39th Season 2016-2017
The Longest Running Church
Football League in the Country
Dear Referee,
Thank you very much for agreeing to referee a match within the SACFL. We appreciate what a hard task refereeing can be and that no game could go ahead without a referee to officiate. We hope that you will experience a game that you find a pleasure to officiate and that you will be treated with the respect you deserve and have the right to expect.
History & Vision: This league was established based on Christian principles and as the League Leadership we ask if you would help in continuing that aim. We believe that football can be played without bad language and have numerous people stop over the years and comment that it is great to be at a football game without foul language dominating the airwaves. Our aim is to stage matches that parents don’t mind their children coming to watch and would be pleasing to our God. We try to follow the Biblical principle “But now you must rid yourself of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips.” – Colossians 3:8
Underpinning Ruling: As you know offensive, insulting and abusive language or gestures is a sending-off offence under [S6 – Law 12]. The SACFL request that this includes swearing and blasphemous language when carried out in an audible and/or aggressive manner. This punishment should be awarded irrespective if this is directed to another person or is to himself. For the purpose of guidance “audible” is when the language can be heard from the touchline. We have found that over the years that one red card has an amazing effect on the behaviour of everyone on the pitch!
Bad language should not be tolerated and any occurrence of this that does not fall into the category of “audible and aggressive” as defined in the above paragraph, should be treated as “Unsporting behaviour” and is to be punished as a cautionable offence (yellow card). i.e. swearing at oneself not loudly and away from the touchline.
Match Report Form: Following the game, we ask that you complete a Refs Match report Form which is available at: - please could you please complete all information on the form including goal scorers. You should also receive a team sheet from both Captains before the game. Could you please also choose a ‘Man of the Match’ from each team and mark each side out of 10 for sportsmanship – we have trophies at the end of season for both, thank you.
Many thanks again for refereeing within the SACFL. If you have any comments or questions please do not hesitate to contact me, I would be pleased to hear from you at any time.
Kind Regards & God Bless
Matt Stockbridge
SACFL League Chairman
Mobile: 07538820428
email:
website:
To be given to the Match Referee by the Away team every match