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There are plenty of occasions when a referee becomes part of the story. For Kevin O’Neill, the perfect Sunday is almost the exact opposite.
It’s always enjoyable arriving at a GDSFC game and seeing Kevin in the middle. From previous conversations with him, we know his approach is to communicate with players, use common sense and, whenever possible, let the game flow.
Frank Sideline caught up with Kevin again after he took charge of Kelburne AFC v Maryhill Milan in the GDSFC Premiership, a game Milan won convincingly 5–0.
We last spoke to Kevin after he refereed the GDSFC Super Cup final, when he explained that light-touch approach to managing a game.
This time there was no trophy at stake and no showpiece occasion — but Kevin showed that the fundamentals of his refereeing remain exactly the same.
Final or League Game — The Approach Stays the Same
“A cup final obviously has that wee bit extra importance around it. There’s a trophy at stake, usually a bigger crowd and probably a bit more emotion from the players.
“But once the game starts, I don’t really approach it any differently. Whether it’s a final or a league game, you still want to prepare properly, communicate with the players and coaches and hopefully let them get on with playing football.
“Every game has its own challenges, regardless of the occasion.”
Let the Players Play
From the sideline, this was a game where Kevin rarely seemed to need to become involved.
That was pretty much how it felt in the middle too.
“Yeah, I thought it was a good game with two strong teams today.
“Both teams wanted to play football and I didn’t really need to get involved too much, which is always a good thing from my point of view.
“I’ve always preferred trying to manage games with a bit of common sense. Talk to the players, use advantage when you can and don’t stop the game for the sake of it.
“If the players are getting on with it and playing in the right spirit, there’s no need for the referee to make himself the centre of attention.”
Milan Impress From the Middle
Maryhill Milan arrived at Scotstoun facing an unbeaten Kelburne side, but produced an impressive performance to leave with a 5–0 victory.
Kevin may have had one of the best views in the ground, but he points out that a referee doesn’t get to watch a match quite like everyone else.
“I obviously don’t get to watch the game in the same way as somebody standing at the side, because I’m concentrating on everything else that’s going on.
“But Maryhill Milan were very good today.
“They moved the ball quickly, defended when they had to, created good chances and were really clinical when the opportunities came.
“To score five against a team of Kelburne’s stature that had been unbeaten tells you how good Maryhill were today.”
Why 5–0 Doesn’t Necessarily Mean an Easy Afternoon
As Milan moved from three goals ahead to four and eventually five, the competitive contest was moving increasingly in one direction.
For the referee, though, that doesn’t mean switching off.
“It can do, definitely.
“When the score starts getting away from one team you can sometimes get a bit of frustration creeping in, so you need to stay switched on.
“You’re looking for little things developing between players, maybe a late challenge or somebody starting to get frustrated, and sometimes a quick word early can stop something becoming a bigger issue.”
It’s an interesting part of refereeing that can easily go unnoticed from the touchline.
Sometimes managing a game isn’t about producing a card or making a big decision. It’s recognising something before it develops and ensuring there never needs to be a bigger intervention.
The Next Best Thing to Playing
Kevin has spent many years around football as a player and now as a referee.
So what keeps bringing him back to the middle on a Sunday?
“I just enjoy still being involved in football. It’s the next best thing to playing.
“When you’ve played for so many years, you miss the matchday side of it, the competition and being around the game.
“Refereeing gives me that.
“The satisfaction is walking off at the end and nobody is really talking about the referee.
“If both teams are talking about the football, the goals and the game itself, then you’ve probably done your job.”
And after a Sunday when the conversation was about Maryhill Milan scoring five and producing an excellent Premiership performance, Kevin probably got exactly the afternoon he wanted.
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