REFEREES “VERY HURT"

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30215, 21 August 1963, Page 17

REFEREES “VERY HURT"

Criticism Of Action The Canterbury Football Association was leaning over backwards to make the position of Christchurch soccer referees secure and tenable, said the secretary of the association (Mr E. H. Williams) when a thrccman deputation from the Canterbury Referees' Association waited upon the C.F.A. management committee last night Mr Williams rejected an assertion by Mr P Donnelly, a member of the deputation, that there had been a deterioration in the feelings between the two bodies and "some unpleasantness” this season. "We have happier relations now than for a number of years." said Mr Williams. The leader of the deputation (Mr J. Davidson) said the referees’ association was “very hurt” by the reported criticism of a referee by members of the management committee over the Issuing of a caution to a player recently. The Infringement definitely warranted the issuing of a caution, he said. The referee concerned was being watched by two members of the classification committee and had he not Issued the caution he would have been reprimanded Mr R Storer said two similar incidents had occurred at English Park the following Saturday but in neither case was a caution Issued. "The referee was taken to task after the match." replied Mr Davidson "We don't pull any punches—we tell them when they have made mistakes; we tell them when they have had a good game ” Mr W. W. Carruthers pointed out that while individual members of the committee had criticised the referee's action the committee had upheld him by recording the caution The chairman (Mr J Smith) said the discussion had done some good The association gave the referees the strongest backing and it was to be hoped that the good relations between the two bodies would continue.