I talked to Romf before he was deported and he was really upset. He said that when he applied for the visa he just went by what G told him. Romf said when signed with the team and he was applying to the Uni he was asking G which visa he needed to apply for because he was also applying the 1 year MBA. G told him not to worry about that one and that the devils would take care of everything. Apparently G kept telling him not to worry about the student visa. I wonder if G told him not to leave or when the devils would have the visa extension. Sounds like they only told him to apply for the work visa and didn’t bother with the student visa even tho Romf kept asking. Maybe he was naive, but can’t blame him if the coach gave him wrong advice?? What about the Uni – 1 year MBA – part time student? No student Visa? Weren’t they working with G to get him set up? Maybe the devils organization should right the wrong advice work with the uni to let Romf complete his study in the US - would save the team money for airfare, housing etc. Maybe that would right the wrong - do something for the mess they caused Romf - he certainly didn't cause the team any problems when he came back to study - he came back and was a real contributor to the team - shouldn't the devils do likewise
Romfo update
- Thread starter DvlsLuv
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That's what I mean. Two of your sentences start with the word 'if' ! Then you say 'I heard Romf heard the night before etc ', so that is mere heresay! Who's to say that what you have heard is not correct. That's why I posted that it's a pity we haven't heard from the two parties that can nip this in the bud i.e Romf or the club.
bottom line "if the devils had instructed him properly" as an employer, from the start, Romf wouldn't have had problems - the devils ill advised him from the start and began the problems they should act honorably to correct the situation they now have him in. Work with the Uni, and appeal - give him the opportunity to complete the last courses on line from the US. This would allow the devils organization to avoid added expense and repair the damage they cause by the ill advice given from the start.
We will have to just disagree then. The employer is an Ice hockey team....what on earth would they know about visa's etc after the contract with a player had ended ?. Has any other player over here on the Devils uni deal ran into this kind of trouble before ? As i have said before there are thousands of websites to find out the correct information regarding visa's and leaving the UK.
Personally I think he's been treated like brown stuff, of course he came back after being fired, what else was he supposted to do in the middle of his course.
Maybe he was naive, to believe people who should know the system inside out.
Its a shame he didn't approach the Uni's student support team, they may have been able to advise and help, I dunno, give him the correct info at least.
I do think the club should take SOME responsibility for making sure the players paperwork is correct
Maybe he was naive, to believe people who should know the system inside out.
Its a shame he didn't approach the Uni's student support team, they may have been able to advise and help, I dunno, give him the correct info at least.
I do think the club should take SOME responsibility for making sure the players paperwork is correct
I do think we messed Romfo about to a certain extent last year. However, international visas are part of the day job for these guys, and surely the agents that represent them should be making sure that visa arrangements are appropriate? I think there is blame here, but with regard to the visas I believe that Romfo and his agent were fully responsible for making sure that all the appropriate arrangements were in place before turning up to play.
I agree. If Scott was being told something by G and the club which proved to be incorrect then surely they should try and help to put it right? After all he probably thought "they've done this before so they know what they are doing" which is exactly what I would have thought.
Naive? Maybe a little, but you have to trust people sometimes and I'm sure the club don't want a reputation as someone that you can't trust. The Uni courses have been a strong selling point to attract quality players and we wouldn't want that to be diminished in any way. Mistakes were made on all sides and the club should assist in putting them right.
Naive? Maybe a little, but you have to trust people sometimes and I'm sure the club don't want a reputation as someone that you can't trust. The Uni courses have been a strong selling point to attract quality players and we wouldn't want that to be diminished in any way. Mistakes were made on all sides and the club should assist in putting them right.
I agree with you entirely - first time Romf probably applied for a visa if he hadn't been out of N America must have figured G and the club had recruited many times and did the paperwork for many imports - why wouldn't he do what they said, especially since he probaby had a lot going on to leave the US and come over. Heard he quit a good job and sold everything he had. the uni must have been a drawing point for him. Showed a lot when he came back for his finals after being let go. Shows his character. only has 3 classes left. He told me the Uni told him they would help him finish. Heard the uni is making him wait until May 2011 and that the school has changed their mind on helping him finish - 1 person in administration holding the bag. G and the club should get involved and help him finish in the US - imagine Romf needes to finalize and move on. Would be a good time for G and the club to show their character and commit themselves to making things right with Romf - so as not to have adverse affect on attracting players. won't word get out in the states? Isn't John Harrington coaching Italy a friend of his family?
Dvlswin,you are obviously a friend of Scotts . Even IF the club are entirely at fault (which i very much doubt) there is nothing they can now do. Scott broke the conditions of his visa by travelling out of the UK and his ''I was only going by what i was told by a Canadian coach'' will hold no weight with customs at all. As for thDevils not being able to attract new players because of this......the Devils went through alot worse with BP yet we have still attracted players like Teplitsky , Smith, not to mention this seasons team.
Surprised he was advised to leave the country and come back in. I worked in UK immigration for a while and have met lots and lots of people with expired student visas from about 1999. If you just stay in the country, nobody from Immigration is going to have time to track you down and physically throw you out of the country. And if they try, just claim asylum :lol:
This is not the first time that the club has been involved in organising players studying at the Business School. They don't appear to ever have had any problems before this. Seems a bit odd this should happen with just one player. :?
If the club is responsible for anything, it could be argued that they had a moral responsibility to help the player if there was an issue with his study visa.
The club had no employment responsibilty to him after the work visa ran out - he wasn't emplyed by them.
Up to the individual to then provide the authorities with evidence of future employment in UK in order to get an extension.
If the club is responsible for anything, it could be argued that they had a moral responsibility to help the player if there was an issue with his study visa.
The club had no employment responsibilty to him after the work visa ran out - he wasn't emplyed by them.
Up to the individual to then provide the authorities with evidence of future employment in UK in order to get an extension.
They don't appear to have had these problems before because they were sorted before they became issues. But when the woman who used to sort it before left the club, the other players in this situation just kept their heads down. Scott's problem was it was his 1st time out of the country & he took advice from someone who'd been living here for 20 years but who didn't have a clue. To Scott he was probably the right guy to ask but TBH I wouldn't ask him the time & expect him to get it right!
Then surely it's even MORE important to check these things out properly - as someone said earlier, using official immigration website, Business School contacts or even the Student support group. Anyone leaving their home country to study or work abroad is going to check these things thoroughly, aren't they? 
Such crucial stuff just can't just be left to chance or relying on the word of another - it's common sense :twisted:
Hindsight is a wonderful thing....or not so wonderful if it messes up your life. :?
Such crucial stuff just can't just be left to chance or relying on the word of another - it's common sense :twisted: Hindsight is a wonderful thing....or not so wonderful if it messes up your life. :?
Just wanted to point out that you can't have a combined work/study visa (or at least you couldn't in previous years). Romfo's problem is partly that he's American and therefore not part of the common wealth but mostly that he was too eagre to sort things out and left the country on the advice of the club so he got on the radar of the authorities. What the club should have done is say they were employing him until July / August when he studies finished. That way his working visa would have covered him. Not strictly speaking legal but better than what happened to him. Hartwick didn't have any issues because he just laid low while he was here but the system is getting tighter to prevent overstays on VISAS so they will have the same problems this season and going forward if they don't extend the work visa.
It has been brought to my attention that there are rumours circulating as to what happened to me after the season and the status of my education. I am here to set the record straight and present the facts as best I know; you are entitled to read this transcript and form your own opinions of myself and more importantly the Cardiff Devils organization.
I was released from the team one week before Christmas after what I was told was due to “financial reasons”. Another player was brought in my stead and this decision seemed odd to me since they released me due to money issues. I then went home for the holidays since I had no place to live with the intention of returning the first week of January to finish exams. I returned, took and passed my exams and then was asked to come back to the team a week later and take a 50% pay cut. I had no choice but to take the offer since I was sticking with my University coursework. I came back to play and played a key defensive role in getting the team to the EIHL finals. I never received and apology from anyone with the Devils and spent a week on the floor of Hartwick and Millers apartment.
After the season, I went on vacation to Spain, Italy, and Greece from April 9th to the 29th well within my visa expiration date which was May 15th. Several times before it expired I sought help from the team because after research on UK immigration I did not receive any definitive answers. I also knew the team was responsible for my visa extension since school was part of the deal until September. I was advised by the front office to leave the country and let my visa expire and try to re-enter as a “visitor”. This was the solution to applying for a visa extension which I could have done but would have cost the team money. I went to Dublin, Ireland on May 15th and returned to Cardiff on the 16th only to be detained and told I had one week to leave the UK. Then I was forced to leave the UK on May 21st, and returned to the US.
I should also mention that I brought my visa expiration date issue up to the Devils multiple times and was told not to worry about it. I have email proof that they intended not to handle my visa extension and that they were responsible. I am under the impression that to save money they expected us imports in the school program to remain in the UK illegally and hope not to get caught. Jarvis and Hartwick had the same issues, but my schooling went until September whereas theirs went until the end of May or early June.
On my return to the US I learned that I needed to apply to finish my MBA next May and June. On top of that I left on May 21st and just received my belongings on August 9th, which the Devils were in charge of shipping to me since I couldn’t re-enter the country and collect my personal belongings. Part of the reason it took so long is that they “shipped” my things on a ship across the Atlantic and had an unpaid debt with this company which they took their time paying while my things were being held ransom until this debt was cleared up.
At this point I am beyond upset with this organization, who still owes me money for changing of flights, baggage, etc, which adds up to anywhere from $800 to 2,000. I am just stating the facts of what happened to me so that you the fans can form your own opinions and decide whether or not this is an organization you would like to do business with. I certainly will never deal with the Devils!
P.S. – I have been told that “ your arrangement with the old ownership does not transfer”. Which means that I will have to pay, out of my own pockets, to come back to finish classes, secure a place to live, and get transportation. All of this should be taken care of by the Devils as stated in my contract.
I was released from the team one week before Christmas after what I was told was due to “financial reasons”. Another player was brought in my stead and this decision seemed odd to me since they released me due to money issues. I then went home for the holidays since I had no place to live with the intention of returning the first week of January to finish exams. I returned, took and passed my exams and then was asked to come back to the team a week later and take a 50% pay cut. I had no choice but to take the offer since I was sticking with my University coursework. I came back to play and played a key defensive role in getting the team to the EIHL finals. I never received and apology from anyone with the Devils and spent a week on the floor of Hartwick and Millers apartment.
After the season, I went on vacation to Spain, Italy, and Greece from April 9th to the 29th well within my visa expiration date which was May 15th. Several times before it expired I sought help from the team because after research on UK immigration I did not receive any definitive answers. I also knew the team was responsible for my visa extension since school was part of the deal until September. I was advised by the front office to leave the country and let my visa expire and try to re-enter as a “visitor”. This was the solution to applying for a visa extension which I could have done but would have cost the team money. I went to Dublin, Ireland on May 15th and returned to Cardiff on the 16th only to be detained and told I had one week to leave the UK. Then I was forced to leave the UK on May 21st, and returned to the US.
I should also mention that I brought my visa expiration date issue up to the Devils multiple times and was told not to worry about it. I have email proof that they intended not to handle my visa extension and that they were responsible. I am under the impression that to save money they expected us imports in the school program to remain in the UK illegally and hope not to get caught. Jarvis and Hartwick had the same issues, but my schooling went until September whereas theirs went until the end of May or early June.
On my return to the US I learned that I needed to apply to finish my MBA next May and June. On top of that I left on May 21st and just received my belongings on August 9th, which the Devils were in charge of shipping to me since I couldn’t re-enter the country and collect my personal belongings. Part of the reason it took so long is that they “shipped” my things on a ship across the Atlantic and had an unpaid debt with this company which they took their time paying while my things were being held ransom until this debt was cleared up.
At this point I am beyond upset with this organization, who still owes me money for changing of flights, baggage, etc, which adds up to anywhere from $800 to 2,000. I am just stating the facts of what happened to me so that you the fans can form your own opinions and decide whether or not this is an organization you would like to do business with. I certainly will never deal with the Devils!
P.S. – I have been told that “ your arrangement with the old ownership does not transfer”. Which means that I will have to pay, out of my own pockets, to come back to finish classes, secure a place to live, and get transportation. All of this should be taken care of by the Devils as stated in my contract.
It is very sad to hear how poorly you have been treated by the Devils especially as they were supposed to be trying to resolve issues from previous ownership of poor treatment of imports. I would be extremely pissed off if i was in your position as i think would anyone else on this forum. Hopefully this will make the people on here claiming it was all your fault that quite clearly, its not.
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