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Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA's director of football development

expects the FA's Respect campaign to be adopted by the professional game from the start of next season after seeing the pilot project receive a fanfare of positive feedback....more

Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, Backs Respect Campaign

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has added his support to the campaign...more

Ferguson backs call for respect to referees

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has backed the campaign for players to show greater respect to referees...more

Players and Referees opinions

I really hope the RESPECT campaign works but believe that the example will be set by those at the very top level. Using the recent match between Wigan Athletic and Manchester United, with so much at stake, it worried me that Fergie was in constant dialogue with the 4th official.
This was a trick used by former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho. I'm not sure why some of the top managers are constantly in the ears of officials rather than concentrating on their own team or game. In terms of amateur football, I believe this filters down into the men's and junior games. I think the rugby idea of only the team captain debating refereeing decisions is good practice and should be adopted. Barnet tried it this season and their disciplinary record has vastly improved.
The bottom line is that if you respect yourself, your teammates and your opponents, it will make the football field a nicer place for everyone. Either players turn up to play football or they don't. The choice is yours...

Danny Caro

i agree that sport should be taken more lightly and as its a major thing in society the players should be setting a good example.

pooley

I think the biggest frustration with some referees is the lack of common sense they show. Sometimes a booking can just be a talking to or a foul can lead to an advantage being played. If the governing bodies allowed officials to use their own discretion to override ANY ruling then it would be better for the game (e.g. not booking players for taking their shirts off to celebrate!).

FC Team

we should reduce forms of physical abuse on the pitch to set a different standard of football

steve

I thought Andy Myerson handled our match with pure orange brilliantly.
There was an incident where our player mistimed a challenge on the opposition keeper and the keeper reacted by kicking out.
At the time 70 minutes had been played and FC TEAM were in total toal control. The ref showed a yellow to both players, cooled the situation and the game continued in good spiits.
Its nice to see some common sense even at grass roots level
well done andy UP THE TEAM

mitchyoung

wathcing the games ive realised the effect on other people. the FA intent makes sense!!

danr

[22/07 08:04AM]

Sweden given win after ref attack
Denmark
June 2007
Sweden have been awarded a 3-0 win after the abandonment of their Euro 2008 qualifier in Denmark when a spectator attacked the referee.
Denmark have been fined £41,000 and must play their next four home games at least 250km away from Copenhagen.
The Group F tie on 2 June was locked at 3-3 with 89 minutes gone when a drunken fan attacked referee Herbert Fandel after he awarded a penalty to Sweden.
Denmark had fought back from 3-0 down to level the scores when Fandel sent off Danish defender Christian Poulsen and awarded Sweden a penalty.
But his decision was followed by the fan invading the pitch, with several Danish players intercepting the supporter before he could reach the referee.
The officials subsequently left the field and the spot kick remained untaken.
As a further punishment Denmark must play their next home fixture behind closed doors and Poulsen has been handed a three-match ban for punching Sweden's Markus Rosenberg in the stomach.
The unidentified fan said: "It was incredibly stupid of me.
"I want to apologize to Denmark, Sweden and the referee for my inhuman behavior."
Midfielder Poulsen was full of remorse after punching Sweden striker Rosenberg.
"I was involved in a tussle with the Swedish player, who I felt had provoked me twice. I saw red and I hit him," said Poulsen.
"I would like to apologise to my team-mates and the general public. It's the most stupid thing I've ever done.
15 YEAR OLD REFEREE ATTACKED
Italy
From DataSport.it

A young 15 yr.old referee from Naples was beaten by 12 year olds during a soccer match for whistling a penalty kick in the last minute of the game. This occured last Sunday in Posillipo, Italy.
The youth in question, L.M., had been asked to referee a U-13 match between Virgilio and Bagnolese. The match was quiet until the last minute when Virgilio was awarded a penalty. What began as insults to the ref, soon turned to spitting, punching, and kicking of the poor kid by the Bagnolese players.

Pinto 'punch' investigated by FIFA
Portugal
ESPN
June 16, 2002

Portugal forward Joao Pinto could face a serious sanction from world governing body FIFA who have television evidence that he punched Argentine referee Angel Sanchez after being sent off in Friday's clash with South Korea.
FIFA communications director Keith Cooper said the report of the referees inspector on the incident had been submitted to the body's disciplinary committee, which was due to meet on Sunday.
He said a special hearing with the referee would take place on Wednesday in Tokyo.
Portugal's captain Fernando Couto also held Sanchez by the face as the the players argued with the referee in the protests that could even have an impact on the availability of Joao Pinto and Couto for the 2004 European championship that Portugal hosts.
Cooper declined to say whether the report included allegations of punching.
But FIFA sources said the ruling body had television pictures of the incident on the pitch and photographs were taken of the bruise on Sanchez's body that the referee alleges was caused by Joao Pinto's punch.
'He punched me on the left, in the ribs,' Sanchez told Portuguese state radio on Saturday in an interview.

Bulgarian Football Referee Beaten up in Sofia

Bulgaria
7 March 2008

Football referee Valeri Petrovski was beaten up Friday morning in his car while waiting for his wife in Sofia's Zona B19 district.

Petrovski was attacked about 7 am by two people armed with knuckle-dusters, police reported.

The referee suffered severe head injures but his life is out of danger, doctors from the Pirogov hospital, where the victim was taken, said.

The reasons behind the attack are still unknown and investigation has been launched into the case.

Petrovski is said to be one of the most experienced referees in Bulgaria's second division. In 2006, he was beaten up during a football match between the teams of Naftex and Dunav.

Players attack referee at Bosnian Cup
Bosnia
November 16, 2005
Reuters
A Bosnian Cup quarterfinal between fierce rivals Zeljeznicar and Sarajevo was abandoned five minutes into the second half after Sarajevo players attacked the referee in protest at a decision.
Referee Dusan Pekija had to be treated by paramedics while Sarajevo player Samir Saric lost consciousness after appearing to be hit by Pekija as he tried to defend himself, Bosnian radio reported.
Sarajevo players surrounded and pushed Pekija after he ruled that Sarajevo forward Saric used his hand in Zeljeznicar's penalty area instead of awarding them a penalty.
Just minutes before they had strongly protested against the referee's decision to rule out an effort by Saric for offside.
Following a 10-minute break, during which the players of both top division sides stayed on the pitch, the game was called off with Zeljeznicar leading 1-0.
The teams drew 1-1 in the first leg a week ago.
The Sarajevo derby is usually a tense but peaceful affair, although a preseason friendly two years ago was interrupted after a brawl involving players, coaching staff and fans.

[29/06 05:37PM]

In a new initiative – due to be enforced when the new season starts in September, children under the age of eight will be banned from playing in football leagues and competitions with cups amid fears they are under too much pressure from competitive parents. The FA have ruled that youngsters can still play matches but the results must be kept private and no league tables can be compiled. They should not compete in knock out tournaments where trophies or medals are at stake.

This move is aimed to at protecting children from pushy parents and aggressive coaches watching from the touchline and from bullying or peer pressure. A spokesman for the FA added that the ruling had been made after consultation with junior leagues. It followed pilots where parents and managers were kept at a distance from the pitch to try to reduce the pressure on the youngsters.

The FA spokesman added, “ We are trying to create an environment where children can develop their skills and enjoy the game without the pressure of having to get a result week in, week out.”

“ Children told us they were giving up football because they were getting hollered at if they made a mistake. If they enjoy the game they will have plenty of time to get competitive.”

However Graham Spencer, secretary of Golden Common Youth Football Club near Winchester, Hampshire, commented, “ I am not sure how you can actually play football non-competitively.”

Other junior league organisers argue it is essential that youngsters learn about winning and losing. Children just enjoy making new friends, enjoying the fun and being part of a team. Maybe it is only a question of keeping the parents in check and educating the managers to be more adjusted to the spirit and pleasure of the game.

[27/06 07:33AM]

Mass brawl halts kids' soccer match in Coventry

Coventry Telegraph
Apr 15 2008
A YOUTH football match in Coventry had to be abandoned after angry parents stormed on to the pitch.
A mass brawl followed and the referee had to call off the cup semi-final.
The drama happened on Sunday at Bablake playing fields, Norman Place Road, Coundon.
Two teams of 15 and 16-year-olds were taking part in a semi-final of the prestigious Birmingham County Minor Challenge Cup.
Christ the King Juniors, from Coundon, Coventry, were winning 6-0 against Olton Ravens Youth, from near Solihull.
The Coventry side were cruising towards the final for the first time in their history.
But in the second half, trouble flared.
It started when the referee awarded a free kick against Christ the King. A scuffle broke out between two players - and then more than a dozen parents rushed on to the pitch and joined in the fracas.
The match officials and team coaches had to lead the players away to safety, and the referee abandoned the game.
Coventry has the worst record in the West Midlands for trouble on the touchline in children's football.
Already this season abusive parents have forced six Coventry Minor League matches to be abandoned and dozens of referees to quit the game.
And a code of conduct for parents and other spectators is now being drawn up. It could lead to people who are abusive to officials and play-ers being fined or banned from the touchline.

Footballer spared jail over referee assault

SUFFOLK, UK
Buxton Avertiser

19 April 2008

A Suffolk footballer who punched a teenage referee during a village game was given an 18-week suspended jail term.
Jonathan Futter, 22, of Mildenhall, hit 19-year-old Samuel Douglas in the face after being sent off during a local derby in December, Bury St Edmunds Magistrates' Court heard.

Futter was ordered to pay Mr Douglas, who needed stitches, £500 compensation.

Futter, who admitted assault, has been given an indefinite ban by the Football Association, the court heard.

Man bailed after referee assault
BBC Bedfordshire
13 March, 2004
A 25-year-old man arrested by police investigating an assault on a football referee has been released on bail.
Darren Flanagan, 35, from Sandy in Bedfordshire, had his jaw broken while officiating at Bedford and District league cup match.
This week referees in the county voted to strike this weekend to say bad behaviour will not be tolerated.
The arrested man, who has not been charged, must return to Greyfriars police station 19 April.
Mr Flanagan had two metal plates and nine screws fitted by a surgeon to his shattered jaw after the attack on 14 February.

TEENAGERS ATTACK REF IN THE STREET
LIVERPOOL, UK
the liverpool echo
26 November 2006

A referee was beaten up in the street by members of a teenage football team in an apparent revenge attack. The well-known match official was set upon by around 10 players, some he recognised from a side in the Anfield junior league, who repeatedly punched and kicked him. As he lay bruised and battered on the pavement, the laughing yobs shouted: "What are you going to do now, send us off?"

The referee was left needing hospital treatment - including stitches to an ear wound apparently caused by a bite. Two weeks earlier, the Anfield man had taken charge of a game involving two sides in a bad-tempered match. Police investigating the assault are considering if the louts targeted the referee because of his actions in the stormy fixture. Officials will be asking the team to name the culprits and the players could be banned from all future league games.

Steve O'Reilly, organiser of the Anfield junior league, said: "Up to 10 lads really beat him to a pulp.
"The referee recognised some of them from a controversial game he's taken charge of a couple of weeks ago. This will not be tolerated and we will find those responsible and take action."

The referee, in his 40s, was confronted on Friday evening as he left the pub where he had enjoyed a drink. He was left with facial injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.

Player banned after assault on referee

BRADFORD, UK
The Telegraph & Argus
19th Nov 2004.
GARY Hooper, has been banned until further notice from the Craven League for assaulting a referee while playing for Earby Town earlier this season.
Hooper received a 185-day ban from all football from the West Riding FA, lasting from October 1 to April 3.
But, at a Craven League meeting earlier this month, the management committee announced they have withdrawn the registration of the player for the forseeable future.
At the same meeting, it was announced, subject to appeal, that a member club has been cautioned for bringing the game into disrepute and warned regarding its future conduct.

GUN THREAT AT FOOTBALL MATCH
LONDON, UK
February 13, 2005
The Observer
Ben Youard is a 34-year-old maths teacher from Islington in north London who, like thousands of players up and down the country, enjoys recreational football. Except on one rather remarkable day...
'I was playing in a match in the Invicta Sports League in south London,' he recalls. 'The opposition were all in their early twenties and they had a centre-back who was particularly aggressive - kicking people, making late tackles, all that.
'Somebody made a bad tackle on him, and he completely lost it with the other player. The referee had to pull them apart and, when the game restarted, the guy went off to the sideline to his bag, pulled a gun out and started waving it at the referee saying, "Next time anyone does that to me, I'm going blow their head off." His team-mates calmed him down and made him put the gun away.
'The game was abandoned immediately and all of the opposing team, apart from the gunman, pleaded with the referee not to report them to the FA. They said the nutter was just a ringer who didn't normally play for them. That's the excuse that all teams use when there's a bad incident like that.'

[19/06 06:42AM]

Rob Bailey is part of the ECB list of 24 full-time umpires for the current season.
"Bailey is generally regarded as one of the finest men to have played county cricket in the past 30 years," wrote Michael Henderson. "He was a very good batsman too, in his palmy days a most accomplished strokeplayer for Northamptonshire."

[05/06 09:18AM]

Did the referee make the right decision? should he have given any red cards?

Latest blogs

Referees being attacked around the world - EUROPE
[July 22, 2008]
FA knock out cups for Under Eights.
[June 29, 2008]
Referees being attacked around the world - UK
[June 27, 2008]
Cricket umpire talks about Respect in the game.
[June 19, 2008]
Decision time for the referee!
[June 5, 2008]

Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA's director of football development

Expects the FA's Respect campaign to be adopted by the professional game from the start of next season after seeing the pilot project receive a fanfare of positive feedback.

This would mean strict new rules governing the conduct of players, managers and coaches in the Barclays Premier League and the Coca-Cola League from August and a new framework of punishments, ranging from fines and bans to a points deduction.

Sir Trevor said, “We have to make sure there's clarity. The professional game understands that they must be part of it, but they are under a lot of scrutiny and want to make sure that what we do is sustainable. We don't want to see it disintegrating two or three weeks into the season.

There have been three key themes: only the captain of each team is allowed to talk to the referee; spectators must stand behind a barrier; and players, coaches and spectators must sign a code of conduct which dictates their behaviour and outlines punishments for breaking the rules.

"The biggest challenge will be to make people understand clearly that if you do this, it's a red card, if you do this, it's a yellow and if you continue, it will be a second yellow. Initially, there will be a reaction and perhaps bits of inconsistency, but we must make sure everyone understands what's acceptable and what's not."

Sir Trevor accepts that things need fine-tuning before any expansion into the professional game. For example, referees sometimes wanted to talk to a player other than the captain.

Any code of conduct for professionals would include their public comments, behaviour in the technical area and the framework for dealing with repeat offenders, which can obviously not be monitored from a trial.

Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, Backs Respect Campaign

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has added his support to the campaign for footballers to start respecting referees, urging that captains be booked if they fail to control their players.

"Whether they like it or not, our footballers have a greater responsibility than anyone else - because they are so idolised and respected by our young people" he said.

Ferguson backs call for respect to referees

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has backed the campaign for players to show greater respect to referees.

"We tell them to shake the hand of the referee at the end of the game. It's sometimes difficult but they have to do it.

"In the same way if you lose a game we invite the opposing manager for a drink after the game. We do it because we think it's important. Life goes on."

Richard Scudamore, Premier League CEO said, “All our players are role models - we must teach them how to behave

Everyone involved in the Premier League — every chairman up and down the country — is very conscious about the image of this wonderful game ... and the behaviour of players is the biggest single contributor to that image.

The players are who the fans identify with — they are the icons of this great sport.

Ashley Cole and Javier Mascherano incidents have highlighted the problems at the top end of the game, with the the focus firmly on how players treat the officials.

At a time when the leaders of English soccer are campaigning for players at all levels to respect those struggling to keep order, the big names aren't listening

Ashley Cole turned his back on a referee who was about to show him a yellow card. Cole stood defiantly with his back to referee Mike Riley, who repeatedly asked him to turn around. He dragged the name of Premier League soccer into the mud at a time when Football Association chairman Lord David Triesman is trying to persuade youngsters to show more respect to officials .

Javier Mascherano had to be pulled away from an official who had just given him a red one.

If Cole behaves like that and Mascherano chases after referee Steve Bennett over his red card, what's the point of Triesman preaching good behavior to young players who copy the stars?

You can't deny there is a link between what players do and what people who watch them do.

They see how players show dissent on the pitch, they see what managers do on the touchline and they think it is acceptable behaviour on the terraces and — considerably more disturbingly — in Sunday games, school games and junior games. IT IS NOT.

Gateshead- based Redheugh Boys Club, Chairman Terry Ritson supports Roy Keane's view that Premier League managers should be setting standards too. Ritson said, “ And the likes of (Arsene) Wenger and (Sir Alex) Ferguson try to influence the referee; they should be brought to book as well.”

FA RESPECT REFEREES STRATEGY

Strapline – “Do Unto Others”
Definition

- Unless everyone understands what is meant by ‘respect' then it can't
be put into practice.

• Definitions always include the words, “esteem, admiration, regard”. This shows just how ambitious the FA's initiative is.

Current State

• Respect cannot be imposed (at least not these days) it must be earned
• Neither a uniform nor an authority position in itself commands respect whether on a football field or elsewhere
• At present match officials are seen as either an evil necessity or a necessary evil. Whatever the reasons, the rights and wrongs, it has taken years for the relationship between referees and those they referee to deteriorate as far as they have.
• The annual loss of football referees in England is 7000, 25% of the total.

FA Intent

• The FA stated strategic intent is to “reduce all forms of physical and verbal abuse”.
• The FA's intent is not new. On 1st August 2005 the then chairman, Geoff Thompson, emphasised the need to “respect referees and opponents”. Nothing positive happened. So what needs to make it happen now?

Principles

• Do unto others - treat them as you'd like them to treat you.
• Respect the Laws of the Game … Law 5, “ The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play are final ”.

• Respect the fact that the referee's opinion will often differ from your own
• Respect the fact that we all make mistakes – players, referees, managers.
• Speak respectfully to others even when under duress.
• Act respectfully even when others do not show you respect
• Behave with self respect.

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