Re. Misconduct at Youth Matches

Dear Secretary

Firstly I apologize for seemingly ‘tarring everyone with the same brush’ but I need to get an urgent message out to the youth football family and this is by far the most efficient method to ensure comprehensive coverage. I trust you will understand and I continue to applaud the huge majority that conduct themselves in the appropriate manner.

With the season just a few weeks old at least six youth matches have been abandoned in Surrey due to alleged misconduct of adults. None of the abandoned matches were due to player misconduct and three involved Charter Standard clubs and whose award is now at risk. In three of the matches, the teenage referees walked off due to the abuse from adults and these are now being considered as serious child protection issues. These are teenagers with the guts to do what many adults would not even consider doing so they deserve credit, not abuse. Some of the reports are sickening to read. One club has submitted a version of why a match was abandoned that stretches to over 30 pages with statements from mums, dads and others present.

Just what do these adults think they are going to achieve by abusing referees, opposition parents and club officials? From the reports that I receive I get the impression that they think they are playing in the FA Cup Final or World Cup? Youth football will never have the referees it desperately needs while misconduct continues at this level.

It is beyond my comprehension why some adults devote so much time during the week in order to provide children with the opportunity to play football and then lose all self-control and ruin the day for those same children.

Last season a parent assaulted a club ‘linesman’ over an offside decision and the Surrey County Under 15 Cup match was abandoned. The police charged the parent and he was (I am informed) fined £1000 and ordered to pay £300 compensation to the linesman and £150 court costs. Today I have received an almost identical report – a dispute over offside that led to a manager allegedly assaulting a linesman.

I urge you to ensure that the adults in your club are aware of the possible consequences of misconduct and that all members comply with the Codes of Conduct in the County Handbook, pages 104-108. Consider adopting your own codes such as ensuring adults from the two teams remain on opposite sides of the pitch or roping off the pitch to distance spectators from play. The Surrey County FA is committed to taking any measures that it feels necessary to reduce the amount of misconduct at all matches and especially at Youth matches.

Yours faithfully

Ray Ward

County Secretary