In football as a whole, that is, in football association, there is what is called the assistant referee generally known as linesman. The essence of a linesman in football.
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The linesman is an official in football who assists the referee in administering the Laws of the games during a match.
The match officiating crew consists of the referee and at least two assistant referees generally known as the linesmen.
The assistant referees’ duties generally consist of judging when the ball has left the field of play, judging when an offside offence has occurred, and advising the referee when an infringement of the laws has occurred out of his or her view.
These two officials are typically positioned on opposite touchlines and each stay beside different halves of the pitch.
The match officials are mostly equipped with a wireless microphones and earpieces to facilitate vocal communication across long distances.
What does linesmen do in football?
These set of people can be called assistant referee or linesmen, they help the referee with offside decisions and signal a number of things, such as throw-ins and substitutions.
Throw-in: When the whole ball crosses the line, it is time for a throw-in. The assistant referee will hold up the flag in the direction that the team which is awarded the throw-in is attacking.
The linesman will stand at the point where the ball crossed the line. But only if the ball goes out of the half of the pitch where he is marshaling (remember that two
referees are normally officiating one game; one is meant to stay at one half of the field while the other stays at the other end).
Substitution:
if the manager of a team decides that it is time to change a player inside the pitch he signals the assistant referee.
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Then the arms of the assistant referee goes up in the air and holding on to both sides of the flag, it is hung above the head of the referees’ assistant.
This can only happen when the ball goes out of play, then the attention the referee can be called for a substitution.
Offside:
when a player goes offside in a game the linesman raises his flag and keeps it in horizontal form to communicate to the referee and the spectators that a player has gone off.
Are all the decisions of the linesman all binding?
All decisions by the assistant referees are only advisory to the referee, in order words their decisions are not binding and the referee is allowed to overrule an assistant.
An assistant referee can as well be called upon by the referee to provide an opinion regarding matters which the referee requires clarification on.
Occasionally the assistant referee also assists in player management during free-kicks, as well as provide visual assistance during penalty kicks.
So, the referee has the final verdict when it comes to field matters, the linesman only puts in a suggestion and if it is valid the referee may decide to go with it.
The identity of an assistant referee
An assistant referee or a linesman carries a brightly coloured flags usually red, yellow, or some pattern involving a mixture of those colours.
This flag is used to indicate their decisions to the referee, players, and spectators. During the game each assistant referee oversees one touch-line and one end of
the field utilizing the diagonal system of control. At higher levels of play, the assistant referees’ flags may be equipped with buttons that he may press to send
an audible signal to the referee in order to get the referee’s attention. Assistant referees were formerly called linesman in 1996, the name was changed, primarily
to better reflect the modern role of these officials, and secondary to become non-gender specific, though the term is still in widespread unofficial use.
Fourth official
The fourth official assists the referee in a variety of task, and may be called upon to replace another match official.
The practice of having a named replacement referee was introduced in 1966 by English referee and administrator ken Aston, but the international football
association IFAB did not officially create the position until 1991, and listed only areas of responsibility.
The fourth official is simply instructed to assist the referee at all times, and their duties are largely at the discretion of the referee.
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The fourth official typically has a short distance from the touchline between the two team’s technical areas, however their positioning is not defined by the laws of the game.
Main functions of the fourth official
1.The fourth official is responsible for the lifting of the numbered board during substitutions in a game and the added time on the end of each half.
2.Acting as the contact point between the match officiating crew and any outside agents such as managers, security personnel and ball retrievers.
- Maintaining decorum in the teams’ technical areas.
- identifying offences or other infringements where the referee does not have an adequate view.
In practice, the fourth official becomes a key member of the officiating team, who can watch the field and players and advise the referee on situations that are going
out of their sight. The fourth official keeps an extra set of records, and helps make sure the referee does not make a serious error such as cautioning the wrong
player, or giving two cautions to the same player and forgetting to send off the player
