A recent story on TheFA.com about Raffi Coverdale, the Norfolk County FA’s Child Protection Officer, giving a talk to the Norwich Branch of the Norfolk Referees’ Society, was read by Austin Baitman, a referee with the United States Soccer Federation.

As a result, Austin has been in touch with Raffi to tell her how impressed he has been by one aspect of the story in particular.

“I especially like one of the suggestions laid out about the possibility of a ‘restraining line’ marked two metres from the field of play, beyond which spectators shall not be allowed to pass,” he said.

Malcolm Lee, based on Merseyside, is founder of the ‘Don’t X the Line’ campaign in this country, having launched it on Merseyside after witnessing increasing levels of abuse and aggression at junior matches. “The response to the campaign has been tremendous. Referees are noticing a difference on the pitch, and when I chat to parents on the sidelines they all make sure that they’re not stepping onto the pitch,” he says.

Austin says that next season he will take it a step further. “I intend to enforce a ‘restraining line’ and will closely follow the FIFA guidance used for international matches.

“I will choose to have a line at five metres – approximately 15 feet – which seems a suitable distance to me, as I feel that the less physical proximity the spectators have to the match officials and players, the less probability that they will adversely affect the contest."