diff --git a/ColourMeOKGame/Assets/Scripts/Backend.cs b/ColourMeOKGame/Assets/Scripts/Backend.cs
index 0354950..da7166e 100644
--- a/ColourMeOKGame/Assets/Scripts/Backend.cs
+++ b/ColourMeOKGame/Assets/Scripts/Backend.cs
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public enum UserAccountDetailTargetEnum
     /// <summary>
     ///     callback functions to be invoked when the user signs out
     /// </summary>
-    private readonly List<Action<FirebaseUser>> _onSignOutCallback = new();
+    private readonly List<Action> _onSignOutCallback = new();
 
     /// <summary>
     ///     the firebase authentication object
@@ -81,6 +81,11 @@ public enum UserAccountDetailTargetEnum
     ///     the current user object, if authenticated
     /// </summary>
     private FirebaseUser _user;
+    
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     whether the user is signed in
+    /// </summary>
+    public bool IsSignedIn;
 
     /// <summary>
     ///     the current user's username, if authenticated
@@ -135,6 +140,44 @@ public void Initialise()
             Debug.Log("firebase status is" + Status);
         });
     }
+    
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     function to fire all on sign in callbacks
+    /// </summary>
+    private void FireOnSignInCallbacks()
+    {
+        Debug.Log($"firing on sign in callbacks ({_onSignInCallback.Count})");
+        foreach (var callback in _onSignInCallback)
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                callback.Invoke(_user);
+            }
+            catch (Exception e)
+            {
+                Debug.LogError(e);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     function to fire all on sign out callbacks
+    /// </summary>
+    private void FireOnSignOutCallbacks()
+    {
+        Debug.Log($"firing on sign out callbacks ({_onSignOutCallback.Count})");
+        foreach (var callback in _onSignOutCallback)
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                callback.Invoke();
+            }
+            catch (Exception e)
+            {
+                Debug.LogError(e);
+            }
+        }
+    }
 
     /// <summary>
     ///     async function to retry initialisation after a delay
@@ -166,44 +209,44 @@ private void AuthStateChanged(object sender, EventArgs eventArgs)
         if (_auth.CurrentUser == _user) return;
 
         // if the user has changed, check if they've signed in or out
-        var signedIn = _user != _auth.CurrentUser && _auth.CurrentUser != null;
+        IsSignedIn = _user != _auth.CurrentUser && _auth.CurrentUser != null;
 
         // if we're not signed in, but we still hold _user locally, we've signed out
-        if (!signedIn && _user != null)
+        if (!IsSignedIn && _user != null)
         {
-            Debug.Log($"signed out successfully as {_user.UserId}");
-            foreach (var callback in _onSignOutCallback)
-                callback(_user);
+            Debug.Log("moi-moi");
+            FireOnSignOutCallbacks();
         }
 
         // they have signed in, update _user
         _user = _auth.CurrentUser;
-        if (!signedIn) return;
+        if (!IsSignedIn) return;
 
-        Debug.Log($"signed in successfully as {_user.UserId}");
+        Debug.Log($"signed in successfully as {_user?.UserId}");
         RetrieveUsernameWithCallback((_, _) =>
         {
-            foreach (var callback in _onSignInCallback) callback(_user);
+            FireOnSignInCallbacks();
         });
     }
 
     /// <summary>
     ///     function to register a callback for when the user signs in
     /// </summary>
-    /// <param name="callback">callback function that takes in a FirebaseUser argument</param>
+    /// <param name="callback">callback function that takes in a <c>FirebaseUser</c> object</param>
     public void RegisterOnSignInCallback(Action<FirebaseUser> callback)
     {
+        Debug.Log("registering on sign in callback");
         _onSignInCallback.Add(callback);
     }
 
-    /// <summary>
-    ///     function to register a callback for when the user signs out
-    /// </summary>
-    /// <param name="callback">callback function that takes in a FirebaseUser argument</param>
-    public void RegisterOnSignOutCallback(Action<FirebaseUser> callback)
-    {
-        _onSignOutCallback.Add(callback);
-    }
+    // /// <summary>
+    // ///     function to register a callback for when the user signs out
+    // /// </summary>
+    // /// <param name="callback">callback function</param>
+    // public void RegisterOnSignOutCallback(Action callback)
+    // {
+    //     _onSignOutCallback.Add(callback);
+    // }
 
     /// <summary>
     ///     abstraction function to authenticate the user
@@ -345,7 +388,7 @@ public void RegisterOnSignOutCallback(Action<FirebaseUser> callback)
     /// </summary>
     private void RetrieveUsername()
     {
-        RetrieveUsernameWithCallback((result, username) => { });
+        RetrieveUsernameWithCallback((_, _) => { });
     }
 
     /// <summary>
diff --git a/ColourMeOKGame/Assets/Scripts/GameManager.cs b/ColourMeOKGame/Assets/Scripts/GameManager.cs
index 56be8e9..ec2b3a3 100644
--- a/ColourMeOKGame/Assets/Scripts/GameManager.cs
+++ b/ColourMeOKGame/Assets/Scripts/GameManager.cs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+using System;
 using UnityEngine;
 using UnityEngine.UIElements;
 
@@ -52,9 +53,24 @@ private void Start()
         _localPlayerData = new LocalPlayerData();
         _localPlayerData.LoadFromTheWorld();
         PopulateFields();
+        try
+        {
+            RenderFromPlayerData();
+        }
+        catch (Exception)
+        {
+            // TODO: remove this once the bug is fixed
+            Debug.LogWarning("handling known exception, remove this once the bug is fixed");
+        }
 
         // register a callback to refresh the ui when the player signs in
-        Backend.RegisterOnSignInCallback(_ => { _localPlayerData.LoadFromTheWorld(); });
+        Backend.RegisterOnSignInCallback(_ =>
+        {
+            Debug.Log("sign in callback, refreshing GameManager-controlled SideView UI");
+            _localPlayerData.LoadFromTheWorld();
+            PopulateFields();
+            RenderFromPlayerData();
+        });
     }
 
     /// <summary>
@@ -82,7 +98,68 @@ private void OnApplicationQuit()
     /// </summary>
     public void PopulateFields()
     {
+        Debug.Log(
+            $"populating AccountView fields with lkUsername={_localPlayerData.LastKnownUsername} and lkEmail={_localPlayerData.LastKnownEmail}");
         ui.UI.Q<TextField>("UsernameField").value = _localPlayerData.LastKnownUsername;
         ui.UI.Q<TextField>("EmailField").value = _localPlayerData.LastKnownEmail;
     }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     function to update the ui with the latest data
+    /// </summary>
+    private void RenderFromPlayerData()
+    {
+        // calculate averages from both recent local scores and online scores
+        var totalLightnessAcc = 0f;
+        var totalChromaAcc = 0f;
+        var totalHueAcc = 0f;
+        var totalRounds = 0;
+
+        // average out all the scores we have to get a stable-ish average
+
+        foreach (var localScore in _localPlayerData.RecentLocalScores)
+        {
+            totalLightnessAcc += localScore.AvgLightnessAccuracy;
+            totalChromaAcc += localScore.AvgChromaAccuracy;
+            totalHueAcc += localScore.AvgHueAccuracy;
+            totalRounds += localScore.NoOfRounds;
+        }
+
+        foreach (var onlineScore in _localPlayerData.RecentOnlineScores)
+        {
+            totalLightnessAcc += onlineScore.AvgLightnessAccuracy;
+            totalChromaAcc += onlineScore.AvgChromaAccuracy;
+            totalHueAcc += onlineScore.AvgHueAccuracy;
+            totalRounds += onlineScore.NoOfRounds;
+        }
+
+        foreach (var onlineScore in _localPlayerData.BestOnlineScores)
+        {
+            totalLightnessAcc += onlineScore.AvgLightnessAccuracy;
+            totalChromaAcc += onlineScore.AvgChromaAccuracy;
+            totalHueAcc += onlineScore.AvgHueAccuracy;
+            totalRounds += onlineScore.NoOfRounds;
+        }
+
+        Debug.Log($"tL={totalLightnessAcc} tC={totalChromaAcc} tH={totalHueAcc} tR={totalRounds}");
+        if (totalRounds == 0) totalRounds = 1;
+        var lightnessAcc = totalLightnessAcc / totalRounds;
+        var chromaAcc = totalChromaAcc / totalRounds;
+        var hueAcc = totalHueAcc / totalRounds;
+        var playerText = Backend.IsSignedIn ? _localPlayerData.LastKnownUsername : $"{_localPlayerData.LastKnownUsername} (Not Signed In)";
+
+        // finally, set the labels
+        ui.UI.Q<Label>("PlayerText").text = playerText;
+        ui.UI.Q<Label>("LightnessAccuracyText").text = $"{lightnessAcc:F}";
+        ui.UI.Q<Label>("ChromaAccuracyText").text = $"{chromaAcc:F}";
+        ui.UI.Q<Label>("HueAccuracyText").text = $"{hueAcc:F}";
+
+        // and set the player rating, but after we get it from the backend
+        // (god I LOVE async (I am LYING out of my teeth))
+        Backend.CalculateUserRating((dtr, rating) =>
+        {
+            if (dtr != Backend.DatabaseTransactionResult.Ok) return;
+            ui.UI.Q<Label>("RatingText").text = $"{rating:F}";
+        });
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ColourMeOKGame/Assets/Scripts/SideViewUI.cs b/ColourMeOKGame/Assets/Scripts/SideViewUI.cs
index f662a40..e7acec1 100644
--- a/ColourMeOKGame/Assets/Scripts/SideViewUI.cs
+++ b/ColourMeOKGame/Assets/Scripts/SideViewUI.cs
@@ -11,41 +11,16 @@ public class SideViewUI : MonoBehaviour
     /// </summary>
     private Button _accountButton;
 
-    /// <summary>
-    ///     settings button for showing the settings menu
-    /// </summary>
-    private Label _chromaAccuracyText;
-
-    /// <summary>
-    ///     settings button for showing the settings menu
-    /// </summary>
-    private Label _hueAccuracyText;
-
     /// <summary>
     ///     leaderboard button for showing the leaderboard
     /// </summary>
     private Button _leaderboardButton;
 
-    /// <summary>
-    ///     settings button for showing the settings menu
-    /// </summary>
-    private Label _lightnessAccuracyText;
-
     /// <summary>
     ///     play button for starting the game
     /// </summary>
     private Button _playButton;
 
-    /// <summary>
-    ///     settings button for showing the settings menu
-    /// </summary>
-    private Label _playerNameText;
-
-    /// <summary>
-    ///     settings button for showing the settings menu
-    /// </summary>
-    private Label _playerRatingText;
-
     /// <summary>
     ///     function to subscribe button events to their respective functions
     /// </summary>
@@ -61,63 +36,6 @@ private void OnEnable()
 
         _accountButton = ui.Q<Button>("AccountButton");
         _accountButton.clicked += OnAccountButtonClicked;
-
-        _lightnessAccuracyText = ui.Q<Label>("LightnessAccuracyText");
-        _hueAccuracyText = ui.Q<Label>("HueAccuracyText");
-        _chromaAccuracyText = ui.Q<Label>("ChromaAccuracyText");
-    }
-
-    /// <summary>
-    ///     function to update the ui with the latest data
-    /// </summary>
-    /// <param name="localPlayerData"></param>
-    private void RenderFromPlayerData(LocalPlayerData localPlayerData)
-    {
-        // calculate averages from both recent local scores and online scores
-        var totalLightnessAcc = 0f;
-        var totalChromaAcc = 0f;
-        var totalHueAcc = 0f;
-        var totalRounds = 0;
-
-        // average out all the scores we have to get a stable-ish average
-
-        foreach (var localScore in localPlayerData.RecentLocalScores)
-        {
-            totalLightnessAcc += localScore.AvgLightnessAccuracy;
-            totalChromaAcc += localScore.AvgChromaAccuracy;
-            totalHueAcc += localScore.AvgHueAccuracy;
-            totalRounds += localScore.NoOfRounds;
-        }
-
-        foreach (var onlineScore in localPlayerData.RecentOnlineScores)
-        {
-            totalLightnessAcc += onlineScore.AvgLightnessAccuracy;
-            totalChromaAcc += onlineScore.AvgChromaAccuracy;
-            totalHueAcc += onlineScore.AvgHueAccuracy;
-            totalRounds += onlineScore.NoOfRounds;
-        }
-
-        foreach (var onlineScore in localPlayerData.BestOnlineScores)
-        {
-            totalLightnessAcc += onlineScore.AvgLightnessAccuracy;
-            totalChromaAcc += onlineScore.AvgChromaAccuracy;
-            totalHueAcc += onlineScore.AvgHueAccuracy;
-            totalRounds += onlineScore.NoOfRounds;
-        }
-
-        // finally, set the labels
-        _playerNameText.text = GameManager.Instance.Backend.GetUsername();
-        _lightnessAccuracyText.text = $"{totalLightnessAcc / totalRounds:F}";
-        _hueAccuracyText.text = $"{totalHueAcc / totalRounds:F}";
-        _chromaAccuracyText.text = $"{totalChromaAcc / totalRounds:F}";
-
-        // and set the player rating, but after we get it from the backend
-        // (god I LOVE async (I am LYING out of my teeth))
-        GameManager.Instance.Backend.CalculateUserRating((dtr, rating) =>
-        {
-            if (dtr != Backend.DatabaseTransactionResult.Ok) return;
-            _playerRatingText.text = $"{rating:F}";
-        });
     }
 
     /// <summary>