Ref
01/02/2004, 10:53 PM
CURSING a referee is as big a football custom as a half-time drink of Bovril, but now a Liverpool junior league is starting a campaign in which referees will be judging spectators.
Malcolm Lee, treasurer of the Anfield Junior League, came up with the idea for the Don't X The Line campaign late last year, and it has already sparked nationwide interest.
"We've got to a point where at some junior and youth matches, parents are starting on the referee or having fights with each other," he said. "I manage an under-10s team called Club Kits UK and I've seen this kind of thing first hand. This campaign is trying to bring that to a stop."
It aims to encourage an understanding among children that friendliness is as big a football skill as tackling and scoring.
"If all these kids understand what the situation is, it will be magic," said Malcolm. "This campaign is aimed at junior to youth leagues, because problems all start in grass roots soccer.
"We've had a tremendous response from all the local leagues we have contacted because people realise that anti-social behaviour and abuse of referees is a problem everywhere.
"Last month, Shelbourne, an Irish team, and the Kidderminster FA have been in touch so it has struck a nerve."
If parents believe they have a legitimate grievance with either the opposing team or the referee, they can fill in an 'opinion card'. A committee will then look through the comments and investigate any problems.
Malcolm explained: "The committee will start monitoring the refs, so it's good for the refs and it means the committees can have a look at how they're performing.
"There are some brilliant refs and it's a hard job to do, but without referees, you have no football matches which is what the people who are having a go need to realise.
"Really it is a case of parents living through their kids and letting rip if a decision goes against them."
Referees will also get the chance to do some appraisals of their own.
They'll be voting on the best set of supporters at each match. Teams will then go into a mini-league, the winner of which will pick up holiday vouchers and autographed footballs among a whole host of other prizes.
The campaign, whose sponsors include Natwest, David Phillips and Partners solicitors and R Lunt & Co accountancy, has already won the backing of Liverpool FC and Everton FC - who have publicised the scheme in their match-day programmes - and the Football Association, as well as Merseyside Police, while leagues in Walton, Kirkdale, Bootle and Netherton have adopted Don't X The Line.
"We'll be asking parents to start clapping both teams," Malcolm said. "It's not about results, it's about supporting the game.
Some of the kids don't understand what's going on - they stop and watch when people are shouting at each other, but if we can encourage better behaviour at the junior level of the game, than can only be a good thing.
"There 's a difference between passion and verbal abuse. We hope to get everyone shaking hands at the end of a match, because sportsmanship is the key and shaking hands costs nothing.
"If the responses we have had so far are any indication, this is just the start for the Don't X The Line campaign. We hope it will continue to develop and grow further afield from Merseyside because it is tackling a problem that is widespread and needs sorting out."
Malcolm Lee, treasurer of the Anfield Junior League, came up with the idea for the Don't X The Line campaign late last year, and it has already sparked nationwide interest.
"We've got to a point where at some junior and youth matches, parents are starting on the referee or having fights with each other," he said. "I manage an under-10s team called Club Kits UK and I've seen this kind of thing first hand. This campaign is trying to bring that to a stop."
It aims to encourage an understanding among children that friendliness is as big a football skill as tackling and scoring.
"If all these kids understand what the situation is, it will be magic," said Malcolm. "This campaign is aimed at junior to youth leagues, because problems all start in grass roots soccer.
"We've had a tremendous response from all the local leagues we have contacted because people realise that anti-social behaviour and abuse of referees is a problem everywhere.
"Last month, Shelbourne, an Irish team, and the Kidderminster FA have been in touch so it has struck a nerve."
If parents believe they have a legitimate grievance with either the opposing team or the referee, they can fill in an 'opinion card'. A committee will then look through the comments and investigate any problems.
Malcolm explained: "The committee will start monitoring the refs, so it's good for the refs and it means the committees can have a look at how they're performing.
"There are some brilliant refs and it's a hard job to do, but without referees, you have no football matches which is what the people who are having a go need to realise.
"Really it is a case of parents living through their kids and letting rip if a decision goes against them."
Referees will also get the chance to do some appraisals of their own.
They'll be voting on the best set of supporters at each match. Teams will then go into a mini-league, the winner of which will pick up holiday vouchers and autographed footballs among a whole host of other prizes.
The campaign, whose sponsors include Natwest, David Phillips and Partners solicitors and R Lunt & Co accountancy, has already won the backing of Liverpool FC and Everton FC - who have publicised the scheme in their match-day programmes - and the Football Association, as well as Merseyside Police, while leagues in Walton, Kirkdale, Bootle and Netherton have adopted Don't X The Line.
"We'll be asking parents to start clapping both teams," Malcolm said. "It's not about results, it's about supporting the game.
Some of the kids don't understand what's going on - they stop and watch when people are shouting at each other, but if we can encourage better behaviour at the junior level of the game, than can only be a good thing.
"There 's a difference between passion and verbal abuse. We hope to get everyone shaking hands at the end of a match, because sportsmanship is the key and shaking hands costs nothing.
"If the responses we have had so far are any indication, this is just the start for the Don't X The Line campaign. We hope it will continue to develop and grow further afield from Merseyside because it is tackling a problem that is widespread and needs sorting out."