On the topic of shady goings on with refs:
OFF THE FIELD
1. Leave nothing to chance
Jose Mourinho, after joining Chelsea, invited me to the training ground to speak to his team. He introduced me as ‘the No 1 referee, not just in England but in Europe’ (I had refereed his Porto team twice and they had won both home games). The next weekend I refereed his first league match, at home to Manchester United.
Chelsea won 1-0 and he asked me if there was anything I needed. I said, tongue in cheek, that the referees’ dressing room was not up to much. When I returned in the October it had been fully refurbished, flat-screen TV, freshly tiled new showers and complimentary expensive toiletries.
2. Do clubs influence refereeing appointments?
My favourite venue to referee at was the Nou Camp, Barcelona. However, I only got to referee there once, in a Champions League quarter-final second leg which they lost to Juventus. No controversy, they just lost and over the next five seasons I was not invited to go back. Strange, that.
3. Know the ref’s family
At one major European club they provide replica shirts in the correct sizes for all of the match officials’ children — just a friendly, hospitable gesture, of course.
4. Watch out for Real...
Real Madrid always present their referee with a beautiful watch after every game — a memento with a discreet Real Madrid crest on it, so you remember where it came from. The Spanish federation do the same after an international game, where a lady waits for the officials to change before making the presentation.
5. No visa required
On a trip to Baku, Azerbaijan, we were greeted off the plane and escorted directly to our hotels. No security check required. After the game, which Finland won 1-0, we were dumped at the entrance to the airport and had to pay airport officials cash to allow us out of the country as we had not got the entry documents we required.
6. Don’t mess with the biggest teams — the Chairman says so
One referee was officiating in Turin and sent two Juventus players off. Not just any players but Edgar Davids and Zinedine Zidane! As he went up the tunnel the club president approached him and told him that not only would he never referee his club again but that he would never referee in Italy again.
7. What’s in the bag?
After refereeing Paraguay v Colombia in Asuncion the away team representative gave us a gift of some powder. One assistant was so worried about it that he declared it to customs. After a full search, he was told: ‘Enjoy your coffee, sir.’
8. Riot alert
Wolfgang Stark left the field under riot shields on Wednesday night; I have had the same in Spain and Turkey, where it’s also customary to be protected when entering the field. As if to say, ‘You’ve been warned’.
9. Dinner is served
The officials were once promised a lavish post-match feast, until the home team lost and we were taken to a grubby taverna, instead.
10. Take the museum tour
The most successful club in European club history (Real Madrid) always invite you to take the museum tour. A nice gesture which leaves you in no doubt as to how big and powerful they are.
11. How much do you want?
Most clubs give you a replica shirt and pin badge, which a lot of referees collect. Borussia Dortmund used to send you around their club store with a shopping trolley to fill.
12. Staff discount
English clubs were well known for being straight or mean-spirited. The only example of a referee being ‘treated’ was a Liverpool official who would advise on a ‘staff discount’ in the club shop.
There's other stuff about the carry on while on the field:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1381729/Graham-Poll-reveals-secrets-footballs-dark-arts.html
