all that anyone refereeing a cup final must bear in mind. For the players this is their biggest match of the season, so referees mustn’t do anything to spoil their enjoyment.
That doesn’t mean shying away from any decisions that they need to make, but that they must be on top of their form.
PGMO REFEREE AT BRACKNELL REFEREES MEETING
Bracknell referees will welcome PGMO referee John Busby as guest speaker for their final meeting of the season on Thursday, May 11 at Finchampstead Sports Club at 7.30pm. All referees are welcome.
