Personal Hearing

[Matthew]

As some of you may remember, I posted a thread a few weeks back about a bad tempered game with four reds, two mass confrontations and a misconduct report. Anyway, yesterday (SEVEN weeks after the game), I got the letter from county informing me that one of the teams has challenged both one of the reds and the misconduct charge.

I'd completely forgotten about it to be honest so it came as a surprise to me, particularly after such a long period of time. Both hearings are set for next month, almost three months after the game. Not impressed with the length of time its taken, or the fact that its a 6PM start when I've got a 70 mile round trip to county HQ.

Thankfully, I've never had to attend a personal hearing before so I was wondering what to expect. What, if anything do I need to do? Also, am I entitled to claim travel expenses?

Thanks in advance.

 

[HullRef]

Yep it's usually half your match fee plus expenses

 

[Ryan]

Yep it's usually half your match fee plus expenses

I wish it was a half match fee....... When I had my personal hearing earlier this year, they had calculated my travel expenses and had them ready for my when I arrived!

 

[Yacinho]

Wish I had fees when I have to go to HQ

Don't know exactly how it works with you guys but here what I'd say to a French colleague :

For a red I guess you sent a report, read it well before and the misconduct as well. When asked, say that you stick by your reports, if they ask you something else, keep it simple, always speak with the "board" and never directly to the club staff. Remember that when it's ref word vs anyone else word, they follow the ref, so stick to your story and avoid any messy arguing with the staff.

 

[DazzRef]

Iv got a hearing next Monday night...Iv been told that I can take someone from my association for support. Im not going to but you may have something similar in place.

 

[lincs22]

Iv got a hearing next Monday night...Iv been told that I can take someone from my association for support. Im not going to but you may have something similar in place.

Take somebody with you,

simply so they can talk to you about anything else. I recomend that they drive, so you are not concerned about the trip.

If it goes go badly (highly unlikely), you will have somebody to talk too on the way back so that it doe snot fester in your mind....

 

[SM]

I find it amazing you guys are expected to do this for free essentially.

In Wales you get a match fee plus expenses. It's still a crap experience but at least you get paid for your time.

 

[Anthony]

A Club is entitled (under FA rules and regulations) to respond to such charges (misconduct report) in any of the following ways:

· Plead Guilty to the charge and accept the report on which it is based.

· Plead Guilty to the charge and wish to attend a Disciplinary Hearing to enter a verbal plea for leniency.

· Plead Not Guilty to the charge and wish the case to be dealt with in their absence. Correspondence to be considered and await the decision of the Disciplinary Commission.

· Plead Not Guilty to the charge and wish to attend a Disciplinary Hearing.

The Club have taken the decision to proceed with the last option and this generally means they want to have ‘their say’ about the events of the day at a hearing. Their version of events doesn’t mean to say they are right and you are wrong, they just wish to contest the charge.

Referees are not the defendant, they are the witness on behalf of the County FA and must attend, so that the Commission (not the Club) can ask questions of the events. You will be asked about your report and do you wish to change anything about it from the Commission?

The answer to that is ‘No’.

The Club might question your report and say ‘that didn’t happen’ or ‘that’s not true’ but that is because they want to be found ‘not proven’ to the charge, so you, yourself will hear untruths but because you are a witness and not ‘on the stand’ will not be able to argue against what they say.

If they bring witnesses along, that might not be good for the Club because generally the more witnesses they have, the more chance that each of them will say something contrary to each other as they only enter the room, one at a time and leave when they have submitted their statement.

The Commission will take into consideration all that they hear and read from your report and then make a decision on ‘probability’