A few weeks ago, all referees operating what the FA term as grassroots football, and what we know as games in our local parks, received an email from the FA. It was headed “It’s time to stamp out unacceptable behaviour in grassroots football”.
But of course it isn’t the referees who cause the unacceptable behaviour. In the past week, the FA published horrific figures of assaults against referees and assistants. Last season no fewer than 380 players and coaches were banned, for attacking or threatening match officials in grassroots football.
These banning’s were the result of referees or their assistants being kicked, punched, butted, spat on and threatened by players, club officials and spectators, which included players parents. In some cases, games for players under the age of 12, with referees from 14 years old and upward. What an example for their children.
A little while ago there was a dramatic head line, ‘Sometime a referee could be killed’. It may be thought that this is rather melodramatic but just look at the injuries sustained by a Lancashire referee a fortnight ago.
Dave Bradshaw, refereeing in the South Lancashire Couties League, was attacked by a player he had just sent off. He suffered a broken nose, four broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, a broken collarbone, concussion, and whiplash. Dave was taken to hospital and the police later arrested the player. Lancashire FA reported that it was one of two attacks on referees that Saturday.
Unconnected with this attack, but last Saturday, the Merseyside Youth Football league which has 100 clubs, for ages from 7 to 17, cancelled all their games as a protest against multiple incidents of misconduct at their matches.
This doesn’t only happens in Lancashire. I have witnessed appalling behaviour by parents and coaches when acting a referee mentor.
On one occasion I confronted parents hurling abuse at the young referee. ‘This’ I said ‘is a 14-year-old boy refereeing his first ever game, so give him a break’.
They quieted for the rest of the game. This doesn’t only happen in England. I remember an American female referee, who went on to referee at the Women’s World Cup, recalling her first match, when parents screamed at her. ‘Didn’t they realise.’ she said, ‘I was 14 years old and I didn’t know it all’.
Young referees in particular in this country, have been appealing for some years to be allowed to wear body cameras, which would not only prove their complaints but might also act as a deterrent. The FA have announced that they are going to start trials with these next season, why wait? Why not start now?
