Players red their rights!

9:32am Wednesday 29th August 2001

WHAT would Premiership managers like Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsne Wenger and Gerard Houllier give to have Gary Casciani referee their matches rather than David Elleray?

Well, Gary must be almost unique among referees because he has officiated more than 400 games and has only ever sent ONE player off. Compare that to Elleray, who red-carded two Tottenham players in just three minutes at Everton last week!

Gary refs in the Kent Suburban League and, amazingly, has been voted Referee of the Year seven times in past eight seasons!

So how does Gary manage to keep the red card firmly in his pocket while others reach for theirs quicker than a cowboy going for a gun in a Western movie?

Gary, from Barnehurst, said: “I put my success to having played at a good standard of football and knowing how to talk to the players before and during the game.

“It's all about communication, you have to have a calm head. I played with the managers when I was younger, so I know a lot of them.”

Gary, who is 53, has won the Kent referee of the Year award seven times out of the last eight seasons with marks averaging between 9.1 and 9.45 out of 10, given by managers of games he has officiated.

He referees both men and women in the Kent Suburban League and also the Greater London League for Ladies.

Gary added: “Before the game, I have a word with both sets of players and say what I will tolerate and what I don't.

“I once threatened to abandon a game after it got naughty, and I won't have name-calling from the touchline. But I've never had to go to the league's officials with any problems.”

Gary took up refereeing after a serious knee injury forced him to end a successful non-league career as a footballer with Erith & Belvedere and Dartford. In his time at Dartford, he was managed by former England player and current Leicester City manager Peter Taylor.

Gary said: “Peter's a terrific guy, a superb player and I haven't played with a better manager. He guided the Darts to two cup finals and promotion from what was then the Southern League.”

Gary went to play with BICC in the Kent Amateur League and had successful spells with Bexley Rovers, Grove and Santogee, winning cups and champion-ships with all of them during the 70s. But, in 1985, he was on the receiving end of a bad tackle and had to quit the game.

He said: “I took a late tackle on my kneecap. When it got better, I was frightened of having it knocked again and was dubious about playing.

“So I thought to myself 'how was I going to keep fit?' So I took up refereeing as a hobby and believe I have been very successful.”

Gary took a five-week refereeing course in Gravesend, and soon became one of the “men in the middle”.

“I was apprehensive in my first few games, but I enjoyed it. In my second year, I had the pleasure to referee the KSL's Cup Final,” he said.

“Other referees have been in the middle for years, but never achieved a final. I have either been in the middle or on the line for five out of the last eight cup finals.”

He has refereed Charlton Ladies for six years and the highlight of his career was officiating at Colin Walsh's testimonial between Charlton Athletic and Spurs

Gary said: “Charlton asked around for a referee and they received a good reference from the Kent Suburban and the South London Alliance Leagues, who suggested me. It would be great to be asked to referee another testimonial involving Charlton.

“It is hard job because you're there to be shot at. I've had colleagues who have been physically assaulted, but I've been quite lucky.”

Gary, who got into officiating late, so has been unable to progress into league football, added: “I will keep going until I stop enjoying it and as long as I stay injury-free.

“I've got a lot out of it but I'd swap it to play any day. But refereeing is the next best thing.”

Avoiding yellow peril

Casciani's formula for not sending players off is quite simple ..... don't book them in the first place!

Remarkably, he only yellow-carded TWO players in the whole of last season but, as you would expect, vividly remembers the time he brandished that solitary red card.

He said: “After a bad tackle, a fight erupted and one of the player's stamped on another on the floor, so I had no other alternative.

“I had thought I could go through my career without sending anyone off, but there was no way of getting out of it and he had to go.”

He joked: “My colleagues reckon I hardly book anyone or send anyone off because I can't read or write!

“Last season, I gave two yellows. What I do is warn them and most of the time they don't want to be booked because it costs players a £8 fine.

“If a player kicks the ball away, instead of showing a yellow, I tell them to go and fetch the ball .. and it works.”

General secretary of the Kent Suburban League, Josh Stevens, said: “Gary is a very good ref at grass-roots level for more than 10 years.

“He's never gone any further because he's been too old, but his secret is the way he handles the game and his man-to-man management without the need to wave red and yellow cards. That way everyone enjoys the game,

including him.

“He abides by the rules and doesn't make them up as he goes along. He talks with the players and has a laugh, but he is very definitely not a soft touch.”

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