Matches Oxford United academy v Garuda 15th February 1pm kick off

A few of my own thoughts and observations on the game today...
Firstly, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and I was happy to be there despite the awful weather!
As an Oxfordshire local league referee, I was really pleased to be appointed to the game.
The bench side touchline was rather slippy and I was determined not to end up on my a**e in front of those TV cameras! Luckily, my Bambi impression never happened, but sadly the pitch did cut up quite a bit in the wet.
It was my first visit behind the scenes at the stadium and I liked the fact that the match officials changing room was painted yellow and blue! Yay!
The other officials and I were well looked after by Dan Harris, Les Taylor and Mick Brown and we were made to feel most welcome by all.
I enjoyed listening in on some pre match tunnel banter and reminiscence between Les Taylor, Dennis Wise and Des Walker - what naughty young boys they were back in the day!!!
Backstage everything had to be in sync with the TV timings and the director had us running to a tight schedule.
I sometimes referee or run the line for the youth team at the training ground and have seen most of these lads play regularly.
It was quite a young team today with a few under 16s in the starting eleven. They were an equal match to the well organised visitors but were probably still adjusting to the conditions when they conceded a very good goal after just 5 minutes.
Much of the rest of the game was competitive but fair and there were no stupid tackles from either side. We had a yellow card for each team probably more for over enthusiasm than for anything silly.
Oxford really should have equalised with numerous chances in the last 10 minutes and hit the woodwork several times.
Final score 0-1.
It was a great opportunity for the boys involved today, they should all be proud of their performances and now have that little something extra to put on their CVs. Great stuff.
Post match we were able to go back out and take a few selfies, I also made a point of taking a pitch side photo of my dad's season ticket seat in the SSL.
Back in the car park I rang the current Mrs Witney Yellow to see if she had enjoyed the game on TV, but she said that she had fallen asleep on the sofa and accidentally missed all the action!!!!
 
Last edited:
Witney Yellow said:
A few of my own thoughts and observations on the game today...
Firstly, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and I was happy to be there despite the awful weather!
As an Oxfordshire local league referee, I was really pleased to be appointed to the game.
The bench side touchline was rather slippy and I was determined not to end up on my a**e in front of those TV cameras! Luckily, my Bambi impression never happened, but sadly the pitch did cut up quite a bit in the wet.
It was my first visit behind the scenes at the stadium and I liked the fact that the match officials changing room was painted yellow and blue! Yay!
The other officials and I were well looked after by Dan Harris, Les Taylor and Mick Brown and we were made to feel most welcome by all.
I enjoyed listening in on some pre match tunnel banter and reminiscence between Les Taylor, Dennis Wise and Des Walker - what naughty young boys they were back in the day!!!
Backstage everything had to be in sync with the TV timings and the director had us running to a tight schedule.
I sometimes referee or run the line for the youth team at the training ground and have seen most of these lads play regularly.
It was quite a young team today with a few under 16s in the starting eleven. They were an equal match to the well organised visitors but were probably still adjusting to the conditions when they conceded a very good goal after just 5 minutes.
Much of the rest of the game was competitive but fair and there were no stupid tackles from either side. We had a yellow card for each team probably more for over enthusiasm than for anything silly.
Oxford really should have equalised with numerous chances in the last 10 minutes and hit the woodwork several times.
Final score 0-1.
It was a great opportunity for the boys involved today, they should all be proud of their performances and now have that little something extra to put on their CVs. Great stuff.
Post match we were able to go back out and take a few selfies, I also made a point of taking a pitch side photo of my dad's season ticket seat in the SSL.
Back in the car park I rang the current Mrs Witney Yellow to see if she had enjoyed the game on TV, but she said that she had fallen asleep on the sofa and accidently missed all the action!!!!
Click to expand...
I bet it was surreal for the OUFC players to have international TV at the game!
 
Witney Yellow said:
A few of my own thoughts and observations on the game today...
Firstly, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and I was happy to be there despite the awful weather!
As an Oxfordshire local league referee, I was really pleased to be appointed to the game.
The bench side touchline was rather slippy and I was determined not to end up on my a**e in front of those TV cameras! Luckily, my Bambi impression never happened, but sadly the pitch did cut up quite a bit in the wet.
It was my first visit behind the scenes at the stadium and I liked the fact that the match officials changing room was painted yellow and blue! Yay!
The other officials and I were well looked after by Dan Harris, Les Taylor and Mick Brown and we were made to feel most welcome by all.
I enjoyed listening in on some pre match tunnel banter and reminiscence between Les Taylor, Dennis Wise and Des Walker - what naughty young boys they were back in the day!!!
Backstage everything had to be in sync with the TV timings and the director had us running to a tight schedule.
I sometimes referee or run the line for the youth team at the training ground and have seen most of these lads play regularly.
It was quite a young team today with a few under 16s in the starting eleven. They were an equal match to the well organised visitors but were probably still adjusting to the conditions when they conceded a very good goal after just 5 minutes.
Much of the rest of the game was competitive but fair and there were no stupid tackles from either side. We had a yellow card for each team probably more for over enthusiasm than for anything silly.
Oxford really should have equalised with numerous chances in the last 10 minutes and hit the woodwork several times.
Final score 0-1.
It was a great opportunity for the boys involved today, they should all be proud of their performances and now have that little something extra to put on their CVs. Great stuff.
Post match we were able to go back out and take a few selfies, I also made a point of taking a pitch side photo of my dad's season ticket seat in the SSL.
Back in the car park I rang the current Mrs Witney Yellow to see if she had enjoyed the game on TV, but she said that she had fallen asleep on the sofa and accidentally missed all the action!!!!
Click to expand...

Lovely to have the view from the officials and glad you enjoyed it and didn`t do a Bambi!
Refs etc are often berated but its a tough job to do and folk forget the officials are human.
I was hoping for a "Rate the Ref" but would give the team a 10 for turning out in that weather!

Nice to see all out youngsters wearing black boots.... is that a club "thing" to keep them grounded so to speak?
 
It's a weird career path that Dennis Wise & Des Walker have chosen.

If I understand it right, they basically tour the country with a group of mostly Indonesian players - who are just about good enough to beat our U18 side as long as we don't play any of our best youngsters - playing friendlies in front of basically zero fans, but with half a million watching what is basically a football reality show at home on TV?

Can't imagine it's how they imagined their post-football lives going, but it probably pays well!
 
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