SG Asst Referee Dave Babski
Dave served as a FIFA Assistant Referee from 1997 to 2006 was an Assistant Referee in the 2007 Football League Cup Final, the 1999 FA Challenge Cup Final and the 2003 UEFA Super Cup Final.
How did you get introduced into refereeing?
I was the captain of the school U-16 football team when the local Referees Association offered to run a course after school on the Laws of the Game, I thought it would be interesting to actually know the rules of the game I was playing (it's a shame a lot more don't!) . I had no intention of becoming a referee at that time however, once I passed the exam people started asking me to referee games because of my knowledge of the Laws, I soon became addicted.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Although I've been lucky to be blessed with many fantastic appointments over the years both in England and overseas, without any doubt, the highlight was lining at the 1999 FA Cup Final. The whole occasion surrounding an FA Cup Final is something incredibly special and unique.
Nothing can rival the occasion, the tradition, the magnitude or the thrill, of the most charismatic domestic cup competition of them all. The 2003 UEFA Super Cup AC Milan v FC Porto in Monaco was a great experience but, it didn't feel the same as the FA Cup Final.
What is the best game you have officiated and why?
One of the most memorable games I've experienced was a friendly International between Germany and Hungary in 2004. The purpose of the game was a commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the 1954 World Cup Final between the two countries. The game took place in Kaiserslautern Germany, in the hometown of Germany's World Cup winning captain Fritz Walter. Sadly Fritz Walter had passed away but the game took place in the stadium that bore his name, all the surviving players from that 1954 final were honoured guests. The 1954 Final was refereed by Englishman Bill Ling which, is why English officials were invited to officiate on the 2004 celebration, Steve Bennett was the referee. Being presented to these frail old men who were once the most famous players in the World was a humbling and nostalgic experience. I also recall the game vividly for another reason, with ten minutes to go I was hit by the ball in the most delicate of places, play was subsequently suspended until I recovered. Three officials, twenty-two players and thirty thousand spectators found it highly amusing!
What are your aims as a Select Group Assistant Referee?
Having now approached the twilight of my career and being proud to have served on the Premier League for thirteen seasons, my ambition is simple, to do the very best in every game I'm privileged to be appointed to. It can take many years of hard work to build-up a favourable reputation but, it only takes one game to see that respect disappear, something I will strive to avoid up to my very last game. Select Group Assistant Referees are the standard bearers for all assistant referees in this country which is a responsibility I am fully aware of, I would like to continue to set a standard that is worthy of the position I hold within the game.
What skills do you think you need to become a Select Group Assistant Referee?
To make it to the very top there are many attributes that any prospective official needs to have in his armoury. I can mention commitment, desire, character, strength, patience, courage, fitness, dedication, and humility, all of these are necessary. The most outstanding attribute I believe has helped me to realise many of my dreams, is my ability to be flexible and sensitive to my referees needs in whatever situations we were faced with.
An Assistant Referee's primary function is to do exactly as the title suggests ASSIST. To successfully control a game of football a referee has to use his team to it's best advantage and being a part of that team it is essential that the referee receives the correct support at precisely the right time. A referee who is confident in his assistant's ability and reliability, will be happy to work with that assistant again... job done!
Who has been the biggest influence in your career and why?
Many people have been kind enough to offer me help and advice over the years and, I'm grateful to every one of them. To single an individual out I'd have to say Neale Barry, the current Head of Senior Referee Development at the FA was the biggest influence on my career by far, nothing however connected with his present position. Originating from Scunthorpe both Neale and myself worked our way up the refereeing ladder from grassroots right through to the professional game. Working as a team over many years at virtually every level of football there is, Neale (being a few years ahead of me) refereed and frequently lined for him. The advice he offered me based on his own knowledge and experiences proved invaluable as I sought to improve myself.
In your opinion who is/was the best Assistant Referee?
For the all-round package, fitness, on-field ability, professionalism and, off-field finesse, Philip Sharp stood (stands) out above all others. Having worked alongside him on the National List and on FIFA for fifteen years now, he's always provided a great source of inspiration as a colleague and a friend. His reputation in the World game is beyond reproach.
The decision I've most admired by an assistant referee was by a Slovak assistant called Igor Sramka. Igor correctly signalled a penalty kick in golden goal extra-time of the France v Portugal semi-final at Euro 2000. As only himself and the two players directly involved could see it, it was a massive decision with the whole game hinging on it. He came under the most intense pressure I've ever seen and he stood up to it magnificently, a true lining hero who I was thrilled to meet on a UEFA Assistant Referees seminar.
