Back the refs, don’t sack them

Icringe when I see Darren Drysdale is due to referee a Posh match. He’s the Mike Dean of the lower divisions, all flashy hand signals which appear to be designed to attract attention.

He doesn’t need to do that because the inaccuracy of his decision-making usually ensures people are talking about him, just not in a good way.

But all my sympathy was with Drysdale (right) when he lost control and looked set to stick the nut on an Ipswich Town player in their recent League One match with lowly Northampton Town.

Officiating two of the dullest teams in the third tier can’t help the mood for a start.

But one of the dire consequences of watching football in a stadium devoid of fans is being able to hear the foul language and non-stop abuse our officials receive from players and from those inside the technical area.

The Posh manager is no angel either.

Now I often wonder how some of the referees in League One reach such a level. Lincoln away and Charlton at home anyone?

But I have started to feel pangs of sympathy for them. It can’t be easy to make calm, well-considered judgements when at any one time half a dozen fit and strong adult males are screaming unkindly at them.

A throw-in on the halfway line is often contested with the same ferocity a pack of hyenas employ to fight over leftovers.

It doesn’t matter if you know you were the last player to touch the ball, you are apparently duty bound to abuse an assistant referee and accues him of gross incompetence.

It’s okay for these talking head referees you hear on the TV or read in your national newspaper to say officials must stay professional at all time.

They are out of the firing line, probably after years of failing to even try and apply the laws covering foul and abusive language thus condemning their successors to suffer appalling treatment. These ex-refs are just happy to enjoy a media profile based on agreeing with whatever the Premier League referee has just done.

Graham Poll, allegedly a top referee of the past, once allowed Wayne Rooney to swear at him live on TV for what seemed like five minutes without even cautioning the Manchester United star.

No wonder the 12 yearold United fan playing competitively the next weekend thought it okay to treat his 16 year-old referee with utter disdain.

As far as I’m aware the Football Association’s ‘Respect’ campaign is still a thing. It’s failed though. There was a big sign up at a city playing field earlier this season when I turned up to referee which demanded all players, club officials and spectators treated the match officials with ‘Respect.’ Many didn’t even bother to try.

I’m surprised referees like Drysdale haven’t snapped before now. I hope he is back refereeing soon, but preferably not at a Posh match.