Problem
Barchester Football Club is hosting the final match of its annual competition. On the day of the match the club is informed that the referee is unavailable. If a referee cannot be found the match will have to be cancelled. Bob is employed at the club and is training to be a referee, but is not yet qualified. The club tells Bob that he will have to act as referee for the match. There are a number of bad-tempered incidents during the match and Bob struggles to keep control. Alan, one of the players, is injured during one of these incidents. Knowing that the half-time interval is approaching, Bob refuses to stop the match to allow Alan to be medically treated. During the half-time interval Alan is examined by the club doctor and is found to have sustained a head injury. He is taken to hospital where he is diagnosed with a bleed on the brain. The specialist team in the hospital believe that if Alan had received medical treatment sooner, his injury would have been less serious. Advise the parties as to their rights and liabilities in relation to negligence.