Football FNC seeks continued assistance
Matt Barlow
20 June 2025, 9:31 PM
Football FNC and Northern NSW Football have issued another plea for assistance with match officials.
The plea comes after a number of requests in the off-season for further assistance in this area the ensure that matches across juniors and seniors have qualified match officials.
Correspondence this week was aimed at all registered players currently aged 13 years or older, and all registered volunteers.
An opportunity to complete the mandatory third component of match official accreditation, (being the practical component), will proceed at Saunders Oval Ballina on Sunday 29th June (1pm to 4pm).
The first two steps of match official accreditation requires the completion of various online modules.
Football FNC stated it is the time for candidates to start this process, so they can complete the practical component on 29th June.
An overview of how to work through the accreditation steps, is outlined in the link shown here;
Fottball FNC General Manager Steve Mackney stated, "It is again necessary to reiterate the perenial message that makes it known that we do not have enough match officials to ensure that appointments can be made to every fixture (whether centre referee or assistants, where applicable)."
"We urge all clubs, all participants and every parent, to recognise that football activity will be enhanced if we have more accredited match officials and specifically, match officials who are reasonably available across the broad geographical location of our 25 clubs. Beyond formal accreditation, I am regularly dismayed by how many individuals who are not accredited, express opinions about decisions made by match officials that are based on an ignorance of such commentary about the factual Laws of the Game."
'Let's hope that this appeal to recruit more match officials will resonate with the football community. Northern NSW Football, in conjunction with Football Far North Coast, is committed to progressing better outcomes aligned to the recruitment, retention and development of match officials. This is however an objective that requires a collaborative effort from all stakeholders and we offer yet another opportunity to support progress."
In Men's Premier League action this weekend, South Lismore travel to Ballina and Goonellabah host Alstonville at Weston Park on Saturday.
Sunday will see Bangalow and Maclean clash in Bangalow before midweek matches on Tuesday, see Ballina host Alstonville, and in a local derby, the Goonellabah Hornets will host Rovers at 8:00pm.
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