wow, just what is it about football exactly that attracts these people, its not really something you hear about, only very rarely, in connection with other grass roots sports
Hopefully, such an article in a superior national newspaper may get some action at the FA.
There is a chance some of them will actually read this newspaper
The RESPECT needs a "shot in the arm" because it is failing. I don't think stronger punishments by the league / FA is the method but more oversight at matches and perhaps MORE publishments at low levels, including point deductions for off-field misconduct rather than just fines/suspensions. This would certainly make managers & players be more interested. So we win and lose 5 points...
Let the leagues also charge the clubs and fine them points..... currently league are barred by the double-jeopardy rule - cannot be charged with the same offence twice. If the FA charge them, leagues cannot.
Sad, but it's not really football's problem. By that I mean that yob/loutish behaviour towards referees isn't something that football can tackle itself pers se.
Couldn't agree more, I am on the committee of my local Sunday League and so often we find our hands tied completely and then the clubs think we do nothing, where as more often than not we cant as opposed to wont!!
Couldn't agree more, I am on the committee of my local Sunday League and so often we find our hands tied completely and then the clubs think we do nothing, where as more often than not we cant as opposed to wont!!
Intriguing comment Cheshire Ref - care to elaborate?
there was some interesting debate on the radio the other day about the behaviour of some of the "fans" attending the europa league game between man utd and liverpool, its a total disgrace, but its the same type of person (for me) involved in the violence and abhorrent chanting / banners that we find deposited around our sunday leagues, and/or kids games as parents....the trouble is these people reproduce and teach their kids that its ok to behave like that . the upshot of the discussions seemed to be that it is a case of the minority spoiling it for the true fans, so as you say @OIREF! we should be able to remove this type of person from the game entirely, with refs, managers, local leagues, the FA, club stewards and the police in some cases all working together RESPECT doesnt appear to be doing it, maybe it needs tweaking a bitAnother easy and clichéd piece of journalism which simply regurgitates what we all know already. I've read almost identical articles before and, no doubt, will again. The type of behaviour we see around football isn't tolerated in any other area of society. The media should be more active in naming and shaming the perpetrators of these acts then challenging the leagues, associations and authorities to do something serious and hard hitting about it.
@OIREF! we should be able to remove this type of person from the game entirely, with refs, managers, local leagues, the FA, club stewards and the police in some cases all working together RESPECT doesnt appear to be doing it, maybe it needs tweaking a bit
agreed its a much much bigger problem, and football just happens to be stuck in the middle of it !They tried this in the mid-80's, when Ted Crocker (FA Sec) at the time allegedly said to Mrs Thatcher they "we don't want your hooligans in our stadium". That lead to the Spectator registration scheme, no drinking at football matches, etc, et, etc.
We cannot reform society on this forum (though I am sure @Ross would like us too!), we can only deal with football at local leagues level.
We have the tools to deal with 95% of the abuse we recieve.
We don't do it.
If you're not prepared to issue the dissent cautions, the OFFINABUS red cards, send managers/spectators from the VOTFOP and eventually abandon then please hang up the whistle, you're not helping.
Together we literally could ERADICATE this problem in a month.
We have the tools to deal with 95% of the abuse we recieve.
We don't do it.
If you're not prepared to issue the dissent cautions, the OFFINABUS red cards, send managers/spectators from the VOTFOP and eventually abandon then please hang up the whistle, you're not helping.
Together we literally could ERADICATE this problem in a month.
Whilst I agree with you up to a point, referees alone cannot eradicate this problem. It needs an organised, uniform and coherent response led by us grassroots referees and PROPERLY backed up by the CFA's.
ALL referees need to deal with dissent/OFFINABUS/coach and spectator misconduct properly, even if that means five red cards a game. The CFA's then need to start backing up the referees by doing away with the pathetic personal hearing approach (the same process that concluded I had not been assaulted) and dishing out appropriate punishments instead of pandering to the clubs.
With a true zero tolerance approach, we could get our game back!
There are not enough referees at grassroots level as it is, so while it would be nice if officials were in teams, but it will not happen.