Referee Guidance For Junior Clubs

Created by Tom Measham, Modified on Fri, 31 May at 3:07 PM by Tom Measham

For every home fixture it is the responsibility of the home team to arrange for a referee for the fixture (unless mutually agreed).

Where possible, this needs to be a registered referee.

What is a regsitered referee?

Trainee and qualified referees must register to SHCFA season on season to be eligible to referee affiliated football fixtures, part of their registration is a safeguarding compliance check to ensure that registered referees have the relevant safeguarding qualifications.

How as a club can we check if a referee is registered?

All SHCFA Registered referees will be able to present a electronic ID card for the current season. A blank example can be found below. Please not all U18 referees will have a Yellow ID card for the current season.

What is our responsibility?

It is both teams responsibility to check a referee ID card prior to allowing a referee to officiate your fixture. If an individual is claiming to be a referee and cannot present an ID card, they should not referee. When you are completing your match report please ensure you enter the full name and FAN of your referee.

What if we cannot get a registered referee?

In the event that you cannot get a registered referee for your fixture you are able to use a volunteer, this person must not be used on a regular basis (a maximum of 2 times)

Why only 2 games?

If a person is consistently volunteering they are subject to mandatory safeguarding requirements. If a volunteer wants to referee regularly, they need to complete the referee course and become a registered referee.

The Referee Course

Referee's wearing Yellow Armbands + Presenting Yellow ID Cards

Any referee wearing a yellow armband or presenting a Yellow ID card is an U18 referee, whilst no referee should be subject to abuse of any kind, cases of misconduct against an U18 official that is wearing a Yellow Armband when proven is likely to receive a stronger sanction. The matter may also be referred to the County Safeguarding team, clubs have a responsibility to keep all U18s safe when they are football.

If you have any questions please CLICK HERE