The FA today launched its Respect programme, an initiative aimed at improving the standard of behaviour by players, managers and officials at all levels of the game. A panel containing The FA's Chief Executive Brian Barwick, Chairman Lord Triesman and Head Of Senior Referee Development Neale Barry were joined by Richard Bevan from the League Manager's Association, Football League CEO Andy Williamson, Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore and Gordon Taylor, Chief Executive of the PFA.
Brought about by concerns within the game at the conduct of players towards referees, the programme’s aim is to ensure greater respect for officials through encouraging closer links between captains and referees, not only in the professional game but also at grassroots level.
Following a 10 week pilot scheme under the guidance of external researchers that involved over 4000 players in 20 adult and youth leagues, The FA in partnership with the Premier League, Football League, PFA, LMA and PGMO, have introduced a series of measures that will be implemented at the start of the forthcoming season.
At the heart of these measures, referees have been instructed to work more closely with captains to manage the players and the game effectively; and in addition to the on field co-operation, there will be pre-match briefing meetings between referees, managers and captains to provide the referee with an opportunity to give a clear message on he intends to manage the game.
Prior to kick-off there will be a team handshake, a scheme which is already seen in the Premier League and has been adopted by the Football League, whilst there will also be a crackdown on the behaviour of managers and coaches in the technical area.
Barwick said today: “The professional game in this country is something that we can all be rightly proud of with fantastic clubs, gifted players, charismatic managers and passionate crowds.
"This success and popularity means that the less appealing aspects of the game are seen and copied further down the football family, week in and out. That, however, is not an excuse for the abuse and intimidation, verbal and physical, which is seen at the grassroots level of the game.
“There is a lot to do and we accept changes in culture don’t happen overnight, however this is a really important programme for the long-term health of the game.
"Football has a unique ability to connect with people and we in football ultimately have a responsibility to ensure that connection is a truly positive one.”
Williamson (pictured above) also highlighted the fact that a third of fans in the 2008 Football League Supporters Survey identified players showing dissent or a lack of respect to match officials as the most important issue for the football authorities to address, and he acknowledged that the professional game must set the tone.
Taylor meanwhile called for parents to show greater responsibility in their support for their children, by adding: "The programme is about equality and respect and it’s about trying to encourage parents to care about their children and not to be obsessed with success.
"We’re in a sport and there are more important things than winning a football match, committed and dedicated as you want the players to be.”
The new Respect measures will be in place for the kick-off to the Football League season and will be promoted in various competition-specific initiatives throughout the season, starting with the Community Shield on Sunday 10 August.
