The club, who celebrate their centenary next year, now operate a zero tolerance policy with regards to bad language and abuse of referees and their assistants on the touchlines at the Maldon Road ground.

Clubs visiting the Colchester Youth League team are issued with a set of guidelines and told that anyone abusing the following rules will be asked to leave the ground. The guidelines prohibit:

1) Constantly and forcefully questioning an official’s decision
2) Accusing an official of cheating
3) Personally insulting an official
4) Swearing

Club chairman Frank Trunks explained more about their campaign against abuse: “It’s been in operation now for about six weeks and, touch wood, it has worked really well because no one has been escorted from the premises. We’re lucky that we own our own ground because it wouldn’t be so easy to implement on council owned park pitches.”

The codes of conduct began when four of Colchester Athletic’s U15 squad gained their referee badges in late October: “As a referee myself we wanted to find a way that would keep them involved as match officials and this will ensure that they’re looked after,” said Frank.

Colchester Athletic have the full backing of both the Colchester Youth League and the Essex County FA.

ECFA County Development Manager Steve Goodsell commented: “Essex County FA fully support the initiative shown by Colchester Athletic and many other clubs who have introduced codes of conduct.”

Steve added: “Abuse towards match officials is something that has been accepted by some as being ‘just part of the game’ for far too long, and we must all work together to encourage newly qualified and experienced referee’s to stay in the game.”