I was a qualified referee, got the FA badges. I spent about 10 seasons in the local leagues, but now I'm considered too old (59) to take responsibility for games. I had two critera when speaking to the captains at the toss up.
Don't try to CON me, I will book you for consistant cheating.
Don't SWEAR at me, I will send you off straight away.
About halfway through my first season the reputation was there, as I applied those rules rigidly, and I hardly ever had problems from those two areas again. I also stopped a game and refused to re-start it again until a spectator who was giving me some horrendous abuse was removed from the touchline. It was helped by the local Association backing my stance (Humberside), I guessed they liked the amount of fines going into their funds.
I know I made some wrong decisions, it's very very difficult not to on the spur of the moment, you know the situation, the brain is thinking something but the mouth comes out with the complete opposite. Still, I think I was fair and did actually enjoy it.
As Dave so rightly puts it, it's an incredibly difficult job to do and does deserve some respect.
ILD OTBC