A MYSTERY hoaxer is giving football matches across York the red card by phoning referees to say games are postponed.

Up to eight matches - in both the city's Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning leagues - have been abandoned because of the prank caller, during the course of this season and last.

The man has telephoned several referees just hours before kick-off to say the fixtures were off - leaving the teams involved disappointed and angry.

Now league officials are planning to send a letter out to nearly 150 Saturday and Sunday clubs, along with match referees, to warn them about the fake calls.

Colin Atkinson, secretary of the Leeper Hare York and District League, said officials and club secretaries should contact him if they received a phone call - to double-check the game was off.

"It must be someone who has a lot of inside knowledge about the leagues because he has the referees' home numbers," he told the Evening Press.

"It's very sad, particularly as we've had a lot of genuine postponements recently because of the bad weather."

Referee Craig Johnson was duped by the hoaxer prior to a top-of-the-table clash between Moor Lane and Wilberfoss.

He said: "I got a call that morning from a guy saying he was secretary of Moor Lane. He told me the game was off because the goalposts had been vandalised and the pitch was unplayable.

"I had no reason to believe otherwise."

Moor Lane defender Steve Abbott said: "We were stood like lemons for half-an-hour waiting for the ref. It was very annoying."

Chris Dale, referees' appointment secretary, said: "We've not bothered the police with the matter - what can they do?

"It's probably someone who has a grudge against a referee or the league. Sooner or later he will slip up."

matthew.woodcock@ycp.co.uk

Updated: 11:01 Thursday, January 16, 2003