REFEREES are essential for grassroots football to thrive in England and currently 25 per cent of referees are leaving the game every year. 

Now the Basingstoke & District League wants to do something about this 'Ref-exedus' by helping to recruit more and better-trained referees to the game.

The FA Referee Course, made up of online and face-to-face training, costs £150 but your local football league is delighted to sponsor up to five trainee referees this year.

The clubs will do this by paying half the fee upfront and reimburse the referee for the whole balance once they have shown their commitment by completing the course followed by refereeing 10 league games.

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The FA Referees Course covers all aspects of refereeing, from the pre-match brief through to the final whistle, including the laws of the game, interpretation of advantage, foul play, communicating with other match officials and players, and dealing with discipline on and off the field.

Qualification as an FA referee usually comes after at least five matches and trainees are often mentored during those early games.

There are regular assessments of referees and development and progression is encouraged.

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Sponsored participants can be anyone, football is determinedly and actively inclusive, so whoever is keen to take part in this scheme will be considered, no, welcomed, to the game with open arms.

Refereeing can be a great way to keep fit and active, as well as interesting and rewarding in sporting participation through a variety of different formats of the game and this can lead to a career in sport or at least boost your work career by demonstrating your leadership and negotiating skills on the field when transferred to the workplace; being a referee looks good on a CV.

If you are interested in the scheme, please contact the Basingstoke & District League Secretary on basingstokeleaguesecretary@gmail.com