The Whistle Blowers True North

Let's get this straight.

I don't detest referees, but sometimes...

I just can't help feeling like I do.

Come on, referee!

Shouldn't be on the pitch, you fucktard, ye!

We call football a sport

but, to us, it's much more than that.

You speak to your manager!

It's our world.

It's our battle.

A proving ground passed down generations.

It's where our loyalties are forged,

our hearts broken,

our pride ignited.

Why would anyone want to get in the way of that?

TWO SHORT WHISTLE BLASTS

CROWD NOISE

CROWD SINGING

That's me - David Jeffrey.

I've worked as a football manager for over 17 years,

so I'd like to think I know a bit about the game.

But with all my experience,

there's one question I still find it impossible to answer!

-FROM CROWD:

-..suspended from refereeing Irish League games!

Why would anybody want to be a referee?

-COMMENTATOR:

-Questionable decisions made by the referee...

What makes a whistle-blower?

CROWD: # I just can't seem to get enough of

# Da, da, da-da-da, da-da... #

MUSIC: Who Do You Love? by Bo Diddley

I do believe it's a man's game...

..without sounding sexist.

When men are playing, I let them be men and I treat them like men.

I'm not a schoolteacher-type figure

who treats players like schoolboys.

CROWD SHOUTS

Raymond Crangle.

During my time, he was never one to shy away from controversy

and he hasn't changed much.

Raymond, I see big Jeffrey's getting at you in the paper...

Sure, always, mate. He loves me, he loves me. He'll still send me a Christmas card.

-He's great, anyway. I'll back him up.

-It's all right.

Someday, he'll be managing again

and he'll have to come across me. He'll be dead on.

Get your tickets out, please.

Just to check. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Everybody talks, preferably not all at the same time,

and there may be an occasion when I have to go, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hang on, lads. Everybody..."

Is that on? "..fuck up."

-COMMENTARY:

-One of our top referees these days,

Mr Crangle. A good man to have in charge here today.

It could be feisty at times.

Like him or loathe him,

Raymond Crangle's no-nonsense approach to refereeing

earns him some of the toughest matches in the Irish Premiership.

Yeah!

CROWD CHEER

Ian, get down here now!

Just get off the fuck... Get off!

I got a bonus today.

Ten pence and an empty beer bottle thrown at me,

so that's quite good. I'm quite chuffed.

How are we all?

Raymond is our top referee,

but he is still vulnerable to the judgment of the assessors.

Level of difficulty, then?

The boys were sort of prompting that it's...quite challenging.

-But they don't have your experience!

-I was sort of in the easy category.

-That's what I thought, Raymond, That's more like it. That's my boy!

-THEY LAUGH

Raymond really has to prove he's at the top of his game

because, this year, he's going for the one match

that's eluded him his whole career.

I've never actually refereed the League Cup final,

so that's the one medal that's missing from the collection.

So if I get that, then I can certainly, at some stage,

retire content with a full collection of medals

from all levels of football.

Everyone in football has a dream...

..even referees.

Ian McNabb's dream is to referee at international level.

To do that, Ian will have to give everything.

For me, this year was a big moment,

my first full season in the Premiership,

so it's something to build on.

Hopefully, in about another few seasons, I'll have...

I'll be an international referee

and I'll start getting a few European games.

The Irish Football Association have selected Ian

for an elite UEFA boot camp.

Now he has to prove himself against Europe's best new refs.

MUSIC: Sleeplessly Embracing by alt-J

# Sleeplessly embracing... #

After months of training, Ian is travelling to the home

of European football, where he'll face the biggest test of his career.

If he fails to prove himself, his dream of becoming

an international referee could fall to pieces.

That's the last of me and I'm ready to go.

Long day ahead of me today,

travelling over to Switzerland.

It's not a jolly by any stretch of the imagination.

As soon as we step into the hotel, we're being analysed

as to what we wear, how we interact with people,

and whether or not they think you are ready to

become an international referee or whether they think

you're an absolute clown, basically, and you've been a waste of time.

MUSIC: Big Bird by Eddie Floyd

If you get a diploma,

you feel that it's something you have worked hard for,

it's something you are proud of, it's something you value.

During his week in Switzerland, Ian will be tested, watched

and analysed by some of the world's top referees

and the pressure on him is building.

SHOUTING IN FRENCH

No contact on the ball.

FRENCH SINGING THROUGH MEGAPHONE

Here, your body language must be a little more stronger,

your chest must be a little more higher,

and tell everyone that this was a little over what I can accept today.

Yep.

You have the whistle in your mouth.

That's something that's been picked up on

by assessors back home as well.

The learning point is to keep it simple.

14, 5...

The dreaded Yo-Yo test -

a relentless challenge of mental and physical endurance.

If Ian can't prove he's got faster and stronger,

he may fail his diploma

and could ruin his ambition of becoming a top referee.

After about five minutes, the speed you're going at...

Mental strength, come on...

..and the time you need to make the turns in,

it's very tough.

Come on!

BEEP

By the end...

HE BREATHES HEAVILY

By the end of the runs there, I was up to 97% of my maximum heart rate.

A very physical test.

18, 8...

MUSIC: Break Me Gently by Doves

Ian was faster, but has he done enough to get his UEFA diploma?

From Northern Ireland, referee Ian - diploma.

APPLAUSE

Windsor Park - a place I know all too well.

And to Rachel Smith, this place is like a second home.

My dad, he's the secretary of Linfield Football club.

I grew up supporting Linfield and then, when I found out

he was going to be working for them, I was really excited

cos I just love football and Linfield.

I've supported them my whole life.

-All right, Ken?

-Hiya.

Is my dad here?

Dad, here's the Balinamallard sheet.

Erm...how many copies?

Do about 40, Rachel, would you?

-Did you check that?

-Andy checked it.

Yeah, there's not very many females around.

SHE LAUGHS

I'm a very competitive person.

I would like to be a FIFA female referee one day.

And just two months after she became a referee,

Rachel's mentor, Tommy Rossi, is training her for the big time.

No, we'll be in touch during the week. We'll sort it out, OK?

I've got the wee girl here at the minute and she's given two or three penalties.

She's been superb, Joe. I'm telling you, unbelievable.

-It's no good me giving you stupid wee games.

-I know...

Because if the IFA call you up to do women's internationals,

you're going to have coaches who know what they are talking about.

We need to get you in and get you trained.

I think I get sometimes quite stressed about doing it

cos I have to make sure that I've done everything correct,

I'm prepared and make sure that the game goes as smooth as possible.

As long as I'm doing what I'm meant to do, then hopefully everything else will go smoothly.

MUSIC: Superstar by The Temptations

Fresh from Switzerland, and with the approval of UEFA,

Ian is back on home soil.

I got my diploma from David Elleray,

so I reckon I'll be tested with a lot tougher matches this year,

so it'll be a challenge to see how I handle those matches.

It's been building up for this moment, where it all kicks off.

But nothing in the Irish League is predictable.

-RADIO COMMENTARY:

-It's Crusaders who will get this match underway.

There goes the whistle. The referee tonight is Ian McNabb.

McGeever has continued his run inside the box!

And he's gone down!

And the referee, rather controversially,

has awarded Institute a penalty

and the Crusaders players protest with real venom towards the referee.

There's a yellow card in there,

brandished towards the goal-scorer...

CROWD CHANT: Cheat! Cheat! Cheat!

He's trying to get his team-mates to move away so that he can

make his point towards the referee.

He's not going to change his mind.

Big, big moment in this game.

Was there communication over the penalty?

-It's not your call...

-It's not their call. I gave it early...

But nobody came in to say...

No, not at the time. It was on me.

Er...I have to be honest. I think there was a clear important mistake

-over the awarding of the penalty kick.

-Yeah, OK.

FANS SINGING

Months later, Ian walks out of the same dressing room,

this time playing second fiddle to senior referee...Raymond.

He would get a stern talking to, in my own unique way,

if I don't believe that he's fulfilling his duties for me.

-How are you feeling, Ray?

-Yeah, sound. Good, good, good.

CROWD CHANT: Seasiders! Seasiders!

It's a war out there, be under no illusions.

We're like the UN, so we're stuck in the middle of it.

Every time we blow the whistle or put the flag up,

we please somebody and we disappoint another,

so...leave nothing out there, lads.

We go out as a team, we'll come in as a team.

See something, act on it.

He's not there to be in awe of me.

He's part of Team Crangle for tonight.

I will rely on Ian to feed me information.

Yeah, good to go.

He's my second set of eyes.

He's almost the eyes in the back of my head.

If something happens behind my back, I expect Ian to see it.

6 after 12, 6 after 12.

And not only do I expect Ian to see it, I demand that he sees it.

-STEPHEN BAXTER:

-Dermot, left of you!

Hey!

You're losing the game now!

You're losing the game! Losing the game now!

-Yeah, yeah, fair enough.

-He's losing parts of the game now, Ian, you know what I mean?

FINAL WHISTLE BLOWS

He had a good game and, as you can see there,

there were no complaints from either manager at the end,

and I think it'll be a change that he's not going to get booed off at Seaview!

-FROM CROWD:

-Crangle, you're a joke!

-Oh, well, there you go.

You ruined that game! Absolutely ruined it!

-Maybe not.

-FROM CROWD:

-Well done, Gavin!

We have guys who go to the match, hurl a bit of abuse at a referee,

hurl a bit of abuse at footballers,

and probably their own players at times if they're not performing well.

-Sugar?

-No, thanks, honey.

'I don't think I've ever went to an Irish League ground

'and something hasn't happened in a game, where you look back on it and you go, "My God, that was funny." '

I was foundered out there.

There's absolutely nothing.

McGowan, he's called the yellow card for McGowan...

-Who?

-You.

-You shouted yellow card.

-From the halfway line...

-I never shouted "yellow card!"

-Aye, you did.

-No, I didn't.

-You did. You all hear it? Did he?

-Aye.

LAUGHTER

He heard it. Totally, you're showing your inexperience there. Fucking idiot.

Why would I call a yellow card for?

McGowan's foul cos you're a balloon.

You're just a balloon.

The South Belfast Youth League,

it's the place where I started as a football manager over 30 years ago.

Up to now, it's been exclusively male,

but this season, that's about to change.

-Have you a name for these two girls?

-Yes, that's Beth.

Where did I put their names?

16-year-old Beth Roberts wants to be one of their first female refs.

Whenever I was younger, a lot of people said to me

that I would not be able to run, or go out with my friends,

or go swimming or write.

They told me, "You are going to be different."

This young woman is different.

They've underestimated Beth.

She's already overcome the odds

and refereeing is just her next challenge.

Well, I've had arthritis for about seven, eight years now,

but because of it, like, my joints are always really bad,

so I've had a lot of broken bones.

I couldn't tell you how many, but it's been a lot.

The first ever time I was properly taken in,

whenever I couldn't even walk on my knee,

the arthritis was so bad that I was actually in a wheelchair for a while

because they had my whole leg in a splint as well.

One of the reasons why we kind of push for the refereeing,

or, you know, encourage her -

to build her confidence,

but also to keep the joints moving.

Her first game in a nine-a-side kids league

carries all the importance of a Wembley cup final for Beth.

She's taken her medication and hopes her joints will be pain free.

Now she's got to overcome her greatest enemy - fear.

It's all yours. 25 minutes each way.

I'm really scared.

Don't worry about it. You'll be all right.

Keep watching me, keep watching me. I'll talk you through it.

So, can I...? See...so, all I need to do now is just blow my whistle?

-Start your watch...

-And they're, they're...

They're kicking off, so I stand there...

Anywhere... Anywhere... Anywhere at all...

-And then...

-DEEP BREATH

I just struggle with whenever, you know, it goes out?

-Just you stand and point...

-I know but I always...

I can never tell who's...

-I'll tell you.

-Will you help me?

-I'll tell you. I'll be here.

-I'll be on that far line.

-You'll help me, yeah?

SHE SNIFFS

Right, are you ready?

SHE BLOWS WHISTLE

No way, ref!

CHEERING

HALFTIME WHISTLE BLOWS

Half-time, Beth?

Well, you're all right! You're doing great!

-No, no...

-Nobody's saying nothing to you.

Nobody's saying a word to you.

All you've got to do is just keep blowing...

Blow your whistle as hard as you can blow it.

Don't be... Do you see the wee lads there?

-The wee lads are looking to you to make a decision...

-I don't want it!

No! They're supposed to be. They're there for you.

You're doing brilliant.

It's not a problem.

The two coaches...the four coaches on the lines have no problem with you.

That's when you know you're winning

and you're doing a good job, so keep it up!

MUSIC: Shake It Off by Taylor Swift

WHISTLE BLOWS

# I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake

# I shake it off, I shake it off... #

The following week, our Beth is back for more

and, with each match, she is growing in confidence.

I'm a lot happier.

I enjoyed that, like.

Last week, I kind of, like, forced myself to do it,

but this week, I actually wanted to do it and I enjoyed it.

It was good fun. Yeah.

Beth one, fear nil.

FANS SINGING

-RADIO:

-It's the most eagerly awaited round of fixtures in the Danske Bank Premiership,

where Boxing Day means derby day.

The nerves are going now, so they are,

as you're getting closer. It's going now.

That's what it's all about. That's what it's all about.

THEY SING

# Super Crus, Super Crus... #

Typical North Belfast derby, with the added spice of Boxing Day,

we'd expect it to be a feisty encounter.

Whilst there's a good relationship between the two clubs,

when it comes to heated battle, they're hell for leather,

so it should be interesting.

Please do not use sectarian, racist or any inappropriate language.

Do not display any sectarian...

# Fuck all, you're going to win fuck all... #

If Raymond doesn't perform and take control of today's match,

his goal of selection for the League Cup final could be left in tatters.

Obviously, with, like, high profile matches, yeah, you do worry.

Until I, like, watch the news, or watch the TV and hear that

everything's went fine, then I'll be able to settle down then.

Speaking of phones, I better grab mine.

I'd hate to miss somebody abusing me on it.

A few things have happened over the years

and he's thought about giving it all up,

and he really loves it, which would bother me, that he would give it up

on the back of it, like a red card or a yellow card that

wasn't to be, or should have been or...something happening in a match.

FANS SING

-COMMENTARY:

-These North Belfast derbies are usually blood and thunder affairs.

They usually bring goals. This is Cliftonville against Crusaders.

WHISTLE BLOWS

Scrappy game so far, know what I mean?

Come on, Thomas!

CROWD SHOUT

Should have been a yellow card by the corner flag.

That's a yellow there. How was that not a yellow? Know what I mean?

THEY SHOUT

Come on, boys! Fuck sake.

Boo!

Ray, in your opinion, how did things go, first of all?

Blood and thunder. Not a lot of football today, unfortunately.

Could you have managed the situation

with McClean in the 72nd minute differently?

Because, certainly, there was a number of fans close to the area

and they were expressing their disquiet, shall we say,

by passing some items on to the field of play,

which we'd prefer not to see.

We don't need people to tell us when we're bad.

We know when we're bad. We know within ourselves

and we do, from time to time, go through hard phases in our careers.

But with just a month to go to the League Cup final,

has Raymond scuppered his chances of getting his elusive medal?

When we make one mistake, it gets punished.

We're paid to make decisions.

We're paid to get the big decisions correctly.

We're given that task and, when we don't do it, it's devastating.

# If I should falter

# Would you open your arms out to me? #

Ian's season is in full swing

and he's under scrutiny again.

This time, Alan Snoddy, UEFA's top man in Northern Ireland,

will be watching.

-COMMENTARY:

-Linfield lead 2-0.

Aaron Burns with the volley at the far post, Quinn's free-kick

falling all the way across to him.

The linesman had his flag up.

The referee disagreed.

The goal stands.

2-0 Linfield on the 85th minute.

By overruling his assistant,

Ian has put his neck on the line.

If the assessor thinks Ian's called it wrong, his marks could go down,

potentially damaging his chances of getting the big matches he craves.

So, how do you feel things went, Ian, first of all?

There was the free-kick for Linfield,

erm...and who was it? Quinn plays the ball into the box

and then...I'm hearing, "Jimmy's off. Jimmy's off."

But then Burnsie puts the ball in and, just as Burnsie's

putting the ball in, a flag goes up...for offside and...

So, straight away, I go over and speak to him, speak to Paul,

and he says...well...carry on.

One of the players was offside, and I was waiting and waiting,

and it went past him, and I put the flag up

and, lo and behold, someone came in and scored.

At the end of the situation, the goal's the correct decision.

-Yeah.

-Yeah. Good man.

Thanks, Alan.

MUSIC: Superstar by The Temptations

Just three months after she started refereeing,

Rachel's been selected for her first cup final, shocking everyone,

progressing faster than even her mentor Tommy thought possible.

There's never been a girl in the South Belfast League before

and to be the first female referee to do a final for South Belfast,

I'm really privileged to do that.

Ability, belief, commitment, desire, effort,

-and what's the...what's the F word I'm looking?

-Focus.

-Focus.

I'll be fine. I'll be fine.

PLAYERS SHOUT

'I think, definitely, refereeing, you do have to think about things.

'You get that buzz every time you have to make a decision,

'you know, "Is this the right one?"

'You know...people are watching. It kind of is...always...

You're on your toes all the time.'

-COACH:

-Plenty of movement here, lads!

'I would some day like to be in the Premiership,

'but I'm just taking one step at a time,

'hopefully going through Intermediate and The Championship,

'but that would be the plan.'

MUSIC: This Modern Love by Bloc Party

THEY CHEER

Two weeks later, Rachel gets her first ever international call-up.

Tommy looks on, but no longer as her mentor.

I think refereeing has made me a stronger person in general,

with just...with life, if any situations arise.

I don't think it's made me different,

cos I still think I am myself,

but I think whenever it becomes match day,

I definitely become Rachel the Ref.

SHE LAUGHS

MUSIC: Should I Stay Or Should I Go by The Clash

It's the day of the League Cup final

and everyone's heading for Windsor Park,

including...

Raymond.

Today, he'll complete his set of medals.

It makes you proud that the powers that be have seen that you're

the best man for the job on the day, and they appoint you to the game.

You'd be telling lies if you said the hairs on the neck

didn't stand up a touch, you know? It's a proud moment.

The atmosphere will be electric.

Go on, The Reds!

THEY CHEER

I just want proof that I actually...

-I actually do have friends at Windsor Park!

-Go on!

MUSIC: Love Spreads by The Stone Roses

FANS SING

Come on!

-COMMENTARY:

-Flicked on into the path of Joe Gormley.

No flag, keeper's come off his line! Joe Gormley!

CHEERING

I have to put the chest out, put the shoulders back,

almost seem arrogant to those around me, but that won't be the case.

It's just my persona, that I'll portray this air of confidence.

I'm Crangle. I've arrived. I'll do my job today,

regardless of what you heckle me with,

and I'll go and I'll give of my best.

# I just can't get enough... #

I'm an actor in a play

and sometimes you have to take centre stage!

If the crowd are calling you the villain,

sometimes the villain has to put his chest out

and take the accolades from the crowd.

The day and hour that I decide I don't like that

is the day and hour I'll pack it in.

That's what makes our wee league fantastic.

The fact that people are prepared to laugh at themselves,

I think is absolutely brilliant.

It's a game of football.

Have a laugh and a joke, lads.

Nobody's dead.

Let's all have a beer.

FINAL WHISTLE BLOWS

CHEERING

MUSIC: Nessum Dorma by Luciano Pavarotti

A good game of football and a good referee!

Oh, we're dead on. We're dead on, John. It went well.

-He loves himself, doesn't he?

-HE LAUGHS

CROWD BOO

# Raymond Crangle is a wanker, is a wanker... #

-Did you get that?

-HE LAUGHS

MUSIC: Lord Don't Move The Mountain by Mahalia Jackson

# Please don't move the mountain

# Just give me the strength to climb

# Lord don't move my stumbling blocks

# But lead your child all around. #