Referees

The Essex Walking Football League ('EWFL') believes that as an adult 'grassroots' football league; walking football is a community recreational sport and it has a positive impact on a player's physical health, mental well-being and social needs.

The EWFL provides competitive walking football opportunities for its players. Player safety and enjoyment is paramount. Good sportsmanship is expected from all involved: the players, coaches, Referees and spectators. The EWFL has a zero tolerance policy to: physical contact that can cause injury, any dissent, abuse or argumentative behaviour, swearing, and sarcasm.

It expects these principles to be strongly enforced. All matches are played under EWFL competition laws and rules, based on the FA's original LOTG template. Our competition laws and rules have been adjusted to prioiritise player safery. Our ultimate aim is to eliminate the need for any physical contact to gain possession or positional advantage. Sportsmanship is demanded and expected at all times from everyone to ensure there is fair play.

If you are interested in becoming Referee in the EWFL please contact Bill Sedgwick billsedgwick62@gmail.com for further details.

You will need to have: 

• Excellent communication and observational skills.
• Self-confidence to make difficult decisions under pressure.
• Good people management skills.
• A calm and professional approach and deliver your decisions in an effective, but firm but polite manner.
• A full understanding and interpretation of current ('2020') EWFL the match day rules.
• A sense of humour - It helps!

We are keen to have retired or ex-County FA Referees who wish to be continue to be involved in refereeing at matches.

All EWFL Referees must attend the Essex County FA’s workshop that is specifically designed for Walking Football. Anyone wishing to attend these workshops after speaking to Bill Sedgwick should then contact Lukas Wood at the Essex County FA at Lukas.Wood@essexfa.com. You will have to register with the Essex County FA to get a place on the next available workshop.

Once you complete the workshop the Essex County FA will confirm your attendance to the EWFL’s Referee Appointments Officer. From Season 2020 onwards, those that have completed the workshop are expected to attend and officiate at one of the training sessions of their local EWFL walking football club. In tandem with this requirement it will be necessary to act as an assistant at least one EWFL set of fixtures or tournament. Upon completion you will then be confirmed by the EWFL’s Referee Appointments Officer as being able to officiate at EWFL fixtures. NB: The minimum additional officiating time (between completing the FA workshop and taking charge of a EWFL fixture) is currently three hours. 

Full details of all EWFL tournaments and venues will supplied by the EWFL's Referee Appointments Officer and will be published on this website. You will be contacted by the EWFL's Referee Appointments Officer regarding your availability.

Before kick-off, you will:

• Inspect the pitch and its markings to ensure they comply with the EWFL rules.
• Make sure equipment like goalposts and nets are safely set up correctly so that no advantage is given to either team.
• Check you have everything you need for the game, like stopwatches, notebook, match whistle and cards (‘blue’ and ‘red’).
• Be suitably attired and badged as specified under 'Referee's Kits and Colours'.
• Meet with team captains.
• Review the match team sheets. NB: The responsibilty of sending team sheets to the EWFL will be the tournament organiser. NB: The goalkeeper and team Captain are expected to be identified on a team sheet.
• Ensure by speaking to each team Captain that each teams are compliant to EWFL match day competition rules and if there is any breach or failure to comply they will not be allowed to continue play the fixture. NB: Shin pads MUST be worn and jewellery and watches removed, whilst on the field of play. Any failure to wear shin pads. non-removal of jewellery and watches will to lead to the issuing of a 'blue' card ('timed suspension'). All team shirts MUST be numbered. 

During a game, you will:

• Take responsibility for the match on your own.
• Look after the players’ safety during the game and make sure they obey the EWFL matchday rules.
• Follow the play and when any infringements or transgression occurs communicate your rulings effectively to the  players.
• Control the behaviour of the teams on the pitch.

After a game, you will:

• Need to provide a 'Fair Play' team appraisal score on the Tournament Result Sheet and return Result Sheet to tournament organiser.
• Need to complete the online report form on any sending-offs you made during a match. Details of this form will be provided upon confirmation of your appointment or your requirement to use the form. The form is available for use on the FA’s Whole Game System.

There was no change to the Referee’s fee of £35.00 for the 2020 Season but Referees are now able to claim mileage of 25p per mile. The mileage total amount has therefore been capped to £5.00. A tournament may last between 2 to 3 hours and will have multiple matches. Each EWFL match is expected to be no longer than 20 minutes in length. NB: 15 minutes is the minimum for a EWFL match and 20 minutes is the maximum. A half-time break of 2 minutes is being introduced from Season 2019.

Referee's Kit/Colours 2020

To ensure the high degree of professionalism is maintained by the Essex Walking Football League it's Management Committee have decided that all accredited referees when officiating at an EWFL competition must wear a shirt/top which, does not clash with the colours of the competing teams and has therefore decided that the Referee MUST change to either (in priority order) a BLACK or a GREY or GREEN shirt/top and shorts and socks are expected to be in either black, grey or green. 

A complete EWFL Referee's kit or the EWFL top/shirt can be purchased via the link below. A Referees’ shirt/top is expected to be ‘badged’ appropriately. 

The Essex Walking Football League Referee's Sub-Committee remit is:

• Hold regular review meetings with the EWFL League Management Committee.
• Meet with the other EWFL Referees at least once per season.
• Help ensure all EWFL Referees consistently officiate to a high standard by implementing an evaluation process that encompasses reliability, dependability, assessment, coaching, tutoring and mentoring.
• To work with the Referee’s Development team at Essex County FA, the EWFL’s Referee Appointments Officer and the EWFL Rules Committee in the development of all EWFL Referees, the reviewing and the implementation of the Laws of the Game for Walking Football.

The Essex Walking Football League Team Store 

The shop is maintained and is run by Serious Football in partnership with the Essex Walking Football League. The EWFL does not benefit from any sale of the kit or any component part thereof, hence prices have been kept to the minimum amount possible. Click on the picture below to connect you to Essex Walking Football League Team Store at Serious Football.