Players and substitutes can be added on an add-hoc basis during the set up process. However, if you wish to create a player (squad) listing that can be used repeatedly, the best option is to set up a players file. This file can be created via the Players screen within the Football Scorecard, or it can be created with Desktop Players, and then copied from the desktop PC to the pocket PC. It is recommended that such files be placed in a Player Files folder on the pocket PC device. If you have created a players file, you can select players from this file during the match set up process. Players may also be amended and deleted from a list during the match set up process.

The saved match file can be opened from within the Football Scorecard prior to the match. This file provides the information necessary to effectively use the Football Scorecard during the match.

Time

As the match begins the time can be started. It should not be necessary to stop the time once started. If an injury occurs and play is stopped, the overtime timer should be started, but the match time should not be stopped. This will allow you to know when the half is finished and how long should be added for overtime.

Note: Changes made to the match are automatically saved to a match backup file every minute. Should the original file be lost or damaged in some way, the backup file may be opened as a match file.

Note: Changes can be undone as the Football Scorecard does include an Undo function!

One minute before the full period of the half has elapsed (as set up during the set up process), you will be prompted to show the Overtime Card. Selecting 'Yes' will display the overtime minutes (rounded up or down), in a full screen view, on the pocket PC. The following record of the minutes of overtime to be played is also entered in the match report:

45': 2' Overtime

As seen in the above report notation, the match time precedes all entries in the report.

The second half (and extra time first and second halves and penalties) can be started and the time and overtime reset by clicking the icon to the right of the times.

Decisions

During the game, using the on screen buttons, the following decisions can be easily and quickly recorded:

Goals: Having selected a goal, for either team, you will be prompted to select a goal type from a list. This is required to determine the scorer and to determine if an additional note is required in the match report. If an own goal is selected as the goal type, the opposing team players are available for selection in the scorer list, otherwise the selected team players are available. If an own goal or penalty are selected, this fact is added to the match report entry, otherwise no additional information is added. The report entries may be as follows:

15': [Home Team] Goal! Scored by [Home Player]
60': [Away Team] Goal! Scored by [Home Player] (own goal)

Bookings/Cautions: Having selected a card, for either team, you will be prompted to select an offence from the offences list and then a player from the appropriate team's players list. Any player who has previously been cautioned will have the word 'Yellow' after their name in the player list. If the yellow card is selected, and the player has not been cautioned previously, the player number will be displayed in a full screen view, against a yellow background. If the yellow card is selected, and the player has been cautioned previously, the player number will be displayed in a full screen view, against a yellow background, and then against a red background! If the red card is selected, the player number will be displayed in a full screen view, against a red background! The report entries may be as follows:

21': [Home Team] Booking. Yellow Card to [Home Player] for [Offence]
62': [Home Team] Booking. Second Yellow Card (and Red) to [Home Player] for [Offence]

Substitutions: Having selected a substitution, for either team, you will be prompted to select a player off from the appropriate team's players list, and then a player on from the appropriate team's substitutes list. The substitution will be recorded in the match report as follows:

72': [Home Team] Substitution. [Home Player] replaced by [Home Substitute]

Lists

The data in the lists mentioned above is created during the set up process also described above.

When you select a goal type from the goal type drop down list, the players listed in the Scorer drop down list are changed accordingly. If an own goal is selected as the goal type, the opposing team players are available for selection in the Scorer list, otherwise the selected team players are available.

When substituted, the player taken off is removed from the Scorer list, Player Booked and Player Substituted lists. The player brought on during the substitution is added to the Scorer, Player Booked and Player Substituted lists, and removed from the Substitutes list.

As mentioned above, when shown a yellow card, the players name is then followed by the word ?Yellow’ in the Player Booked list. This allows the Football Scorecard (and the referee) to know if a player has been booked previously. If this is the case, a red card will automatically be shown after the (second) yellow card is shown. This ensures that decisions are followed through.

When a player is shown a red card and sent off, that player is removed from the Scorer, Player Booked and Player Substituted lists.

Included at the end of every list (except the Goal Types list) is the word 'Other'. If no players were set up during the match set up process, 'Other' will be the only entry in the list. 'Other' is included to allow you to add another player if necessary. If you select 'Other', the on-screen keyboard will appear and you will be prompted to enter a player name. If appropriate, the player entered will be added to the list and available for selection in future decisions. Also, the player added will be included as required in the entry submitted to the match report.

Penalties

The Penalties screen lists each team's players 'on-the-pitch' at the time of the penalty shoot-out. Players may be moved up and down the list, or deleted from the list if required.

As each penalty is taken, the result (a goal or a miss) can be recorded and added to the match report. The player selected will automatically be removed from the list, and the next player on the opposing team highlighted. Also, as each penalty is taken, Football Scorecard automatically calculates if the shoot-out is mathematically over. If it is, a message will be displayed.

The Match Report

With one click the match result and the match details set up before the match can be added to the top of the match report. The text within the Match Report screen can be easily wrapped and unwrapped for easy viewing and a footer can be added to the report to include the attendance figure and an 'END' tag.

The completed Match Report can be Exported to a Web or Word format, and if required, distributed to 'interested' parties including team staff, governing bodies, referee groups, and the media.

Guide

Available from the Help menu is an interactive Guide to the Scorecard that describes each of the features of the Scorecard in turn, in a slide show format.