Explaining the role of the fourth official in football

The fourth official is an ever present part of the football match, but someone who doesn’t receive too much attention. Regular watchers have a rough idea of what the fourth official does, but let us look in detail at what an important yet often disregarded part of a top level football match.

What does a fourth official do?

The fourth official basically helps out the on-pitch referee in controlling the match. They oversee the technical areas where the managers are often having fiery tirades and the benches and other support staff are sitting. They are in a way meant to control the situation if some behaviour in the technical areas is deemed to be crossing the line.
Fourth officials also keep records and track the substitutions. Since their introduction in 1991, fourth officials have been using technology – electronic boards to denote substitutions or added minutes and headsets to communicate with the referees during matches.

The fourth official in football has, at times, taken a lot of flack from managers, fans and players on the sidelines, but what is the actual role of the official behind the on-pitch referee and assistant referees?

The Football Association Board (FA) brought the role into the game in 1991 to serve as a replacement for any of the match officials in case any of them were not able to continue their duties in the course of a match.

The official definition from the Football Association explains how and why a fourth official is appointed, and is as follows:

“A Fourth Official will be appointed to certain rounds of FA and County FA Competitions and all matches in the English Premier League, English Football League and National League Premier. The Football Association may also appoint a Fourth Official to a Contributory League match. The Fourth official actively officiates if any of the three match officials are unable to continue.”

However practically these situations do not come up that regularly so as mentioned above, the fourth officials mostly do other jobs like notifying about substitutions and controlling the happenings in the technical areas and ensuring they don’t go overboard.

Another important aspect of the game that fourth officials help on-field referees with, is “match control.” While running the game and ensuring everything goes on properly is the primary responsibility of the on-field referee, they may seek assistance from the fourth official in respect to any major, potentially match altering event or incident that have been missed by the on-field referee and linespeople on the touchlines. These could technically include red card offences, yellow card offences and offences in the penalty box, but the chance of the fourth official catching this and the other three officials involved missing it is quite unlikely.

In effect, the fourth official looks more to control the technical areas, often being the point of contact for managers and benches when they want to question or seek clarification or are in general unhappy with an on-field decision that has been taken. This often leads the fourth official being at the receiving end of tantrums and angry outbursts commonly from managers. This is then reported to the on-field referee who deals with them accordingly.

The official guidance from the FA listing the duties of the fourth official as follows:

– “(The fourth official) shall keep a full record of the game, including details of any players cautioned or sent-off.
– “(The fourth official) shall be in charge of substitutions and whether the substitutes equipment is in order. They shall indicate substitutions by holding up, to display the numbers, the number board provided for this purpose (if available). The Fourth official shall also record the exact times that substitutions are made.
– “(The fourth official) will supervise the Technical Area to maintain order and inform the Referee of irresponsible behaviour by any occupant of the Technical Area. Irresponsible behaviour may be defined as, but not exclusive to: – any person who leaves the Technical Area to remonstrate with the Referee, an Assistant Referee, opponents or members of the opposition Technical Area – any act of abusive, insulting, offensive or threatening language and/or gesture – persistently failing to comply with the Laws of the Game, League Regulations, Competition Rules or the request of the Fourth official.”

Equipment of fourth officials

There are two main pieces of equipment that the fourth official uses during a match. First is the electronic board that signals the jersey number of the incoming and the outgoing substitutes. It is also used to communicate the number of additional minutes or ‘injury time’ that has been added on by the on-field referee at the end of regulation time either before half time or before the full time whistle.

Some fourth officials now use a communication device called PTT headsets during matches. These put them in the same channel with the other officials during a match but the fourth official will remain in “listening mode” to avoid disrupting the referee and two assistants who will be in constant communication during the game, as well as the VAR referee watching from a monitor.

FAQs-
Q. What is the meaning of fourth official?

Ans: A fourth official is often also a referee and can take the place of any of three match officials (referee, two assistants) if they cannot continue for whatever reason.

What sports have fourth officials?

Ans: Football (soccer) and Gaelic Football have fourth officials.

What is the role of the fourth official in football?

Ans: The Fourth Official assists the Referee and Assistant Referees at all times. This will involve being pro-active in any dealings with players, substitutes and club officials, especially during the match.