The Flag & Whistle

In many articles placed previously on this website, the league's assessment scheme for Level 4 Referees has been outlined extensively.

Here, the League's Assessment Scheme Coordinator Tony Weight outlines what the scheme can offer the league's assistant referees.

"Association Colleagues,

Welcome to the assistant referee part of the website. As you know, for all Premier Division games refereed by a Level 4 and where an assessor is in attendance, the two assistants will also receive a report. Over the course of a promotion season, I would expect to send out approximately 500 reports on assistants. Last year at least 125 referees acting as assistants received at least one report.

You will see how the report form is put together, with the various sections and the criteria used by the assessors to mark you. Each section is marked then totalled and advice given. Any mark of 70 or over is described as good. Over 80 is very good. 70 is the standard we expect on our League. The League has a very high reputation for the standard of its assistants and we want that to continue.

I receive a lot of positive feedback from you about how helpful the reports are and remember, we do this to help you improve and improve the standard of assistants on the League. I only ask that you receive any comments made by the assessor positively and courteously, whatever you may think of what he has said. I welcome feedback from you and am always happy to talk to you. I try to send out reports within 1 week of the match. This is not always possible, but for the majority of time it is.

In closing I hope you find the forms helpful and don't forget that the Association makes an annual award to the highest marked assistant referee.

Best Wishes"

Tony Weight

Assessor Co-ordinator

The relevant sections of The FA Assessors Handbook relating to Assistant Referees can be found here.

15 September 2009