Welsh Cup Round 3

Well done to all members appointed and proudly representing the Society in this national competition. Games to be played on Sat 2nd December 2017 - 1.30pm/2.30pm with floodlights.

Ammanford v Carmarthen Town

Pontypridd Town v Haverfordwest County

The New Saints v Penrhyncoch

Harry Hendricks

FIFA has revealed the list of officials who will represent Wales on their international and European matches.

There is one change to the 2017 list which sees society member John Bryant replaces JB Roberts on the Assistant Referees panel.

Chairman Rob had this to say about the news;

"It is certainly fantastic news for John and the society! Having worked with John when he was just starting his career it was always apparent that he had huge potential, with hard work and dedication. I am delighted it has been fulfilled, for any young aspiring official John is an excellent role model of what can be achieved! I wish him a long and successful career in the higher echelons of football"

Current FIFA Panel

Referees: Lee Evans, Bryn Markham Jones, Iwan Griffith, Cheryl Foster   

Assistant Referees: Phil Thomas, Daniel Beckett, Lewiss Edwards, Ian Bird, Gareth Wyn Jones, John Bryant, Laura Griffiths, Rebecca Thomas

Futsal Referees: Valentin Ciuplea, Carl Hughes

Cardiff Society Members

Click here for the quiz

The Chairman would like to thank everyone for making the Christmas Raffle a roaring success with over £300 raised from the ticket sales.

The prizes were equally shared out amongst the members with Jordan Christopher taking home the top prize.

The evening was topped off with a special presentation. Society President and FAW Referees Manager Ray Ellingham presented Jonathon Bryant with his FIFA Assistant Referee Badge. 

The evening ended with a heart felt speech from the Chairman remembering those that have past away during the year and looking forward to the challenges of the New Year. 

The Chairman closed the meeting with the following words  

“The Society is in good shape with members making a positive impact at all levels of the game and long may it continue. Have a Happy New Year and a peaceful New Year.”

April 2011 - Pastures New...

After being made redundant from his role with the BBC Ellingham is to take up a role helping to develop the professional referees in the AF-League. The 51-year-old former referee was promoted to the FIFA list in 1997 He retired from refereeing in 2005 after clocking up over 450 games and his new role in Afghanistan will certainly provide a new challenge after fulfilling the role of RDO for the South Wales Area

“I will meet with the representatives of the AF-League every Tuesday and then make arrangements to produce training programmes for the referees who meet every Wednesday and Thursday.

“I will then attend matches on both Saturday and Sunday with a view to producing a personal portfolio on each referee to monitor their individual progress. The overall aim is to introduce some of the "natural" qualities displayed by our professional referees.

“I will also be involved in the training of the Referee Instructors within the Afghanistan FA programme to ensure they are at least the standard required to be an FA Tutor (Generic Tutor Trained standard), and my final task is to ensure progress in the field of refereeing.

“As you can see it is a massive task but that is the main reason I accepted the challenge. My contract is until the December of 2012

Ray is leaving with the blessing of the Welsh FA and Referees Manager Rodger Gifford was quoted as saying, it is the measure of the guy that he is prepared to go into a war torn Country for the benefit of Football. 

April 2015 - BV Hinton Co-ordinator Required....

CRS are looking for an experienced member to take over from Roger Harpole as BV Hinton Co-ordinator. Roger has decided to step down from the position after 15 years of sterling service.

Roger took up the role after retiring from the Civil Service and unbeknown to most Society members he also took up amateur dramatics. Roger is a leading performer at the Lakeside Amateur Dramatics Troup and has won many prestigious awards.

Roger was recently asked to audition for a BBC period drama and is thought to have landed one of the leading roles.

Society insiders have recently spotted Roger Method acting in a number of bars across the Bay. Apparently he has a very convincing cockney accent and has been telling some fascinating stories about his time during the war.

All society members will no doubt thank Roger for his outstanding service over the years – he will be a massive loss to us all.

However, we do wish him well in his new role. His knowledge on the rules of Income Tax and VAT will certainly help him out with any deals in the future. ‘Long live Hookie Street.’

April 2015 - Body Camera Trial...

Body cameras will be used in the Welsh Premier League making it the first league in the world to embrace the technology. The idea to equip the referees with a camera was the brainchild of Ray Ellingham the Welsh IFAB Delegate and Society Chairman. The use of video technology was raised at a recent IFAB meeting in Belfast.

The video footage will be used to create training videos for up and coming referees and to also drive up standards of officiating in the Welsh Premier League.

The device modelled by Cardiff Society's very own Ryan Stewart will be worn in the WPL on April 10th. Ryan will become the first referee in the world to use the body camera during his match at TNS when they take on Aberystwyth Town.

Rodger Gifford the FAW's Referee Manager welcomed the development and said

"Let it be known that Wales has some of the finest referees in the world. The body cameras will only help to improve standards and act as an excellent training tool for the next generation of referees."

April 2015 - Confucius Clarkie says...

After dutifully serving the Society and Welsh football for over 30 years Rob has decided to step down and take a more spiritual path to life. For those of you not familiar with the current Chairman he is certainly a well-known figure in the Principality.The former Welsh Premier League linesman and Welsh League referee has officiated at more than 20 internationals and regularly appeared at Ninian Park.

It may come as a surprise to football affectionados that he has decided to walk away from football and commit his life to the teachings of the Dalai Lama as a Buddhist monk. But to those young referee's at the Cardiff City Academy and across the playing fields of South Wales Rob was certainly a teacher of men and a refereeing guru.

Rob has never been shy in making his views known and many have been blessed and enlightened with his pearls of wisdom. The phrase 'Confucius said' would often be replaced with 'Rob Clarke said...' with an equal amount of reverence and authority.

Rob has helped many referees during their darkest hours and the current FAW Referees Manager Mr Ray Ellingham often mentions the 'Rob Clarke affect' in his unpublished autobiography 'Alrite Matey - fancy a Park Run?'

Society members have been called up to a number of plum appointments - watch this space as the list grows...

Lazarou Cardiff Sunday

League First Divison Cup Final (Sun 29th 10.30am)

Splott Athletic v Elympia FC

Referee - John Fish

Assistant - Jason Lewis

Premier Divison Cup Final (Sun 29th - 1.30pm)

Assistant - Ashley Davies

Assistant - Daniel Barclay

To be played at Bridgend St FC

SWFA Boys u16 cup semi final

Ely Rangers vs Treharris Athletic Western

Referee - Ewan Reed

SWFA Girls u16 cup semi final

Villa Dino Christchurch vs Rhydyfelin

Referee - Amin Said

W.John Owen Cup Semi Final

Penydarren BGC v Clwb Cymric

Referee - H.Hendrikson

VENUE: WHITE TIPS STADIUM, Treforest (Mon 9th April @ 7.30pm)

SWFA Senior Cup Semi Final

Cornelly United v Penrhiwceiber Con Ath

Assistant Referee - Amin Said

Venue: Tremorfa Park (Sat 7th April @ 2pm)

Oxfordshire FA's u16 Boys Cup Final

Referees Liaison Officer - Mervyn Hughes
Venue - Oxford City FC (13th April @ 7pm)

SWFA Danny Gomes Memorial Sunday Cup Semi Final

Bedlinog v Elimpia

Referee: Valentin Ciuplea

Venue - Rhydyfelin FC on (8th April @ 11am)

Llongyfarchiadau / Congratulations to Dan Barclay and Matt Johnson on being appointed to two national cup finals.

They can both be described as the most active members of the Society with a record numner of games officiated this season - the hard work has certainly paid off!  Gwaith rhagorol!

FAW U16s Girls Cup Final

Sunday 15^th April 2018

Leckwith Stadium, Cardiff

Barry Town United Girls FC v Villa Dino Girls FC

Referee: Connor Fowler (NWCFA)

Assistant Referees: Daniel Barclay (SWFA) & Connor Charlton- Fleming (NEWFA)

4^th Official: Martin Williams (SWFA).

Welsh Premier Womens League Cup Final

Cyncoed Ladies v Cardiff Met Ladies

Sunday 25^th March 2018

Dragon Park Newport

Kick Off 2.00pm

Referee: Ben Williams (WWFA)

Assistant Referees: Matthew Johnson (SWFA) & Lindsey Brown  (WWFA)

4^th Official: Daniel Barclay (SWFA)

Photography taken by Will Cheshire

SWFA CUP FINALS 2018

Society members will be busy in action this weekend with a number of appointments. All games will be played at Kymco Stadium, Bryntirion Park, Llangewydd Road, Bridgend CF31 4JU

Llongyfarchiadau / Congratulations to all involved

LLONGYFARCHIADAU - Cardiff Combination League CUP FINAL APPOINTMENTS

Congratulations to Society members with their forthcoming appointments

Cardiff Combination Cup Semi Final

Tiger Bay v STM Sports - Referee: Sam Bragg

Cathays Cons v Glamorgan Athletic Assistant Referee: John Fish

Sat 5th May - 2pm ko Llanrumney University Field

Milsom Harries Cup Semi Final

Tiger Bay v Aberyswyth Exiles - Referee: John Fish, Assistants: Tegid Richards, Sam Bragg

Sat 12th May - 2pm ko Llanrumney University Field

Milsom Harries Cup Final

Tiger Bay / Aberyswyth Exiles v Avenue Hotspurs v Riverside Utd - Referee: Tegid Richards, Assistants: John Fish, Sam Bragg

Sat 19th May - 2pm ko Llanrumney University Field

The Laws of the Game changes 2018-2019 are published by IFAB. Below you’ll find an outline of the main changes.

Click here to see the changes

No big changes for me. New terms, like video operation room (VOR) and Referee Review Area (RRA). Referees can now also caution players if they are “excessively using the ‘review’ (TV screen) signal”.

It is also specified bodycams can not be worn: “Referees and other ‘on-field’ match officials are prohibited from wearing jewellery or any other electronic equipment, including cameras.”

If you apply advantage at DOGSO offences you’ll have to show the player a yellow at all time. According to previous rules a yellow was show if the advantage results in a goal (which meant: otherwise a red card). This seems fairer.

Modifications

• There is no limit on the number of substitutes that can be used in youth football
• Permission is needed from The IFAB for any modifications not already permitted
• Temporary dismissals – System B: a player who receives two temporary dismissals and a non-temporary dismissal caution (YC) may not be substituted/replaced

Law 1

• Clarification of measurements on the field of play
• Reference to substituted players being permitted to be in the technical area
• Commercial advertising is not permitted on the ground in the Referee Review Area (RRA)
• Reference to the Video Operation Room (VOR) and Referee Review Area (RRA)

Law 3

• Competition rules may permit the use of an additional substitute in extra time (even if not
  all permitted substitutes have been used)
• A maximum of 12 substitutes can be named for international ‘A’ friendly matches

Law 4

• Small, hand-held electronic or communication devices are permitted in the technical area
  if used for coaching/ tactics or player welfare
• Introduction of a FIFA quality mark for EPTS, and data from EPTS may be received in the
  technical area during the match
• Detailed guidelines for what can and cannot appear on players’ equipment
• Player who has left the field because of an equipment issue and returns without
  permission and interferes is penalised with a direct free kick (or penalty kick)

Law 5

• Reference to video assistant referees (VARs) and assistant VARs (AVARs) and the ability of a referee to use video replays for decision making as part of VAR system
• Some sending-off offences can be reviewed even if play has restarted
• Distinction between ‘on-field’ match officials and ‘video’ match officials
• Match officials are not permitted to wear cameras
• Inclusion of the referee ‘check’ and ‘review’ signals used in the VAR process

Law 6

• Duties of the video assistant referee (VAR) and assistant VAR (AVAR)

Law 7

• Drinks breaks should not exceed one minute
• Allowance must be made for time ‘lost’ for drinks breaks and VAR checks/ reviews

Law 10

• Kicks from the penalty mark – a replacement for a goalkeeper cannot take a kick in that
  ‘round’ if the goalkeeper has already taken a kick

Law 11

• The first point of contact when the ball is played/touched is the moment when offside position is judged

Law 12

• Biting is included as a direct free kick and sending-off offence
• Throwing an object at the ball or hitting the ball with a held object are separate direct free kick offences (not a form of handball)
• If the ball rebounds from the goalkeeper this does not prevent the goalkeeper handling
  the ball a second time even if the first attempt to catch/holds the ball was deliberate
• If the referee plays advantage for a DOGSO the offender is cautioned (YC) whether or not a
  goal is scored
• Entering the RRA or excessively showing the TV signal are cautions (YCs)
• Where 2 separate cautionable (YC) offences are committed in close proximity, both cautions (YCs) must be issued; same principle if one is a sending off offence
• Entering the VOR is a sending-off (RC) offence
• If a player commits an offence outside the field of play (ball in play) against someone from their own team (including a team official) it is an indirect free kick on the boundary line

Law 13

• Clarification that free kicks can also be awarded for offences by a substitute, substituted or sent off player, or a team official

Law 15

• A player must stand to take a throw-in (kneeling, sitting etc. not permitted)

Deleted text in Law 2

In addition, the following wording was deleted as it is no longer relevant in Law 2:

• Reference to previous ball quality marks: Balls carrying previous quality marks such as “FIFA Approved”, “FIFA Inspected” or “International Matchball Standard” may be used in aforementioned competitions until 31 July 2017