“FAFT – “SMS” Result messaging – ALL CLUBS TO TAKE NOTICE.

There seems to be an issue with full time SMS text messages.

I have asked ECFA what the issues are and whether they can be resolved.

However, as well as the issues with the system, it seems that some teams have issues with the format of your response or even sending a result at all sometimes!

Your text messages create the result directly onto full time. So if you send a message the system doesn’t understand it does not get pulled through at all. If you send the result the wrong way it will pull through a wrong message.

No one from the league receives the messages and puts them on the system.

However, League Administrators can over-ride the system and we can also see every outgoing and incoming message, who sent it and the time it was sent.

The rules require messages to be sent in by every team playing, even if the game is abandoned, within 30 minutes of the end of the game.

So a reminder as to how you should send the result.

Reply to the text you receive about your team.

If you receive texts for more than one team, reply to each message.

Do not put 2 teams on one message.

Reply in the format the text asks for……. So the text you receive, using Dovercourt v Cornard, as an example says
FA Full-Time Results: DOVE v CORN, Sat 26 Oct 15:00.

Reply home and away scores in format: H-A e.g. 3-2

You do not need to send anything else other than the result.

As it says you put the home score first (in this example Dovercourt are the home team and scored 3) and the away team next (Cornard scored 2).

So your text can just be: 3-2

Nothing else.

You don’t need to mention the teams names or anything else.

In cup games where penalties apply using Bradfield Rovers Reserves v West Bergholt First in the Tommy Thompson Cup as an example the text you receive will say:

FA Full-Time Results: BRR v WES1, Sat 26 Oct 15:00.

Reply H-A score and code WES1, plus AET and PENS: e.g. 2-2 WES1 3-3 AET 3-1 PENS

If the game is concluded in ordinary time you can just send the text as described above eg 3-1.

There is no extra time in the league so you can just text: 2-2 WES1 3-1 PENS

Full time will always take the last result so if you text it incorrectly when the opposition have already sent a correct result your wrong result will show on Full time.

If that happens you can resend the correct result.

As mentioned above your texts form the results on full time and they are pulled through very quickly.

So within about 10 minutes of you sending your text the result will show on the public full time pages.

If your result is not showing there may be an issue so send it again and send a (text or email) message to Mick or myself.

BOTH teams are required to send a message with the results and you may be fined if you fail to do this.

If for whatever reason you do not get a text send a (text or email) message to Mick or myself with the fact that you have not received a text and what your result is (this does not need to be in the prescribed format).

Alison Stamford

Hon Secretary ESBFL