Referee shortage affecting fixtures

REFEREE SHORTAGE AFFECTING FIXTURES

At present there is a shortage of Referees both locally and nationally and we as a league are suffering and struggling to cover every fixture. A number of Senior games have not had the 3 officials normally designated to each game on a number of occasions this season.
With the festive season soon arriving the numbers available are even less and it is likely that a number of already organised fixtures will need to be cancelled in the next few weeks.
Suffolk FA are recruiting new officials but on the reverse a number are leaving because of the abuse they receive week in week out.
So please can you try to encourage respect towards these officials whose numbers in this county have decreased by nearly half in the last ten years.
If you want football in your town or village then please ask your players and managers to show greater respect towards the Referees or as will in happen in the next few weeks games will have to be cancelled.
Nobody wants to miss out on having or watching fixtures in our league but to a certain extent it is in the hands of clubs to help retain our Referees.

Alan Sparkes
Macron SIL Fixture Secretary
November 21st 2021