2 minute appointment

Driving back this morning to Sheffield 10.40 phone rings, it's a manager desperate for a ref whose been let down for a 10.30 start. I'm near Stocksbridge (Jamie Vardy ex team) 2 minutes from home but another 20 from the game. I agree to help out but say I'm a minimum 35 mins away after getting changed. All good to go, I phoned ahead, mrs not happy but gets kit ready, flask made, get on my drive and phone goes again. Away team are now refusing to play due to nearly a one hour total delay. Luckily I'd not set off,

I'm now back in the good books and the teams are at loggerheads as to whose being unreasonable! He asked me my advice, I said that fixtures aren't a refs concern and only a league officer could advise. What's done usually, home teams are responsible for refs appointment but he was let down, got me to deputise but the away team all went home WTF....

Was it your rep that frightened them off?.........

At the time I accepted the away team didn't know who the replacement ref was, I suppose they got itchy feet when then found out I was coming!

Thought the 30 minutes I had last week in between "Can you help us out" to "Sorry we have double booked, club sec has just booked and paid for a ref" was quick but 2 minutes, wow that's impressive!

No Club Secs or ref Secs in this adult League, home managers seem to do most of the asking...
I restrict it to 3-4 games a season to any individual team, hate them actually getting to like me!!!!
I don't ever ask for any appointments, stepped back a bit this year, dodgy knee and more to do with the grandkids...
I tend to get asked if there is a particular tasty game where it needs a stronger ref or as a last chance saloon...

Had two clubs fail to agree on a replacement referee for a County game last week. Game not played, both clubs charged. Love my County.

Copy of League rules passage....

A) The home team is responsible for obtaining a registered referee. Any team frequently not providing a referee will be referred to the Management Committee for further action.
(B) In the event of the non-appearance of the appointed Referee the appointed Senior Assistant Referee shall take charge and a substitute Assistant Referee appointed by the competing Teams. In cases where there are no officially appointed Assistant Referees, the Clubs shall agree upon a Referee. An individual thus agreed upon shall, for that game, have the full powers, status and authority of a registered Referee. Individuals under the age of 16 must not participate either as a Referee or Assistant Referee in any open age competition.

IMO, they had a MO, he didn't turn up, they firstly offered a non-qualified (home manager) to do it, away team refused, so they called me and got me, then they refused that because I was 40 minutes away (50 minutes later than official KO)... All reported to league..

IMO it will be just a replay to the original game but what do I know!!!

Leagues usually have a latest start time which is usually 30 minutes to 1 hour after the scheduled kickoff time.

Technically leagues have to appoint referees to games, and putting the onus on the home club to do this makes them non compliant with the standard code of rules. All leagues have to adopt the SCoR, if they don't they won't be sanctioned in theory. They can add to the SCoR but not take anything away from it. Rule 13(A) states ...

Registered Referees (and Assistant Referees where approved by the FA or County FA) for all matches shall be appointed in a manner approved by the Management Committee and by the Sanctioning Authority

So that is very clear, and leagues are responsible for appointing referees. Of course there will be occasions where they cannot, or the referee they appointed becomes unavailable, and that is where rule 13(B) comes in.

I don't want to read too much malice into the away teams decision not to play - perfectly plausible that a 1 hour delay could have an impact on whether their players could finish the match if the had other commitments.