No longer available.... aaaggghhh! Who do I need to tell?

 

Unexpected things happen, you get injured, your own team's game gets move to a different kick off time, car trouble etc etc. All sorts of things can crop up which means you are not able to officiate the game you have been appointed to.

 

The key is...... COMMUNICATION!

 

If you have just been appointed to a game and you realise you are not going to be available for it, the first person you contact is YEL - Referees appointments. Either email yel@live.co.uk or rjharwood348@outlook.com. If the home team contacts you before the appointment is cancelled please don't ignore it. Just send back a text or email letting the manager know that you are not available and that you have notified the league. COMMUNICATION - everyone is aware so there is no confusion. DO NOT LEAVE IT AS 'SORTED' until you have either received an acknowledgement email from the YEL or an automated email from the appointments system stating that the game you were appointed to has reverted to 'TBC'

 

If you have accepted an appointment and then find that you become unavailable YOU MUST MAKE CONTACT with the home team manager. Either send a text, email or call. If it is on the day of the game you MUST RING OR TEXT as the manager is not guaranteed to have email access. YOU MUST GET AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM THEM that they are aware that you will not be attending the game. It is not acceptable to say I sent him a text if we follow it up. As you are the one who is cancelling, the onus is on you just as it would be on the manager if the game was postponed.

 

You should also contact the YEL to advise that you won't be attending the game. As the YEL is only staffed part-time, you are unlikely to get an immediate response if contacting the office on the day of the game hence the main priority being the home team manager.

 

PLEASE GIVE AS MUCH NOTICE AS POSSIBLE. If you are unwell on the day before the game, make the home team manager aware so that they can arrange possible cover should you not be able to make it the following day. It is much better to keep people informed rather than landing it on them on the day.

 

REMEMBER: COMMUNICATION IS THE KEY - KEEP EVERYONE WHO NEEDS TO KNOW, INFORMED!