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FOOTBALL
DEVELOPMENT |
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ESSEX
COUNTY F.A. INITIATES
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'RESPECT'
PROGRAMME
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Respect is the concept the Essex County F.A. is
concentrating on during 2008/09 as the 'Respect' Programme
is rolled out across the nation in a bid to improve
standards of behaviour across the professional and
grassroots game.
Equally, reducing the drop-out of referees and the number
of abandoned matches are at the forefront of the
initiative which aims to reintroduce the fun into
children's football. Local registered leagues and clubs
are being invited to voluntarily sign-up to Respect and to
introduce the following steps into their matches and club
management:
Step 1: Codes of conduct for players, referees,
coaches and spectators which sets down basic principles
that everyone must sign and adhere to.
Step 2: Designated Spectators' Areas defined by
touchline barriers to keep spectators back from the pitch.
Step 3: Captains taking responsibility for their
players and becoming the main point of contact for the
referee.
Step 4: Referees managing the game and dealing with
any open show of dissent.
Every League Secretary will receive a personal letter from
F.A. Chief Executive Brian Barwick inviting them to
sign-up to Respect and pledge to tackle unacceptable
behaviour in football. Interested grassroots leagues in
Essex will be asked to contact the Essex County F.A., who
will support them to take on the above Respect practical
steps this season.
On signing-up, each club will be provided with a Respect
Toolkit consisting of guidance notes, codes of conduct, a
Respect captain's armband and advice on obtaining
spectator barriers at a special rate. Every referee
appointed to those leagues will also be offered training
under the guidance of county Referee Development Officers.
The Respect programme sits alongside a £2 million funding
injection into dedicated staff across the country to
support:
Referee Recruitment: Currently the numbers of qualified
match officials is at an all-time low. However Essex is
benefiting from two Referee Development Officers to help
recruit new match officials and offer more support to
active referees in the area.
Safeguarding Children: Essex County F.A. has received
funding towards a County Welfare Officer who will be
working across the County to ensure clubs are offering a
safe and positive football environment for young people
and vulnerable adults. It is mandatory this season for
every youth league and club to appoint their own Welfare
Officer. Welfare Officers will play a vital role in
ensuring children can play in an enjoyable environment,
with an emphasis on development rather than
win-at-all-costs.
The Respect programme, which launches ahead of the first
weekend of the new season, is a direct response to the key
issues identified in the professional and grassroots game.
Over 37,000 participants, including players, coaches,
referees, volunteers and fans, were consulted by The F.A.
when defining its vision for grassroots football - the
2008-12 F.A. National Game Strategy. Their feedback
confirmed that parental pressure is one of the main
reasons young players leave the game and that abusive
behaviour results in over 7,000 referees quitting football
each year.
Phil Sammons, Essex County F.A. Chief Executive,
commented: "The Respect Programme is critical to
helping us all work together to change the negative
attitudes and unacceptable behaviour which threaten the
future of football in Essex. This is a long-term
commitment but, if we all play our part, together we can
really make a difference."
More information on Respect and how leagues and clubs can
become involved is available at www.TheFA.com/Respect.
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