Wilko: I’d love to see ex-players take charge
Shaun Wilkinson would like to see more former players taking the unfamiliar route of becoming referees in the future.
The Baffins Milton boss has made the suggestion after being left angered by the performance of the officials in his side's 3-0 Wessex League Premier defeat at Christchurch last week.
Wilkinson himself was shown a red card while
James Cowan was dismissed for foul and abusive language with Josh Warren sin-binned for the same offence.
The Rovers boss, below, branded the referee's performance as 'the worst he'd seen in 20 years of football'.
But he believes the game could benefit from more players becoming officials once they have hung up their boots.
Wilkinson believes those who have played the sport for a longer period might have a better understanding when it comes to decisionmaking.
'The problem is I feel like there are not enough ex-players as referees,' he said.
‘They understand the game, they understand the passion involved and they understand what’s at stake.
‘Now they just want to seem to be centre of attention.
‘The second half (at Christchurch) was the worst refereeing performance I’ve ever seen in my life in 20 years of playing football.
‘James Cowan got a red, I got sent off and we had one in the sin bin and six yellow cards. I had players in the changing room after the game, like four or five of them, saying ‘what’s the point in playing?
‘They’re not here for the money, they’re on little to no money as it is, they’re giving up their time and putting in the effort and you’ve got a man in the middle making these decisions.'
Baffins now have plenty of time to reflect on the defeat with a month-long break enforced on non-elite football during lockdown.
Wilkinson felt the difference in performance between each half at Christchurch was a perfect portrayal of their 2020/21 campaign so far.
‘We’ve been very inconsistent all season,' he said. ‘That performance epitomises my Baffins start - we’re good one half, we’re bad in the other.
'We’ve probably been good in half of the games we’ve played and not in the others.'
Hairdresser Steve Christie is used to making other people look good.
But five years ago he decided to focus on his own appearance too.
Steve, from Fareham, set about training and changed his diet.
Within months he had discovered the world of bodybuilding and, after being encouraged to enter the Solent City Bodybuilding Show, he finished third.
That led him to the NABBA British amateur finals later that year, which saw him win his class as a novice.
Now five years on, he has taken first place at Pure Elite’s Pro/Am World Championships.
Pure Elite is the largest bikini, fitness, and muscle model federation in Europe and the fastest growing in the world, with competitors from 102 countries.
Steve, 38, said: ‘My cheeks still hurt for smiling now.’
He said that he remained focused despite setbacks such as a shoulder injury, lockdown and job demands.
He said: ‘Lockdown happened and it knocked the wind out of my sails on the training front but I stuck to the diet, got the steps in each day then managed to beg, borrow and steal a squat rack and weights for home. And I was back in the game.
‘I hit the weights and dieted hard for six weeks then and as hairdresser lockdown was coming to an end, my work life took over.
‘The first week of July I worked an 83-hour week. I did my best to keep the training up but my diet was 100 per cent on point.
‘In August I decided I wanted to go to the World Championships, so that gave me 12 weeks instead of the usual 16 weeks I need to prep.
‘Then I had a shoulder injury, it slowed me down and almost made my pull out. I got lots of sports treatment and pushed through the pain.’
Steve, who is 74kg - which is considered slight - said that he always struggles with his confidence standing next to larger competitors.
He remarked: ‘ On show day I always feel small against the bigger guys but I know my condition is always on point.
‘We stepped on stage and I was placed fourth in the over 35s fitness model category.
‘Then an hour later I was back on stage. Change of trunks and on for the tattooed model category which is the one I wanted to do well in.
‘And as they called the guys forward to collect trophies, I was still standing there. It was just two of us, side by side, and we both knew we'd each be happy with whatever the outcome.
‘When they called second place as Paul Remmer, we hugged, shook hands and I dropped to my knees with shock and emotion.
‘I cried a little and heard the words…’your Pure Elite Pro World’s Tattooed Model champ is... Steve Christie’. You should have seen the smile on my face.’
Now, after another busy spell at work, Steve is at home once again after the salon he works in was forced to close for lockdown again.
Although, this time round he insists he knows what he’s got to do. ‘I’m starting to get ready for the next show,’ he said.
‘I’ve got my home gym set up for this lockdown, got a good team behind me and I'm ready to smash the stage next year.’