Question Number: 15905

Character, Attitude and Control 6/27/2007

RE: Competive Adult

Mike of Milwaukee, WI USA asks...

As a somewhat experienced referee and long time amateur player, I am wondering how much spectator yelling should be allowed in a match. I can recognize when a fan is interfering with the game (threatening participants, inappropriately vocal about the calls, etc) and have stopped matches to have those individuals removed from the area.

My problem is I'm not sure if I should step in when fans are excited AND positive, but LOUD, about their team's good play. Especially if it gets to a point that I can see that the opponent becomes irritated.

For example, during a U-16 match at a tournament recently, I had several fans on the touchlines and all (bless their hearts) cheered positively only for their team. There was one mother who loudly cheered every good tackle, positive pass and shot that her team made. The AR (who worked right in front of the woman) and I (Center) never heard any fan direct negative comment towards the opponent, or other spectators, but there were 4 opposition players on that side of the field who were becoming visibly agitated by her. Towards the end of the match one player started to yell back, and I instructed the player to ignore the fan and focus "on the action inside the white lines" and was able to prevent the any other outbursts from the player. Upon reflection, this may have appeared to the player as condoning the cheering.

As the referee or AR, do I ask the parents to refrain or decrease the amount of cheering, or stop the match, in these situations? IMO, the fans are actually behaving acceptably. Or should I expect the players to be able to tune it out? What is the proper balance to maintain a fair and respectful competition?

Answer provided by Referee Jon Sommer

Football is a passionate game...I ask you If a team is playing at Old Trafford and 73 out of 75,000 fans are cheering them team, should I ask them to tone it down?? No. They support their team with a passion and players need to get on with it...home advantage and all that. I would tell the player this too. He has a job to do on the pitch, and if someone isn't saying anything out of turn, why make a deal out of it.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Mike,
at the recreational level we rarely get the overwhelming crowd noise of thousands possibly hundreds and to some degree we have them actually on the touchlines where in elite matches such things are not permitted.

The best a referee can do is encourage the coaches of the two teams to help monitor the antics of the supporters, parents and fans.

I have had referees threaten to expel the coach if his supporters do not contain their dissent or abuse but that technically is an abuse of the referee's powers and duties.

We can on occasion direct appeal to the better nature of an over enthusiastic supporter. I had one parent scream support so loud as he followed his daughter up the field he actually scared kids off the ball. I simply stopped play and said look your enthusiasm and support are exceptional but you are scaring the kids and frankly freaking me out can you pull back a bit away from the touchlines so my ARs can see along the line and not yell quite so voraciously so the kids would not stop and cringe ! He apologized and quieted down and although I caught a few smiles and nods from the rest of the spectators I think he was freaking them out too! The coach even thanked me for the way in which I handled the parent as he has problems reining him in as well. By pointing out he was actually scaring or distracting the kids it made the intervention come to some use in altering his behavior. I mean he was a decent guy just a bit over eager naw he was way over eager but could not fault his enthusiasm.

That said in many tournaments the rule is spectators who make trouble for the ARs or referee are removed from the touchlines. I have utilized a code of conduct clause in tournament and league play which specifically addresses attitude and behavior on the part of parent?s coaches and players.

In regular play we could tell the teams that spectacle the kids or as referee we are enduring from the touchlines is not to continue or you will abandon the match due to spectator interference and file a report accordingly
In a recent elite match in Europe a referee refused to continue a match because the entire crowd was chanting some foul saying regarding his mom!

You can also try this, in well run tournaments or leagues spectators are not permitted on the same side as the players. The two technical areas on each side of centre the supporters set up across the field in their half as to their team 's technical area. A 3 to 5 yard flat coned or dotted line parallel to the touchline delineates the area the spectators can stand close to the touchlines so the ARs are not interfered with. A well written set of rules that detail what, where and why conduct is to be what it MUST be!
Whenever possible, having a 4th official in tournaments is another really great way of controlling the technical area. It releases the burden of control off the ARs and referee so they can focus more on the players.

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

We can caution the players for excessive celebration, but the fans are on their own.

While fan cheering could become annoying, it generally isn't something the referees (or the players for that matter) should worry about. Yes, that obnoxious voice or noisemaker might be hard to ignore, but that's our job.

I do sometimes wonder about the mindset of some spectators, usually parents, who go on and on. OK, goals are great things and should be cheered. But if the team is up 8-1, do you really have to make as much fuss over the 9th goal as you did the first one? Fans should know that over-exuberance can cause bad feelings on the part of the opponents, particularly if it seems to them that they are being ridiculed. Then if violence breaks out, they claim it's the ref's fault for not controling the game. Maybe if they showed a little restraint there wouldn't have been a problem.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

I see no problem with what the fans did, nor do I have a problem with the way you diffused the situation. Positive cheering is a welcome activity in our game as far as I am concerned. Why make a mountain out of a mole hill?

The referee has to spend enough time dealing with negative behavior during a match, wouldn't it seem odd to have a referee running around trying to kill off positive support as well?

That might also make you look like a bit overly officious.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

The spectators are always difficult to deal with. You can deal with them directly through the coaches and have them warn/remove the spectators. If things are not taken care of, then you can suspend or terminate the match. Bottom line is that unruly spectators can ruin your enjoyment of the game as well as others enjoyment of the game. I personally think you handled the situation very well with this man. You used common sense and communication skills to manage the situation and all was well. Keep up the good work!