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DazN

DazN

Well-Known Member
Level 7 Referee
I had a match appointed last weekend that got called off due to a waterlogged pitch and so I got appointed to the same rescheduled fixture tomorrow.

I hadn’t heard from the manager so this morning I sent him a message asking if the game was going ahead as I hadn’t had any contact. He replied saying he hadn’t received any notifications that I had been appointed and that he had arranged his own referee. I sent him the email that I had received and said that I was still the appointed official and I told him I would contact the league and let them know. I contacted the the league secretary and he replied saying it was my game and to tell the manager it was my game. This didn’t really sit right with me. It might have been a genuine mistake and I didn’t want to force myself on them as I didn’t really want to turn up to a game with any atmosphere before KO so I said it was fine. I am happy to let them go ahead with their own ref. Personally I think they might have wanted to avoid having to pay for a ref. It’s U13 D League and I think they rarely get one appointed.

So the obvious question is, what would you do? Would you insist on the game?
 
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I know each league is different but in our league we're told to contact the league if the clubs haven't made contact with us.
This way, if there was any problems, such as the one you've described, you'll be none the wiser and less anxious about the game regardless if they've found one themselves or not.
It'll also mean the league can deal with the club for not making contact with you, or checking for allocations, or contacting the league to see if they have one.
 
DazN said:
I had a match appointed last weekend that got called off due to a waterlogged pitch and so I got appointed to the same rescheduled fixture tomorrow.

I hadn’t heard from the manager so this morning I sent him a message asking if the game was going ahead as I hadn’t had any contact. He replied saying he hadn’t received any notifications that I had been appointed and that he had arranged his own referee. I sent him the email that I had received and said that I was still the appointed official and I told him I would contact the league and let them know. I contacted the the league secretary and he replied saying it was my game and to tell the manager it was my game. This didn’t really sit right with me. It might have been a genuine mistake and I didn’t want to force myself on them as I didn’t really want to turn up to a game with any atmosphere before KO so I said it was fine. I am happy to let them go ahead with their own ref. Personally I think they might have wanted to avoid having to pay for a ref. It’s U13 D League and I think they rarely get one appointed.

So the obvious question is, what would you do? Would you insist on the game?
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As a referee I wouldn't insist on doing the game. But as a league official I would be telling the home club that they needed to accept the league appointment.
 
RustyRef said:
As a referee I wouldn't insist on doing the game. But as a league official I would be telling the home club that they needed to accept the league appointment.
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Hopefully they will send the manager a polite reminder to check his emails!
 
DazN said:
hadn’t heard from the manager so this morning I sent him a message asking if the game was going ahead as I hadn’t had any contact. He replied saying he hadn’t received any notifications that I had been appointed and that he had arranged his own referee
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This exact scenario happened to me earlier this season. As I was replaced with another qualified ref, I didn't have an issue with it. I informed the league who accepted that and moved on. Every league works differently though.
 
This happened for my first game (which I ended up postponing anyway due to weather). Manager phones me on Wednesday evening saying that they've sorted their own ref already. I contact appointment secretary who gets back to me on Friday saying it's my appointment, I am to do it, and that she will contact the manager herself to ensure this is followed through on.

Getting the referee to make that contact seems odd to me, it should definitely be on the league to contact the manager imo.
 
They contacted you, so knew you were appointed to the match, to tell you they've got their mate, who they can probably influence basically (yes I prejudged).

At least they knew you were appointed.
Shame it was called off anyway.
ChrisBLD said:
This happened for my first game (which I ended up postponing anyway due to weather). Manager phones me on Wednesday evening saying that they've sorted their own ref already. I contact appointment secretary who gets back to me on Friday saying it's my appointment, I am to do it, and that she will contact the manager herself to ensure this is followed through on.

Getting the referee to make that contact seems odd to me, it should definitely be on the league to contact the manager imo.
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ladbroke8745 said:
They contacted you, so knew you were appointed to the match, to tell you they've got their mate, who they can probably influence basically (yes I prejudged).

At least they knew you were appointed.
Shame it was called off anyway.
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I had a whole thing with that game. The pitch was borderline, not frozen but definitely crunchy and hard in places, probably okay for adults but as it was an U15 game I decided it wasn't worth the risk. I got everything in the book from the managers (it was two XI from the same club against each other in a cup game) - "give it 20 mins", "it's harder in summer", a groundskeeper following me round on my inspection stabbing the ground with his pitchfork.

I got a text an hour and a half after I left with photos of the pitch with the surface frost gone, borderline accusing me of ruining the game for the girls involved. Condescending lines such as "something to help learn from", "games all over the area took place", etc.

The manager who phoned me wasn't the one there on the day, and while he did try and get their own ref on the sly, he was totally understanding about the situation and I've since done another game for that team with him in attendance with no issues. Just this one stand-in manager being a bit of a tool.

Certainly an experience for what was supposed to be my first ever fixture!
 
ChrisBLD said:
I had a whole thing with that game. The pitch was borderline, not frozen but definitely crunchy and hard in places, probably okay for adults but as it was an U15 game I decided it wasn't worth the risk. I got everything in the book from the managers (it was two XI from the same club against each other in a cup game) - "give it 20 mins", "it's harder in summer", a groundskeeper following me round on my inspection stabbing the ground with his pitchfork.

I got a text an hour and a half after I left with photos of the pitch with the surface frost gone, borderline accusing me of ruining the game for the girls involved. Condescending lines such as "something to help learn from", "games all over the area took place", etc.

The manager who phoned me wasn't the one there on the day, and while he did try and get their own ref on the sly, he was totally understanding about the situation and I've since done another game for that team with him in attendance with no issues. Just this one stand-in manager being a bit of a tool.

Certainly an experience for what was supposed to be my first ever fixture!
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Must say, hate managers who try to influence games being on/off and then manipulate you after, try to make you feel guilty etc
 
ladbroke8745 said:
Must say, hate managers who try to influence games being on/off and then manipulate you after, try to make you feel guilty etc
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Everyone wants to play until there's a kid on the floor injured and then it becomes "ref said the pitch was playable".

That, and the fact that at these ages a bad injury to one kid could discourage them and any number of their peers who witnessed it from ever playing again. Easy to stick to your guns with those things on the line.
 
I always drop them a gentle reminder that I am the appointed official but if they don't respond I then contact the league.

Sometimes a text asking for the details can help with club marks and build a good rappor with the team because even secretaries make mistakes and miss things
 
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