I did 2 years reffing in the army ( had to pack in playing) and a couple of years when I got out ( just the odd game)
My mate currently refs in the premiership. I have some good chats with him on nights out. It really is a difficult job but he gets a nice few bob for it. The downside to that is he has regular runs in with big sam and brucey.
You're not wrong there mate. One of my pals refereed at local level for years and he received dogs abuse and personal threats from the side-lines from the biased spectators. Luckily it was water off a ducks back to him otherwise he would have been suicidal.
Did 16 years in black(later green, blue, yellow etc.) was on the National list from 1993 to 1999 inc 4 years on the Premier league we may have met?
I didn't ref, apart from one BBS match against Grimsby. But I did have to pass the refs exam to get my coaching badges.
No referee has any idea what abuse and intimidation is like until they have refereed at an Under 11 level where the spectators are the kids dads/grandads or even worse their mothers/grandmothers!