Advantage: The Hardest Decision That Looks Like Doing Nothing

A foul goes in, the crowd shouts, and the referee... doesn't blow. Arms out, "play on!", and the attacking team carries on with the ball.

To the touchline, it can look like the referee has missed it. In reality, it's one of the most skilful calls in the game. Get it right and nobody remembers it. Get it wrong and you've punished the team that was fouled.

Here's how advantage works, when to use it, when to leave it, and what to do when it involves a red card.

1. The basics

Law 5 lets the referee allow play to continue when an offence happens, if the team that was fouled will benefit. That's advantage.

A few things every referee should know:

• It's not "no foul". The offence still happened. You're just deciding that stopping play would help the team that committed it.

• You have a few seconds to come back. If the advantage you expected doesn't happen at that time or within a few seconds, blow up and give the original free kick (or penalty) from where the offence took place.

• Signal it clearly. Both arms out in front of you and a loud "play on" so the players know you've seen it.

• The card usually still has to be given. If the offence deserved a caution or sending-off, you normally deal with it when the ball is next out of play. There are a couple of exceptions, covered below.

2. When you should play advantage

Before you decide, ask yourself a few quick questions:

• Does the fouled team still have the ball, with somewhere to go? An attacker who stumbles but keeps going into space is a good candidate.

• Where on the pitch is it? See the traffic-light guide below.

• Is there an immediate, promising attack? Advantage is about something better happening now, not maybe later.

• How serious was the foul? A clumsy trip is very different from a reckless lunge.

• What's the temperature of the game? In a calm match, letting play flow is usually welcomed.

A good example: a midfielder is tugged as they break forward on halfway. They shrug it off, keep the ball and have a teammate running into space. Play on, signal, and if they're still away after a few seconds, you've made the right call.

3. Where on the pitch? Think traffic lights

Where the foul happens makes a big difference. A simple way to think about it is to split the pitch into three zones, from the point of view of the team that's been fouled.

Green: the attacking third (outside the penalty area). This is where advantage pays off most. If the fouled team still has the ball and a chance to create something, let it run.

Grey: the penalty area. A foul here is a penalty, and that's almost always worth more than anything playing on would give. So you should probably give the penalty, unless it's absolutely clear the team will benefit more from the advantage, such as the ball breaking to a teammate with an open goal.

Amber: the middle third. Play it only if it clearly helps. Either the team would rather keep the ball (because they're comfortable in possession and a free kick in midfield doesn't give them much more), or there's a clear chance to break forward or counter-attack.

Red: the defensive third. Only play it if it really makes sense. A good example is a late offside flag when the goalkeeper already has the ball in their hands: they'd rather keep it than take a free kick, so let them get on with it. A clear counter-attack can be another reason. But be honest with yourself. If it doesn't come off, you're in the firing line and you'll have to take the brunt of it. In this zone, giving the free kick is often the simpler and safer call.

4. When to avoid playing advantage

Sometimes the whistle is the better option:

• The free kick is worth more than the play. A foul just outside the area might be a better chance for the attacking team than a wide ball under pressure.

• The fouled player is hurt. Player safety comes first.

• The game is getting heated. Players sometimes need to see and hear the whistle. Letting a series of fouls go can make tempers rise.

• There's little to gain. A foul deep in the fouled team's own half, with no attack on, rarely benefits from advantage.

• The offence is serious foul play, violent conduct or a second yellow. More on that below.

If in doubt, think about it from the fouled team's point of view: would they rather have the free kick or the ball?

5. Don't forget the card

Advantage delays the card; it doesn't cancel it. As a rule, if you play on after a cautionable offence, show the yellow card when the ball is next out of play, before the restart. Note the player's name, number and the minute straight away so you don't forget it in the heat of the moment.

The exceptions are the two "tactical" offences, where the advantage itself makes up for what the foul took away:

• Stopping a promising attack: if you play advantage, no card. The attack carried on, so it wasn't stopped.

• Denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity: if you play advantage, the player isn't sent off. If the team scores from the advantage, there's no card at all. If they don't score, the Law says the player is cautioned for unsporting behaviour.

One thing to watch: those exceptions only cover the tactical side of the foul. If the challenge itself was reckless, it's still a yellow card, and if it was with excessive force, it's still a red, whatever the outcome of the advantage.

6. Advantage on a red card: think twice

The Laws are clear: advantage shouldn't be played for serious foul play, violent conduct or a second cautionable offence, unless there's a clear opportunity to score a goal.

That's a high bar, and for good reason. Playing on after a red card offence brings real risks:

• The offender is still on the pitch and can affect play.

• The fouled player may be injured and needs attention.

• Tempers can boil over. Teammates may try to take matters into their own hands while play continues.

• It can look like you haven't seen it, which can quickly affect your control of the game.

If you do play advantage because there's a genuine clear chance to score, make sure the players know you've seen it, keep an eye on the offender, and send them off when the ball is next out of play.

7. What if the player gets involved again?

This is the scenario that catches people out. You've played advantage after serious foul play, and before the ball goes out of play the offender plays the ball, or challenges or interferes with an opponent.

The Law tells you exactly what to do:

1. Stop play straight away.

2. Send off the player.

3. Restart with an indirect free kick to the other team, from where the player became involved.

The only exception is if the player commits a more serious offence when they get involved again, such as another foul. In that case you penalise that offence with the correct restart, for example a direct free kick or a penalty.

8. Quick-fire scenarios

A defender trips an attacker 30 yards out. The attacker stays on their feet and the ball runs to a teammate in space. Play advantage. If the attack fizzles out within a few seconds, come back for the free kick.

A player makes a reckless challenge in midfield, but the fouled team keeps the ball. You can play advantage, but remember the yellow card at the next stoppage.

A late, high tackle with excessive force, but the ball breaks to an attacker who's clean through on goal. That's a clear opportunity to score, so advantage is possible. Once the ball is out of play, send the offender off. If the offender chases back and challenges the attacker first, stop play, send them off and restart with an indirect free kick, unless that challenge is a more serious offence in itself.

Practise it, talk about it

Advantage is a judgement call, and the best way to get better at it is to talk it through with other referees. That's exactly what our monthly meetings are for: real scenarios, honest discussion and plenty of experience in the room.

Bury & Rochdale Referees' Association has been supporting, training and developing match officials since 1898. Our meetings are on the first Thursday of every month at St Mary's Social Club, Radcliffe, with doors at 7pm for a 7:30pm start. The next one is Thursday 5th November, and new faces are always welcome, members or not.

Get in touch at mail@buryrefs.org.uk.