Calling off a game!

[Alan Williams]

In senior football am I correct in saying that if a team's pitch is owned or least then they have to get a referee to call the game off, but if your pitch is council own then the league is happy with the groundmen to call it off.

[bighairydave]

7 hours ago, willy7 said:

In senior football am I correct in saying that if a team's pitch is owned or least then they have to get a referee to call the game off, but if your pitch is council own then the league is happy with the groundmen to call it off.

I believe this to be the case, as the owners of the ground (when not your own) can refuse you access to the pitch. This is still someone independent to the club so is not actually the club calling it off.

I do think that it is good practice for clubs when it is touch and go to call in a referee anyway (council owned pitch or own pitch) to check the field of play, just like your club have done in the past @willy7

[Alan Williams]

We get told by the league that we have to call a ref in to decide wether it is playable or not, don't think all club's that own/run their pitch do get asked to do this.

[Martin Eddy]

We at Redruth always get a qualified referee to pass judgement unless like the other winter when we had rivers running at clijah and the council closed the site.we have a good understanding with the council

[Steve Carpenter]

In the National League System (Peninsula League up to the National League) Rule 15.2 of the FA's Standardised Rules would apply.  This refers out to FA guidelines which, in summary, say that in extreme weather a game can be postponed due to the condition of the field of play no earlier than the day before the match by agreement between the Club and the League Secretary.  All other postponements require an inspection by a referee.

In the recreational leagues (ECPL/Combination/Duchy/Trelawny) Rule 13d of the Standard Code of Rules applies. In short this states that the Local Authority or owner of the ground can say 'no game' but if they say 'yes, happy for you to play' the referee can still say no.  If you have total control of your ground then it must be a referee to make the decision.   

[Alan Williams]

Thanks for that steve, that's what I thought. But I believe some team's have called game's off themselves and the league has let them get away with it, and they have control of their pitch.