From Ken Fuge:-

IN this age of criticism, football referees are on what is known as a 'hiding to nothing'.

Firstly, they have to contend with the 'home' supporters - if the referee gives a questionable decision against the home team, his parentage is immediately brought into question.

Secondly, whenever an opposing player chests a ball, the home crowd shouts 'hand ball' - if the referee disagrees, he is advised to visit an optician.

Thirdly, and this one really baffles me, when he does give a correct decision, which after all is what he is paid to do, a posse of players gather around him, as if forming a 'lynch' mob.

In conclusion, you have to ask: Who would want to be a football referee is today's soccer cauldron? Not me, that's for sure. Would you?

Widgeons Covert, Thornton Hough.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.