Page 70 - All Shapes & Zebras From Treorchy

Referees. It goes without saying that they are an integral part of the game. Yes, they may try our patience and frustrate us at times, but we wouldn’t be able to play without them...
When you’re winning, quite often you’ll find that referees’ decisions go with you. If you’re up against it, chasing a game, you’ll usually find that the world and its ref conspire against you, such is life.
In fairness, when you consider it a little more deeply, it’s hard to direct too much criticism in the collective direction of the referees. Even at pro-level, the finances may not be glittering but there’s a certain gravitas and, for the most successful refs, globetrotting appeal to their career. That’s juxtaposed with the amateur refs: it’s worth noting that they often give up the lion’s share of their Saturday to travel to some God-forsaken place to try and keep a mass of 40 or so testosterone-fuelled blokes, who have wound themselves up all week long and are chomping at the bit, in check. I can’t think of a fate much worse. Add in a hostile and raucous crowd, and the experience is enough to bring any sane person out in a cold sweat.
At the end of it, they’ll usually get a cold, dry plate of sausages and chips, maybe a couple of “thank yous” and perhaps their petrol money covered, before a long drive home.
In South Wales, the same as elsewhere I suspect, you get the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. A good and, crucially, fair referee is worth their weight in gold. They keep order, let the game flow and make it through the 80 minutes or so without barely being noticed. A bad referee, as frustrating as they are, can be excused – so long as both teams suffer from their erroneous decision making.
68 ALL SHAPES & ZEBRAS FROM TREORCHY