There was a piece in The Times today about pushy parents. "Look no further," it said, to find pushy parents, "than the touchline of your local recreation ground football pitches on a Saturday or Sunday morning."
"The spluttering, puce-faced parents.... the mob of parents storming the pitch to badmouth the referee...."
I've experienced this at first hand when I used to referee school rugby matches. Parents practically on the field of play telling me - no, ordering me what to do. Parents and teachers supporting the losing team cutting me dead after the game and giving me murderous glances.
But you can understand their feelings sometimes.
Take the time I allowed a penalty to be taken a couple of inches from the score line only for the boy to kick the ball an inch or two and touch it down. I had not realised he was practically on the score line as I ordered the opposing team to get back five yards, making it, of course, easy for him to score.
What did I do?
Taking my life in my hands, I ordered a re-take of the penalty.
Parents practically on the pitch shouting abuse. I smiled and said "Action replay."
That's the first time for there to be seen an action replay without a TV film unit to operate it.
And the last!
I gave up refereeing after that. Too dangerous. The river looked ominously close just then.
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