ONE of my many refereeing campaigns in the past, was for all referees to receive copies of any changes to the laws BEFORE the season started, instead of after it was well under way.

One classic example was when the law was changed about how many steps a goalkeeper could take, once he had hold of the ball. Originally a goalkeeper could run about the penalty area as long as he liked, providing he bounced the ball every four paces, so could delay play almost indefinitely.

To prevent this, the International FA Board decided one season to limit it to four steps only.

That season I ran the line at an extra-preliminary qualifying round of the FA Cup.

The three of us match officials (no fourth official in those days) turned up for this game having had no information about this change in the Laws of the Game.

We only knew what we had read in the national newspapers, not the most accurate way to learn the Laws.

So it proved for our referee of the match.

The home goalkeeper made a full length save, pushing the ball wide.

He jumped to his feet and charged out to smother the ball.

The referee awarded a free-kick inside the penalty area to the opposing team, on the basis the goalkeeper had taken more than four steps since he first touched the ball.

That of course was not what the Law intended, as we found out a few weeks later, but that didn’t help the referee attempting to calm the rumpus on the day.

I mention this now, because there is a big change coming next season, that the FA have decreed will affect all grass roots football. That is level 7 and below, so not the games you might watch at the Madejski Stadium.

This is the introduction of sin-bins, and the FA have made the unprecedented step, that all referees and clubs at those levels, must attend a training session on its application, before next season starts.