Support The Ref week on Sky Sports: What we learned

It has been an enlightening week on Sky Sports, but what exactly have we learned from the Support The Ref campaign?

We kicked off the week with an exclusive piece of research in collaboration with the FA on referees’ attitudes towards the media, managers and parents, before moving onto rule changes, diversity in officiating and decision making.

On Thursday, our VAR special highlighted the positives behind technology, and what needs to be done to improve the process for fans and players alike.

Here, we run through the best bits from a busy week…

Ref critics: The trickle-down effect

Lack of respect for refs at elite level is encouraging poor grassroots behaviour, according to a survey by Sky Sports and The FA.

The survey, completed by 2,905 grassroots officials, found that 91 per cent believe the apparent lack of respect for their colleagues in the elite game is a “big or fairly big problem” for grassroots refs and the behaviour towards them.

The exclusive collaboration between Sky Sports and the FA also discovered that 76 per cent of grassroots refs believe elite managers’ criticisms of referees is a big or fairly big problem.

We then had the FA’s head of refereeing Neale Barry give his verdict on the eye-catching findings…

Why don’t England have a WC ref?

For the first time in post-war history, England will have no referee representative at this summer’s World Cup.

Mark Clattenburg had been included on the pre-selected group drawn up by FIFA in 2016 and was involved in training for the tournament in Russia, before leaving the Premier League and moving to Saudi Arabia in February.

Mike Riley explained it’s a case of bad timing rather than bad quality.

Atkin: Being out is breaking taboo

In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, referee Ryan Atkin says he has had no issues after becoming the first publicly ‘out’ professional official in football in the UK.

Referee Ryan Atkin says he has had no issues after becoming the first publicly 'out' professional official in football in the UK.

Diversity in refereeing

Throughout the week we highlighted the need for diversity within officiating, focusing on…

The life of female refs…

Melissa Burgin and Emily Heaslip walk us through their weekend

Why BAME refs need more role models…

Sunny and Bhups are the sons of former referee Jarnail Singh

How to become a referee…

Neale Barry and Mike Riley highlight the pathway from grassroots to the top of the game

And how even players are being encouraged to take up the whistle…

Salford City FC are running a pioneering referee academy for young players

Rule changes in football

Always a hot topic of debate, we allowed you the opportunity to suggest some rule changes within the game. We received a wave of interesting suggestions…

Football rule changes: The verdict

But what would the experts say? We had Mike Riley, Dermot Gallagher and Neale Barry give their views…

Mic up the refs? Expert view: Never!
Only captains approach the refs? Expert view: It could happen
Celebrate as you wish? Expert view: Harsh, but it won’t change
Ref does post-match interview? Expert view: Never!
Sin-bins for yellow cards? Expert view: It will happen
Three VAR challenges? Expert view: Slim chances

And in fact, sin-bins are already being trialled across England, despite it coming low down on your preferred list of rule changes!

VAR: Will it work?

Then came Thursday, our VAR special, and with it some very strong views both for and against the use of video tech in our beloved game.

First, we covered the VAR special programme on Sky Sports News HERE, with the help of Dermot Gallagher and Mike Riley.

We then looked across the world of sport, and how teething problems occurred in cricket, rugby union, tennis and NFL, with the help of our experts in each sport.

As part of Support The Ref week, we look at how VAR has been implemented and adapted to cricket, rugby union and tennis.

We then broke down the stats from nearly 1,000 games to have used VAR across the world; they may surprise you…

And finally, former Spurs and Hull midfielder Ryan Mason joined England defender Laura Bassett at the VAR match centre in Stockley Park, taking part in real-life VAR situations, using the same communication and viewing tools used by the PGMO.

Ryan Mason and Laura Bassett try their hand at using VAR

How many calls do refs get right?

If you say you haven’t moaned about a referee, you’d be lying.

But in this day and age of in-depth statistics, analysis and technology, just how well do officials perform week-by-week?

We got the numbers and broke them down into bite-size chunks. Again, you may be surprised…

PLAY: Offside or on?

If you were handed the offside flag, how do you think you’d get on?

We’ve gathered eight mock match situations, and we want you to give us your verdict on whether they are offside or not.

Eight offside decisions, eight results… see how you get on with our offside test here. Footage courtesy of PGMOL.

Wise refs a game

Former Chelsea midfielder Dennis Wise became referee for one evening as he took charge of SSN v The FA.

The scourge of many a referee during his playing days, who better than Wise to try his hand as the man in black? Wise, who picked up 70 yellows and was sent off five times in his career, took the first half of the clash in west London.