Advise to Managers on Society Referee Appointments...

Your "Senior Club" will have a "Referee Society Contact (RSC)" - find out who this is ?

Establish and agree a procedure with your RSC about confirming games and availability with Referees. Each RSC will like to do it "their way" - some will want to contact the Referee for you, others will give you the Ref's number for you to contact them direct.

They will have a handbook listing contact details for all Society Referees.

Ultimately you should know the Referee's Name and Mobile Number - for emergency contact just in case things go "pear shaped" on the day of the game or before.

Your RSC receives a list of Appointments each month, in advance. To be safe you should check with your RSC that all your home fixtures & appointments are correct. If there is a difference or a mistake ask you RSC to notify the Referee Society's Appointments Secretary immediately. Do not leave it until the week before a match.

Each Appointment should be confirmed with the Referee at least a week in advance. If you leave it too late to make contact he may have made alternative arrangements or even informed the Society so he can be re-appointed to another game. He may have picked up an injury and therefore be unavailable - it is up to you to establish this when you ring to confirm, not up to him to ring and tell you. Therefore, DO NOT LEAVE IT UNTIL the WEDNESDAY before the game - this is too late.

Also - It is dangerous to just leave an answerphone message - ask the Referee to ring you back to confirm his availability. If he doesn't call - try him again.

Do not just leave a message with a Referee's "significant other" or children, as messages are sometimes not passed on.

An e-mail is not a good enough method of contact either - you should ensure you speak to the Referee personally.



The Referee will want to know :~
Club / Venue (maybe with directions).
Kick Off Time.
Colours of BOTH Teams.
(this will also prompt you to check there is no colour clash).
Your Name & Mobile Number - for emergency contact on the day.


You Need to Know :~
The Referee's Mobile Number - in case of a late cancellation, postponement, or change of venue.


If there is any doubt about the fixture being fulfilled it is sound practice to tell the Referee this so he can be prepared to make contact with you on the day to ensure that the game will take place.

Should the Referee arrive and find the game is off, and there has been no attempt to prevent him travelling or call him en-route, then Clubs will be liable to a Financial Penalty imposed by the Referee Society or Association. This is why you should ensure you have the Referees Mobile Number with you - DO NOT forget to ring him...

The Referee should be welcomed and offered his expenses (on arrival). He should then be shown to his changing room where changing and showering facilities should be separate from the players.

It is helpful if the Home Team is prepared to provide both Touch Judges, just in case the Visitors are unable to fulfil this commitment. Touch Judges should be Adults rather than spare players.

It is important the Touch Judges have room to operate between the touchline and spectators, who should be back from the field of play at all times, preferably behind a barrier or rope.


MATCH RESULTS FORM
At the end of the game the Referee may be in a hurry to get away - it is a Sunday afterall, and he may have family commitments. Managers should therefore have the Match Results Form completed ready for the Referee to sign as soon as the game is over.


CHANGE of DATE or VENUE
If a game is re-arranged, with a change of date or venue (say switched to the away team's ground) you should notify your Referee immediately so he can make himself available to Appointments for another game. Teams who fail to notify the Referee or their Society of such changes will be fined in accordance with Society Rules.

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