The referee's a . . . nice person who deserves some respect"

It's just a game, isn't it? A friendly kick-about on a Sunday afternoon with your mates and if you win then that's a bonus.
But with the beautiful game from grass roots level up to the Premiership, nothing seems further from the truth.

Football is full of passion, emotion and fraught tempers, with anger exploding on the pitch from both the players and intrusive spectators.

Whether it is West Ham United's Lee Bowyer berating the referee at Upton Park (below) or a parent hurling abuse during a youth game at Northampton Parklands, the problem is the same; lack of respect for the official.

The problem cannot be ignored or denied, as the Football Association recruits 7,000 new referees a season, but loses the same number, many citing the abuse they receive as the reason for their resignation.

In light of this growing issue, the FA has rolled out a pilot scheme at an unidentified league in Northamptonshire, with the aim of reducing confrontation on the pitch and curbing the antics of overbearing parents.

The initiative is trying a rugby-style tactic of only captains being allowed to talk to officials and of roping off spectators from the pitch, to stop them interfering with the game.

The pilot scheme, which is being tested across 20 adult and youth leagues in seven county FAs, has been broadly welcomed in North-amptonshire.

One Premiership referee from the county, Pete Walton, said: "Anything that helps players get respect for referees, I'm fully behind it.

It might take a while to work its way to the Premier League, but I welcome it."

We spoke to other referees to uncover how bad the problem is and whether they need protection from players and spectators.

"You Can't say that To my kid!"
Millionaire footballers � with big egos and even bigger mouths � are the scourge of football, with no respect for referees, right? Wrong.

Most referees now fear the parents of amateur youth teams the most, claiming they resort to abuse, even assault, in the name of their children.

David Ferguson, the chairman of Northamptonshire's Sunday Conference, said at an amateur level youth football was the biggest problem area, followed by women's football and men's football.

He added: "Youth football has a more tarnished image than adult.

"And women's football is another story. There is a degree of, 'How do I say something that I want to say to a different set of people?' But it is not quite as bad as youth, I would put it in the middle."

At a non-league level, more of the trouble was with coaches and spectators than the players themselves, he added.

"If a player in adult football gets sent off, they have a right to appeal.

You get something in writing that is just two or three lines long.

"But with youth football you will get the club and 15 people writing in to you. Youth football takes the issue over the top.

"Parents will walk on the pitch, without the referee's permission, and castigate the referee for his decision.

"Refs are almost scared to take action because of the reaction from parents.


"Parents will shout, 'You can't say that to my kid!'"
"You can say in the most polite manner what you need to say and still be frightened you are not doing it in the right way."

Peter Kirkup, a referee in adult non-league and an assistant referee in the Premier League, said parents could be particularly nasty towards young referees.

He said: "The biggest problem in youth football is the parents. Will they give a young referee a chance to learn his trade, or try and intimidate him so he will buckle?

"I have spoken to young referees in Northamptonshire who have had serious problems in local football with abuse and assault.

"They can be there on their own on a Sunday morning with 50 to 60 adults to control.

"I have not done youth football for 15 years, but I have heard stories of parents coming on to the field to defend their child and parents squabbling on the sidelines.

"My son is seven and I wouldn't dream of letting him play organised football until he is much older.

A lot of parents take it far too seriously. It is quite sad, really."

And when it comes to the players, there will always be a minority who find it difficult to keep their cool.

Mr Ferguson said some players simply had aggression in their blood and it was often the same people causing trouble time and again.

"In a team of 15 to 17 players, there are two to three reactive ones. You always know there will be an incident in a game.

"Sometimes refs get it wrong, but it is how you deal with it.

"The action of the referee in the first 15 minutes of the game will dictate the pace."

True Professionals
Look at the newspaper back pages most days and you will be hit with a barrage of photographs depicting contorted, red-faced players seemingly screaming at the ref.

These uncontrollable moments of rage make great pictures and even better headlines.

But although there is a minority of players who readily lay into the ref, the pictures in the press do not always portray the reality.

Football League referee Andy Woolmer said it was the one-off high profile instances that gave the false impression that referees get non-stop abuse.

He added: "Professional players normally control themselves fairly professionally. I had a game this week � Oldham versus Hartlepool � and I didn't book anyone.

"There will be inst
ances where players do lose all sense of proportion, but, generally speaking, it is not very often."

Yet in rugby, a far more physical and violent game, these instances are much rarer and teams listen carefully and intently to the match official.

Peter Kirkup, a Premier League assistant referee, believes arguing with the officials is something ingrained in football culture.

He said: "All a player wants is the decision to go their way, same as the manager.

Sometimes they react badly and other times it is just a whinge.

"It is in the player's makeup and, unfortunately, is the culture in football compared to other sports.

"The image a lot of people have is that Premier League players are abusive. But very rarely have I had a player charging towards me.

"It just doesn't happen that often. I have never felt in danger or threatened at Premier League or non-league level."

Lily Canter
NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE