Premier League Football Respect Campaign.
1st April 2011

The Football Association says its Respect campaign is having the required affect on the attitudes of supporters and players towards match officials, even though violence and assaults against referees has gone up by more than 25%. Attacks on match officials has risen from 260 to 300 this year according to the BBC.

Despite this increase in abuse the FA has insisted that the numbers of Referees has increased and that more newly qualified referees are being retained in grass roots football.

The BBC interviewed referee Peter Suter, from Doncaster, who was recently assaulted by a player after a local football match at the Keepmoat stadium in Doncaster, Mr Suter said, "The FA  respect campaign, I think it's getting worse, and it needs to start at the top".

Mr Suter's concerns highlight the growing problem  with top flight managers from the Premier League, who consistently abuse referees. Action has been taken with Sir Alex Ferguson, receiving a five match touchline ban for his comments about referee, Martin Atkinson, after a recent match between Chelsea and Manchester United.

This wasn't the first time Ferguson has abused referees, and having had a long history of abusing match officials, a two match suspended touchline ban was added to the three he recently received making up the five matches.

This is just this sort of behaviour that Peter Suter and the rest of grass roots football want to be stopped. If we are unable to control the highly regulated football in the Premier League, then there will be little chance to stamp it out in the local parks.

Speaking in a recent press conference Ferguson shows comtempt for match officials  by saying "getting a five match ban... that doesn't mean we [Premier League managers] disrespect referees". Referring to the new Respect Capmaing, Ferguson goes on to say, "Richard [Scudamore} is jumping off a high board without thinking about it".

Chelsea manager, Carlo Ancelotti, on the other hand admits he "tries to maintain a good control... after the game. For football we have to show respect to the referee who has a very difficult job".

For their part the Premier League, following a meeting in Soho between all its 20 members, has suggested it will promote its own Respect campaign, which will start next season, 2011/2012.

Is this too little too late, with the FA having spent a number of years already trying to push Respect within the game, and seeing their hard work going to waste because of some highly respected Premier League managers acting as if they are above the law?

In an interview with the BBC, Premier League chief executive Peter Scudamore, said there would be a focus on the relationship between players, managers and referees, in which the bar will be raised towards unacceptable behaviour following a consultation with all parties in football.

PFA Clarke Carlisle speaking on Radio 5 Live, also suggested, [Players and Managers], need to follow guidelines.

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