Wrongful Dismissal

All red cards with the exception of those for use of offensive or insulting or abusive language/gestures (S6) and receiving a second caution in a game (S7) can be appealed on the grounds of Wrongful Dismissal.  

For an appeal to be successful, you must prove that the referee made an obvious error in sending the player off.

Lodging a Claim for Wrongful Dismissal

Claims can be lodged through the Whole Game System, or by contacting the Berks & Bucks FA offices.

The club must lodge their intent to claim within two working days of the game and submit all evidence, along with the appeal fee (£50 Steps 5-7, £30 non-NLS) within four working days of the game.  Video evidence must be submitted if available.  

Please note these time lines are from the date of the game, not the date the notification is received: 

If you think a referee made a mistake in sending a player off, we recommend you contact the County FA immediately!

What Happens Next

The referee report and all evidence submitted by the club will be passed to a County Disciplinary Commission before the automatic penalty is due to start.  The player, club and referee are not invited to attend the hearing.  

You will be notified of the outcome of the appeal immediately following the hearing.

If the red card is overturned, the punishment will be withdrawn and the appeal fee returned.

More Information

If you need any further support on this topic, please contact us via the Support Hub.

For more information about discipline in grassroots football, please visit www.Berks-BucksFA.com. Alternatively, find us on socials @berksandbucksfa for the latest news and updates.