Football history

ASSOCIATION CAME
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has to all intents and purposes remained the same as when he
first assumed the reins of government. The one great chance
we have mentioned was, in a word, the deliverance of power
from three officials into the hands of one. A good many years
ago, when two teams met on a football field they both either
brought with them or selected on the ground an umpire who
should do duty for their side. Over these two umpires was
set a referee, but he only had power to give a decision when
the other two disagreed. The power of the referee was thus
seemingly curtailed ; in reality, however, it was not so, as the
umpires gradually became merely assistants of their own sides,
and almost always disagreed unless the point at • issue was
unimportant. Under these conditions the referee had to be
called upon on nearly every occasion, the umpires being prac-
tically twelfth men, and of no use in aiding him in his decisions.
It was determined, therefore, to do away with the umpires and
to turn them into linesmen, and to give the whole management
of the game to one referee, who should decide alone on any
questions that might arise. Since this alteration, some years
ago, the referee has remained in power, and his position is still
unchallenged. There have been, as we have said, some other
slight changes, but they are hardly worth mentioning, and
have all given greater power into the hands of the referee.
Nowadays he is absolute ; he can consult the linesmen, if he
wishes, but he is in no way bound to follow their opinions;
such a course, too, is rarely followed, and, as a rule, only gives
the players a distrust of his capabilities. There are occasions,
of course, when no man can tell what decision to give, and
then, perhaps, he may with wisdom consult others, but gene-
rally he had better not. Not only has his power increased
enormously, but, naturally, along with it his responsibility has
become greater year by year. All the new rules which have
been passed of late have rendered this responsibility greater.
He must now give his decisions without appeal, and need not
only answer when called upon ; he has to discriminate between
unnecessary and necessary charging, the penalties for which