A&H

Abuse on the phone

Hoppy2011

Member
Level 7 Referee
Strange one this, just been checking final details for tomorrows game and have noticed that both teams are down to play in blue, so thought instead of using hindsight in the morning decided to be pro activie and make sure he home team would be in change kit. When i finally managed to get hold of home team manager, firstly told me that tthey didnt both play in blue, told him id checked handbook, after he had checked himself told me they wrre going to play in red anyway so it wouldnt be a problem so he ddint know why id rung him anyway. I said i didnt know but thanks anyway, he then decided to tell me to "fu*k off you knob and put phone down! Needless to say i have since contacted league secertary to inform him and was told that said manager was also part of management commitee!! no wonder they are short of refs.
 
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If you are sure it was actually directed at you, and not to someone else who may have been with the manager at his end of the line, I would also consider reporting him to the CFA

Personally, I'd wait to see what happens during the game to see how things go.
 
Unbelievable, and people wonder why there are so many people giving up? What was the need and in all fairness, you did your job by ringing him to just confirm the colours as you thought there would be a clash.
However, that would have been avoided, had the home manager who decided to bleat at your last night, given you clear confirmation of venue, colour etc. Instead of 'Sunday - 11 - here - see you'. Shame he didn't, he might now enjoy a fine in the post with his Monday paper!
 
Hi Greg, league doesnt require managers to contact referees at all, only reason i contacted them was because the "home" team play on local parks pitches and i knew they wouldnt be able to just go into changing room and pull out an alternative kit. Report has gone into county so will wait and see the outcome
 
Hmm, what league is it mate? Strange that. Most leagues specify that you should be contacted by the home club to confirm venue/KO etc, strange to think you wouldn't have that?
Well you can always ring them and see what the outcome was!
 
Halifax Sunday League mate, it just seems this month that everyone has lost all respect for match officals as there as also been another assault in a league somewhere.
 
Most Sunday leagues I've been involved in don't require teams to confirm the fixture with the referee.

Ive never had a manager/secretary abuse me on the phone though.
 
In the league I mainly referee in (Saturday afternoon open age) the teams don't even know who the referee is unless they ring on a Saturday morning to confirm that they have one appointed

I'd kill for a requirement for them to know and to contact the referee prior to a game though :(
 
I've only read the posted comments and I don't know full circumstances but Hoppy you did everything expected of a referee to avoid match day conflict. Don't be disheartened just because someone has shown a lack of responsibility or Respect. You've now done the right thing and passed a report to the league and County FA.
I am surprised though that you decided to ring the manager of the team instead of the club secretary. From experience club / team secretary is normally the most level headed person to contact. Managers at all levels are under pressure and this one may have been struggling to get a side or he had an argument at home before your phone call. what was his attitude like during the game?

All the best
 
Hi Richard, normally I would contact sec but the team only has a manager. Received an email today though from league sec to offer an apology and to say a management committee meeting will be called to discuss the incident.
 
In all of our local leagues in Coventry, managers/secretaries of the home team have to confirm the fixture with the referee. If they fail to do so they are fined!
 
Hi Richard, normally I would contact sec but the team only has a manager. Received an email today though from league sec to offer an apology and to say a management committee meeting will be called to discuss the incident.

good to see you had positive reply from the league

Interesting to hear you say they only have a manager, do you think he's manager / secretary as per most clubs at grass roots he could be the worker that does everything.

I thought each registered team had to list a responsible person to deal with correspondence, admin etc. For instance when a player is sanctioned by a referee the report is sent to the County FA who in turn process the report and apply whatever is applicable e.g. fine, suspension. The appointed secretary acknowledges receipt of report and returns any requested detail and payment.
 
I wouldn't have rung him up in the first place. Do they not have access to this list of colours?
 
I'm torn on this one, I tend to agree with Ryan, but then again, if you were trying to ensure that no problems happened on match day, then who is he to abuse over the phone?
 
My experience of Sunday league football is that kit clashes happen all too often. As whats written in the handbook isn't necessarily true.
 
There's no excuse for abuse over the phone and it should be reported. Kit clash is often covered in competition rules. Follow the rules and if there is still a problem see if you can resolve the issue with some common sense and if not then the game can't be played. Report all the facts to the competition.
What if shirts are the clash?
Can you swop with another team on an adjacent pitch?
If you turn them inside out do they have a different shade of colour?
Despite all the nuiance you still report the facts to the comp' and abuse to to the relevant County FA.

What was the outcome and result of the game?
 
Richard in response to your question can the swap with another team. This can't happen and the main reason is most teams have sponsors and this could easily cause a lot of problems with sponsorship deals as the "team" wearing a borrowed kit is not sponsored by them and they could cause a lot of problems and not care.
 
I think, really, it comes down to this: the colour of the kits are not your responsibility. If they are the same, you tell them to change it somehow: that somehow is not up to you but to the players. If they want to play, they'll change.
 
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