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:
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:
During a game, you will:
After a game, you will:
There was no change to the Referee’s fee of £30.00 for the 2019 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:
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.