Referee with passion: Wilfried Blaschke looks back

From player to game leader – Wilfried Blaschke tells his story

Wilfried Blaschke had just left the A-youth behind him, but the thought of playing in the second team in the C-class didn't appeal to him much. Then an impulse came from outside: the chairman of his club, PSV Reutlingen, asked him if he wanted to become a referee. This new role sounded interesting. Blaschke accepted this and completed a beginner's course in Kirchentellinsfurt, and did so successfully.

Looking back, he says: He never regretted it.

Wilfried Blaschke's path as a referee

Wilfried Blaschke began his refereeing career in 1974 at PSV Reutlingen, where he was active until 1984.

In 1984 he moved to the Cologne referee group, where he officiated games until 1989. This was followed by another position at the Berlin Referee Group, for which he worked as a referee from 1990 to 1994.

He then moved to the Frankfurt/Hochtaunus referee group, where he was active from 1994 to 2021. During this time, a special approach to refereeing was maintained there: in order to maintain neutrality, there was a regular exchange of referees with neighboring football circles. The aim was to avoid a referee overseeing the same club multiple times. This system was highly valued in terms of impartiality.

Wilfried Blaschke has been active with the Bonn Referee Group since 2021 and is still passionate about his role as a referee to this day.

“You still get the bratwurst!”, experiences from over 50 years of refereeing

When Wilfried Blaschke looks back on over 50 years as an active referee, it is not just the games themselves that remain in his memory, but above all the many small moments on the sidelines, the encounters with people and the often surprisingly warm gestures that characterize everyday refereeing.

His refereeing career began in 1974 with a beginner's course. He then received his first whistle from the club, along with a set of red and yellow cards. Particularly noteworthy: He still uses this pipe and the cards to this day. This is a robust original pipe from Balilla in Florence, Italy, a model that was originally used by the police. A loyal companion for decades.

“The beautiful games clearly outweighed the negatives,” he says. "And the few negative experiences? They were mostly quickly forgotten." He particularly positively emphasizes how the mood on the pitch often relaxed after the final whistle. "When the game is over, any possible anger has often already disappeared, then suddenly people speak nicely, laugh, and sometimes even hear a word of praise from the loser. These are the moments that motivate you to keep going."

An anecdote from his long career even made it into the regional press:

"I had already reserved a bratwurst before the game, I love bratwurst! After the final whistle, someone actually came to me, brought me the bratwurst and said: 'You whistled badly, but you'll still get the bratwurst!'"

The newspaper later said: “Referee orders his bratwurst before the game.”

Of course there was also the opposite, for example during a game in the district league in the Bergisches Land district. Wilfried Blaschke worked there as a team with two young linesmen. Before the game, the trio were kindly invited to dinner by the home club. But after the home team's defeat, the U-turn followed: the invitation was quickly withdrawn. This is also part of the everyday life of a referee.

What has kept Wilfried Blaschke in refereeing over the years is not just his love for football or his discipline, but above all the many fair gestures that he has experienced on and off the pitch. The words of those who have lost a game mean a lot to him. “When the loser expresses himself positively, it is often the most honest praise, it really touches you.”

First encounter with b+d All Purpose: quality that immediately impresses

Wilfried Blaschke had his first experiences with b+d All Purpose products during his time at the Frankfurt Referee Group. The orders were regularly organized centrally, either by the club itself or by the referees' association. Collective orders were particularly often carried out, in which several referees were equipped with new material.

“Even back then, the quality was consistently convincing,” remembers Blaschke. “There were no complaints, on the contrary, there were often very good offers.”

The many years of experience, the high reliability of the products and the uncomplicated service have permanently convinced him and made b+d his constant companion in refereeing.

What I would like to pass on to the new generation in refereeing

"Above all, I would like for the new generation to be more calm on the pitch and to treat each other with respect, especially in the youth sector. We need more real sports people who exemplify fairness and accept the referee as part of the game, not as an opponent."

For him personally, a game was really successful when he went practically unnoticed as a referee because everything went smoothly, no critical situations arose and he didn't have to intervene. Then his job was just to follow the game carefully and run along. This is ideally how football should be.

A special thank you goes to Wilfried Blascke, who, with over 50 years as a referee, not only refereed games but also inspired generations, a real role model for football and far beyond.