As the end of a long season approaches, games are now being played in much better weather with higher temperatures and some sunshine. As a result players are therefore required to drink more fluids.

During matches players need to be aware that they are not allowed to enter or leave the field without first receiving the referee's permission. So if players require a drink during the game they must obtain the referee's permission to leave the field or wait for a stop in play for an injured player to be treated before having a drink.

If a player does enter or leave the field of play without first receiving the referee's permission the laws of the game state that the player should be cautioned.

There are occasions though when the referee will use common sense in this matter and a caution is not really the appropriate action to take. A couple of refereeing colleagues have informed me of amusing incidents that have occurred with players leaving the field without the referee's permission.

In a Sunday morning game, a player had obviously prepared for the match with a Saturday night on the town. Not long after the start of the game, he was seen running to the side of the pitch, without the referee's permission, where he was violently ill, much to the amusement of his teammates. The referee took a lenient view of this due to the circumstances.

I am also told that in another incident a player was seen running away at a very fast pace. It turned out that the local Constabulary knew he played local football on a Sunday morning and two Police Officers arrived to arrest him. The referee allowed a substitute on without taking any disciplinary action.

In another incident from a Sunday morning game, the match had just started when there was a bit of a commotion from the sideline. A woman spectator was shouting and screaming at a player. The player was then seen fleeing from the scene. It transpired that the player had not returned home after a Saturday night out and his wife was a little upset and had arrived to have a few words with him about it.

* Please log onto the Darlington Referees' Society web site if you wish to contact me with your match incidents, www.darlingtonreferees.freeserve.co.uk.