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Ask any football fan who the least popular person on the pitch is, and the answer is likely to 1. the referee. Referees are expected to make split-second decisions in front of thousands of people, and 2. matter how fair they try to be, half the crowd will usually disagree with them. It is hardly surprising, then, that many amateur leagues are struggling to find enough of them. A recent survey of grassroots referees found that more than half had considered quitting 3. of the abuse they received from players and spectators. Some leagues have responded by introducing stricter punishments for anyone 4. shouts at an official. Others have tried to make refereeing more attractive 5. offering better pay and training. Experienced referees say that the key to surviving is not taking criticism personally. 'You have to accept that you will get things wrong,' says one. 'If you can't deal 6. that, you won't last a season.' Video technology has helped at the professional level, although it has created arguments of 7. own about how long decisions should take. For most referees, however, there are no cameras, and there is nobody to rely on 8. themselves.