Henryparker123
New Member
how should I go about payment? I’m doing my 5 qualification games and I’m a u18 referee. I’d feel it’s abit awkward going up to the coaches before or after asking for the money.
Please help lol
Please help lol
Refereeing payments
- Thread starter Henryparker123
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Lucarelli99
New Member
It's your imperative and your right to be paid so definitely don't feel guilty about it no matter how much they try to make you feel guilty!
I would be doing everything in my power to try and get it before the game with the complications that potentially arise if the home team suffers a loss, even just a brief reminder as you're going over the pre-match, "Fee today will be [X amount]" something along those lines. And if you are placed in a sticky situation where they're refusing to cough up or deliberately delaying it after a difficult game, leave for your own sake and report it to your league. You will recover it.
Some leagues may have provisions that say the referee should be paid prior to the match as well so I'd brush up on the rules regarding this.
I would be doing everything in my power to try and get it before the game with the complications that potentially arise if the home team suffers a loss, even just a brief reminder as you're going over the pre-match, "Fee today will be [X amount]" something along those lines. And if you are placed in a sticky situation where they're refusing to cough up or deliberately delaying it after a difficult game, leave for your own sake and report it to your league. You will recover it.
Some leagues may have provisions that say the referee should be paid prior to the match as well so I'd brush up on the rules regarding this.
Unless the league rules state that fees must be paid before the game I would strongly recommend against asking for it before a ball is kicked. Doing so can make it look like you are just there for the money and that might not create a great first impression.
Whatever happens during the game you will be getting paid. 9 times out of 10 they will just hand it over without any question or delay, if they don't then give a gentle reminder, if they don't heed that just go home. The league will pay you and collect the fee from the club, probably with a hefty fine added.
I’d say only ask for it before if the league has a requirement that that is the case. Otherwise as others have said it won’t look great. Afterwards, just a gentle reminder if they don’t pay you within a few minutes (which they nearly always will!). If they still don’t pay just go home and report them. You will always get your fee back.
ChasObserverRefDeveloper
Regular Contributor
An indirect approach helps, so a question like "Who will be paying me, please?" is non-confrontational and a question which the club person expects.
If the competition rules dictate payment before the match, the club should be organised for that, otherwise ask once you are back to change after the game.
If the competition rules dictate payment before the match, the club should be organised for that, otherwise ask once you are back to change after the game.
This ^ ^ ^ is always my approach if on my own.
@Henryparker123 I don't know if you'll make your own way to matches or if you get a lift, but when you initially speak to the home team coach/club sec before the game, something like "Sorry, but I've got to shoot straight off after the game so do you know who's sorting my match fee please?" or words to that effect will at the very least provide a prompt or reminder.
This is what I used to do on Sunday league games... I'd wait a 5 minutes or so after full time to see if anyone was forthcoming and if not I'd go to the team whose responsibility I knew it was to pay me and say 'I'm not sure who is responsible for my fee today, do you know?' and then they'd sort it. Of course if they say 'the other club' it would be complicated, but that's unlikely.
We have a few clubs around here who pay by bank transfer, so I tend to mention it before the game in the comms with the home team. "I'm not sure if you're one of the clubs who prefer to pay match fees by bank transfer, if so, let me know and I'll send over my bank details" - I find once you've started the conversation, it sorts itself out.
Enjoy your first 5 games! Remember you won't be perfect and that's absolutely fine - no one on the pitch will be!
Enjoy your first 5 games! Remember you won't be perfect and that's absolutely fine - no one on the pitch will be!
On our league the club has to ask the referee whether they would like to be paid in cash or bank transfer when they confirm the game with them. If they choose bank transfer this has to be received within a couple of hours of the game ending. I prefer that option for a couple of reasons, one I haven't spent cash in years so I'd have to take it to the bank, plus it removed any potential risk of confrontation after the game.
I personally disagree with anyone suggesting you shouldn't ask for it before the game. I don't believe this gives a bad impression at all, and asking to be paid after the game is an opportunity for all sorts of issues (being berated by whichever team is unhappy, being made to wait etc etc).
There is bias because the one single time I agreed to be paid after the game, the manager absolutely took the p*as and made me wait a good 15 minutes for it. I was at the beginning of my referee journey and younger so I didn't know any better than to leave after 5.
The way I ask for it beforehand every time is, alongside a friendly greeting I simply ask for the team sheets, the money and the match ball to be put in the centre of the pitch when ready. This has never caused me any issues.
Naturally this is only for cash payments. For bank transfers just head on home if you've left your details with the person paying you.
There is bias because the one single time I agreed to be paid after the game, the manager absolutely took the p*as and made me wait a good 15 minutes for it. I was at the beginning of my referee journey and younger so I didn't know any better than to leave after 5.
The way I ask for it beforehand every time is, alongside a friendly greeting I simply ask for the team sheets, the money and the match ball to be put in the centre of the pitch when ready. This has never caused me any issues.
Naturally this is only for cash payments. For bank transfers just head on home if you've left your details with the person paying you.
ChasObserverRefDeveloper
Regular Contributor
Whilst understanding your reasoning, competition rules will dictate when payment must be made, which may indeed be post-match.
That's the point though, you shouldn't need to ask to be paid after the game, it should be automatic. If the competition rules say you will be paid after the game you can't demand payment before the game, and the home club would be completely within their rights to say no.
As a former club official, a referee asking to be paid before the game would be setting off alarm bells in my head.
I fully agree that it should be automatic. Personally I'd really prefer there to be a system where each club just has my bank details to send afterwards without me ever asking, but I rarely have clubs pay me without me asking - there are maybe 2-3 in my area that have the money waiting in my changing room when I arrive.
The part about competition rules goes without saying, I didn't think I'd really need to clarify that in my reply. Hopefully OP clarified this with his FA.
I don't really understand why asking for payment before a game would set off alarm bells in your head? If you mean in a situation where competition rules state they should be paid after the game then that's fair enough. But in any other scenario I don't see the problem? If someone wants to wrongly judge that the ref is there just for the money (no issue with that being the primary motivation), that's their own issue surely?
