The Ref Stop

County takes priority

DaveMac

DaveMac

RefChat Addict
Level 7 Referee
So just had the referee secretary of a league I officiate in asking if I was available tomorrow for an under 18 county cup game. I'd spoken to him last week saying I was unavailable as had a couple of games booked in with a girls league.

Which was all fine till he started getting a bit short with me and constantly mentioning that county cup games should have priority over all other fixtures and only wouldn't enforce that as he rang me so late in the week. Made me a bit annoyed as surely I should be able to do the games I choose, especially as I arranged these girls games about a month ago and getting involved in girls games is something I've been really looking to do.

So my question is, can a referees secretary put that sort of pressure on and try and force you to take on games. Or am I being unreasonable? Normally I'll take on whatever game is given to me and make as little fuss as possible and make sure any unavailabilty is known well in advance.
 
The Ref Stop
Round my way County (cups) take priority. It's made quite clear, big bold type, in all our appointment emails that if we decline the fixture then we cannot referee any other games on that day and if we do, its the headmasters office for a b***ocking. Supposedly they check up too. At least they give us plenty of notice which lets me tell my leagues in good time that I wont be available for them.
 
I turned down my county cup appointment owing to 1) having a prior engagement and 2) not knowing I would be put on county cup in first season and on OA which I don't referee. Emailed county rdo and the appointment sec with result of being removed from all county cup panels! Check your profile on cfa's member services section as that caught me out!
 
I certainly agree there is a hierarchy. But to get a call at 8 on a Saturday evening for a game the next morning seems to be pushing it. I would have felt pretty uncomfortable contacting the girls games to cancel on them. Perhaps I'm over thinking the whole thing.
 
DanRicketts said:
@DaveMac was it the county sec or a club sec?
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The guy who contacted me is a referee secretary for a league I officiate in and had been asked to cover the county cup U18 game as a favour. In his defence he is a good guy normally, just felt he was trying to put a bit of pressure on me to do the game by constantly talking about official procedure being county cup games taking priority.
 
Why don't you ask the fella how he would react if you told him you'd been promoted and so the games that come with that should take priority over his county cup? He's being a total ignoramus if you ask me. No matter what in life, you don't cancel on people you've had arrangements with for something better. Just plain rude and I'm glad you declined his offer/demand.
 
The higher up the game, the more important that it has officials. Like it or not, that is life.
 
Supermonkey said:
The higher up the game, the more important that it has officials. Like it or not, that is life.
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Agree with you but there's probably going to be another person out there capable of doing the game. Insisting to cancel a game is just plain rude and if the roles were reversed this secretary person would probably get a bit uptight himself
 
The secretary will be under pressure, especially if it is known that they have referees doing minor games when there are county games to cover. I'm not saying it's right, that's just how it is.
 
I've lost count of the times where I've been taken off of a game on a Friday night to be given a county game instead.
 
In the cold light of day I can see both sides of this argument and two small sided girls games aren't as important as u18 county cup.

However I still think it's a bit cheeky trying to be pulling official lines about what game takes priority when the call comes early Saturday evening. Also the secretary who rang me isn't involved with the girls league at all. If I'd been doing games for him then fine I'd drop them, but dropping someone else in it by pulling out of my two games would have felt a bit wrong.

They really struggle getting refs for the girls (an email was sent out to our entire RA and only three people showed interest in doing the games) and being as it's the first time I'm doing their games it wouldn't make a good impression ditching them at the last minute.
 
It's not you ditching them, you are being reassigned. :)

I just hope for your sake there is no comeback or consequence from this decision for you.

I guess time will tell
 
Supermonkey said:
It's not you ditching them, you are being reassigned. :)

I just hope for your sake there is no comeback or consequence from this decision for you.

I guess time will tell
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I don't think there will be as we left the call on reasonable terms and said he'd be in touch on Monday for games next weekend so hopefully will be fine.

He's a funny chap as normally good as gold but every now and then gets a bit funny with everyone. He was really annoyed with me when I had to cancel on game when I broke a bone in my foot, which ended up keeping me out for ages. He still proceeded to call every week saying he had games for me, even though I was on crutches! And every week he acted like I was pulling his leg!
 
Most CFAs will be extremely miffed if you have closed your date to them but then reffed a junior game on the same day.

There must have been a reason why he was phoning you at short notice, maybe someone came off the game due to injury, and the CFA would expect a ref to accept the county appointment.

Wouldn't be surprised if you hear from your RDO in the next few days!
 
Yeah my Reffing career has always been the number 1 rule is county over everything.

Wait til you get to the select group

"Dave can you do this U14s county cup first round for us mate?"
"But I've got Chelsea vs city in the premiership mate"
"Daaaavvvveeeeee....."
"OK mate I'll call Jose and let him know, see you tomorrow"
 
Made me chuckle, turned up to the game and meet the manager. Another chap comes over in his FA tracksuit. I thought news of my county cup refusal had got out already! Turns out there he's part of a skills programmes but needless to say my heart skipped a beat thinking the essex fa are well on the ball!
 
DaveMac said:
Made me chuckle, turned up to the game and meet the manager. Another chap comes over in his FA tracksuit. I thought news of my county cup refusal had got out already! Turns out there he's part of a skills programmes but needless to say my heart skipped a beat thinking the essex fa are well on the ball!
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A county FA "on the ball"? Your brain really must be frazzled!!
 
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