I'm doing a refereeing course tomorrow at Milnrow (it's the first level on the RFL's referee's pathway). Anyone else referee or even going on this course tomorrow by any chance?

I did the course about 2 years ago at Shaw Cross.

My training was done by Jamie Leahy and James Child. Read into that what you will!

When I retire as a player after this summer season I plan to take up the whistle.

Ahh. How did you find it? Can't see the course itself being all that challenging?

Harrigan sometimes dresses up as a Ref but he's more of a "carry on" style especially if he's running the line and starts at the wrong end for KO's!

I ref, coming up to end of my second season now, if u join Leeds society think they only got a couple..costs roughly £25 to join a society depenidng on who you join..have to join to be insured by rfl if owt goes wrong..start off by doing juniors on a sat/sunday morning then work you`re way up to pennine/yorkshire league or touchjudge on saturdays in ncl..get roughly 13 for touch judging and between 18 and 25 in junior comps and 25 plus travelling allowance in yorkshire/pennine league.

Dougie booth is good in pennine league and you get better standards of players..you will get abuse by players/coaches parents etc but depends how you deal with it..if parents abuse you pull the coach..if players march them or walk them..if coach pull them and bollock them..nowt better than to embarrass the coach in front of his own players to shut him up.

If you visit www.leedsrugbyrefs.com all the contact details are on there at leeds rugby referees soceity and we meet at milford sports club on the 4th thursday of the month next meeting is on Thursday 22nd April 7.30pm. I thinks the membership currently fees are around £15 pound...to join Leeds! The cource will cover the basics 2moro, regarding referee rules laws of the game,postioning etc,Touchjudgeing signals. ITS VERY BASIC BUT ADDRESS MANY AREA. The only really way to learn is to get on the field and have a go!!! you will learn more that way and there are some interesting things that you will pick up and some stuff you didnt know. Any way have to go got fixture to do!!

If you visit www.leedsrugbyrefs.com all the contact details are on there at leeds rugby referees soceity and we meet at milford sports club on the 4th thursday of the month next meeting is on Thursday 22nd April 7.30pm. I thinks the membership currently fees are around £15 pound...to join Leeds! The cource will cover the basics 2moro, regarding referee rules laws of the game,postioning etc,Touchjudgeing signals. ITS VERY BASIC BUT ADDRESS MANY AREA. The only really way to learn is to get on the field and have a go!!! you will learn more that way and there are some interesting things that you will pick up and some stuff you didnt know. Any way have to go got fixture to do!!

Cheers lads. You're right touchlinesports, it is very basic! It makes you actually think a lot more about the rules and the interpretations though and it was very useful. Can't wait to get out of the pitch now!

How have you found your first couple of seasons ritz?

Has been good so far, had guisley v whitehall today and am touch judging at odsal tomorrow in bradford cup final.

You always make mistakes, but if you make mistake just carry on and dont let it get to you otherwise you will feel pressured to even it up.

Make sure youre consistent, if you penalise one side for summat, penalise other side if they do it, even if youre wrong, cos if you dont players will moan at you for not being consistent, even players realise refs make mistakes, if they question you blag it and say its a new rfl iniative etc.

Talk to players throughout, explain what they are doing wrong, at scrum if they not binding, blow whistle tell them to stand, say prop etc get in and rebind..if he does it again then give a differential..remember they cant go for two at scrum unless its for physical or verbal abuse etc.

Kit takes about 2 weeks to come through, but get register asap, if you dont wanna get thrown it at deep end email bob smithies and ask if you can touchjudge on saturday afternoon and watch ref until you get confident enough to go out on your own..you normally get assessed by ur society first couple who give you pointers etc.

You soon pick it up enough to watch what sl refs are doing and when ur mates say he should have done so and so you can say no hes right blah blah blah.

Just enjoy it and good luck mate.

Haha! I like this tip! Yeah - consistency and confidence where the two things they stressed the most.

On the 'throwing me in at the deep end' bit, I feel like I'd be OK with up to U16 or so at first but would definitely not want to do any open age until I've got a few games experience under my belt as a TJ.

Let us know how your refereeing goes!

If it wasn’t for my knees I would of taken up voluntary refereeing but I need to preserve them for the dance floor.

Good luck!

Why don't you combine the two damo. I remember seeing a video on a popular video sharing website of a dancing football ref once. This could be your real big break! I'll try and find it.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFUuEXanDsI Here we go.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFUuEXanDsI Here we go.