FOOTY – LEAGUE SECRETARY ON DISCIPLINE

I am sending this email to all our clubs in the hope that you will pass it on to your Managers, players and spectators, in an attempt to get this message across.

I am becoming quite concerned at the standard of behavior being shown, not only by players, but also team managers as well.

Team managers, players, substitutes and I include spectators in this, think they have a given right to abuse match officials and opponents during the game, I can tell you now, this is not acceptable and it is down to you, as club secretary, to get the message across, cut it out and play the game.

I have already heard of a player coming back on to the field of play to assault an opponent after being sent off for hitting the same player, another player has been sent off for chasing a young opponent down the field after also being sent off.

Spectators at games also seem to think that they have a right to abuse players and when the abuse is given back to them, they want the player sent off.

One team manager, who should know better, and has been associated with the LAL for a number of years, has caused a referee to call it a day. Why should a referee have to put up with continual harassment? The final straw for this official was when a player he had spoken to about his abuse was heard to say to an opponent “you have to get into their heads”. What is he a psychiatrist or an idiot?

Colleagues, referees are only putting back into the game the enjoyment that they got out of it, and we are already low on numbers of officials, and if this continues you will be having some games without referees.

Get the point over to the members of your club, cut out the abuse, or be prepared to referee the games yourselves!

The Player Discipline Committee will be monitoring the situation very closely so when your players are losing their LAL registration and you are being asked to explain to the LEC why, remember this warning.

Regards,
Peter Duffy
League Secretary
Lancashire Amateur Football League