TOUCH JUDGES

(Sometime incorrectly called Linesmen)


How many times have you as a spectator (or coach) shouted at the touch judge suggesting that he tell the referee that he has apparently missed something? Every match possibly!

Over the past few seasons there appears to have been a bit of confusion amongst spectators, players and coaches as to what things touch judges should or should not be telling the referee during a match.

At all times, no matter what information is passed onto the referee, it must be remembered that it is the referee who is refereeing the match and not the touch judges. It is up to the referee to decide if he wishes to accept a touch judge’s view on things or not

In order to prevent a “non stop running commentary” by a touch judge, agreement was reached in the refereeing fraternity a couple of years ago that touch judges should concentrate on their primary functions (as defined by law). These are

• Awarding touch
• Indicating touch–in–goal
• Indicating if the ball or player has gone over the dead ball line
• Kicks at goal (both conversions and penalties)
• Foul play (probably the most important)

It is essential that a touch judge gets these calls right and so should therefore concentrate on them.

Because we all see different things from different angles, touch judges are not expected to comment on MARGINAL decisions relating to forward passes, knocks-on, off-sides etc.

A touch judge is expected to communicate to the referee any obvious infringement to which the referee is unsighted and where the infringement has a MATERIAL effect.

The touch judge is not there to tell the referee everything nor to provide a running commentary on the match. What’s more important, picking up foul play or seeing a marginal forward pass? Who do you want to referee the match the referee or the touch judge?


Roy McCombe Jim Fleming
Referee Manager (Acting) National Referee Coaching Co-ordinator

This article was posted on 18-Aug-2006, 16:19 by Hugh Barrow.