Football referees have issued their annual warning to clubs ? observe the match day procedures or there will be no football.

Bermuda Referees? Association president Richard Knight is desperate to send out the message to clubs that officials will not start matches unless all the requirements are met by the competing teams.

?The BRA have a responsibility to ensure that matches are played within the rules and in a safe friendly environment,? said Knight

?It is not our intention to interrupt the football schedule, but these requirements are to protect all parties concerned. All the clubs know the requirements and they don?t take a lot of work, but these procedures are vital to ensure the smooth running of matches.

?If all the requirements are fulfilled it makes a lot easier for officials to concentrate on the task in hand which is controlling the football matches.?

On matchdays in Premier, Division One and women?s matches, clubs are required, 30 minutes before kick-off, to;

Present to the officials a team sheet listing all players and officials and numbers;

Present to the officials valid registration cards of all persons listed on team sheet;

Present to the officials at least one person to act as security during the match, and;

the home team shall present to the officials a completed home team representative form.

Although failure to adhere to the procedures may not appear to the general public a valid reason to postpone a football match, Knight explained that the rules were vital to ensure the matches ran smoothly.

?As has so often been the case in recent years, clubs have failed to do what is required of them which has left referees and assistants scrambling around in the minutes before matches trying to sort out things like teamsheets rather than concentrating on preparing themselves properly,? he continued.

?These are more than just unnecessary distractions and annoyances, these things are in place for a reason and if the clubs don?t do their jobs, it makes it a lot harder for the officials on the day.

?And with something like security, it is vital the referee knows who is there to look after them and if there is no one, or the person is not easily apparent to them, it is in the interests of the game and safety all of concerned not to go ahead with the match.

?We most certainly don?t want to see games called off, referees are always looking to play the matches where possible, but if the clubs do not do what is asked of them, then games will simply not take place.

?The clubs need to take heed of this all there are going to be some matches needlessly called off because somebody didn?t get round to filling in the forms quickly enough.?

Knight, who believes there will be enough dedicated officials to fully staff a large proportion of the games despite the perennial referee shortage, is also unhappy with some of the new rules brought in by the Bermuda Football Association.

Before matches, the referee is required to go into the clubs? dressing rooms and check that the players tally with the registration cards by doing a visual check ? an unnecessary burden and potential flashpoint he claims.

?The referee going into a changing room and having to round up the players for this check is not an ideal situation,? he continued.

?It creates the potential for conflict and is something that a number of referees are unhappy with. I have advised the officials to simply go to the changing rooms and confirm with the coach that the cards are all correct and have a glance around, rather than go through a formal line up.?

Knight is also unhappy with the pay cut many officials will have to take this year to cover Commercial Games. The fee has been lowered to a flat rate of $35, rather than the previous rates ? which could be nearly double that ? which reflected the referee?s rank rather than the level of the game.

But chairman of the BFA referees? committee Gregory Grimes was quick to counter the complaints.

?On the subject of the registration cards, I really don?t see what the problem is,? Grimes told

?In leagues all around the world, referees are asked to go into the changing rooms before matches to check registrations. The clubs have said they are happy with the arrangement and I think it should help avoid any player ineligibility problems.

?And as for the Commercial League pay, that is simply correcting an old wrong. It is not right that a Class One official who only does the harder matches on the top division should be paid the same rate as the same-ranked official who does the more straightforward Commercial Games.

?In other countries, officials? pay is based on the level of football and so it will also be here.?