TWO REFEREES OR ONE IN SOCCER?

Taranaki Daily News, 16 April 1935, Page 12

TWO REFEREES OR ONE IN SOCCER?

Proposed System May Make Linesmen Unnecessary

Football officialdom has so far set its face against the idea of saving two referees for each League match in Association football (says an English paper recently), but the fact that the experiment with two referees is to be tried again may be taken as a certain indication that the rulers of the game are at any rate prepared to test it thoroughly. Actually so many requests have been made for the idea to be tried that it could" not very well have been refused. • ■ In any event, it cannot now be said of the games’ rulers that they take no notice of suggestions, and it may be that the further experiment will remove one of the main objections to it—that it would entail, if adopted, the employ- i ment of four officials to control each match. In other words, it is just possible that the need for linesmen will be overcome if the experiments convince the authorities that two referees are better than one. One big argument in favour of two referees is that there is no need for a referee to be a sprinter to be able to keep up with the play. Thus, with the requirements in a < physical sense reduced considerably by the limitation of the referee's duties to one half of the field it may follow that linesmen become superfluous.

For a long time there has been growing dissatisfaction with linesmen in Association football generally because their duties have been lightened so greatly. The alterations m the offside rule and the throw-in rule have made their work much easier, while the former alteration has thrown heavier responsibility on the referee, themselves. Referees rely less and less on linesmen’s judgment, if.this season’s experience may be taken as a guide in these matters, and linesmen s duties may now be regarded as being much more restricted and less difficult than ever they were, though they were never onerous. _ It would be comparatively easy for a referee who had only one half of the field to look after to decide matters concerning throws-in, but if any other alternative were needed surely it would be worth the clubs’ while to employ club linesmen comprising the players chosen as “12th man” for each side. Such a suggestion has not yet-- been canvassed, but it commends lyselx ter now than it could possibly have done in connection with any other suggestion for altered match control. Add there need be no objection on tne ground of partisanship by linesmen. No crowd of spectators would allow partisanship, on their part, even if there were any desire to show it.