How to collect pitch money without chasing people

Agree the split

There are two common ways to split it, and either works as long as everyone knows which one you use:

• Split by who played: the fee divided by the number who played that week. Fair to the penny, but the price moves when numbers drop.
• Fixed per head: everyone pays the same amount every week, set for a full game. Simple to remember; any leftover goes into a kitty for balls and bibs.

Decide what happens with no-shows

This is where most arguments start, so settle it before it happens. A rule many groups use: drop out before the deadline and you pay nothing; drop out after it and you still pay your share, unless someone takes your place.

It sounds harsh, but it protects the people who did turn up from paying more because someone else didn't.

Pay before, or straight after

Paying before the game is the most reliable: you're in once you've paid. Paying straight after works too, as long as it's the same evening. Money that's "sorted next week" is how organisers end up out of pocket.

Let people pay however your group already does: a bank transfer, a payment app or cash on the night. The method matters much less than a clear deadline.

Keep one record, and share it

A note on your phone stops working after a few weeks. Keep one record of who played, who paid and who still owes, and post the list in the group when you need to. People pay faster when they can see their name on it, and nobody can say they didn't know.

How Squadcard helps (tracking only)

In Squadcard, the pitch-money tracker splits the fee across who played, or charges a fixed amount per head, and keeps everyone's balance. You mark people as paid, and it sends a "who owes" message to WhatsApp for you.

Squadcard never takes or moves money. Players pay you however they already do; the app just keeps the record. The tracker is part of Squad Pro; see pricing.

Questions