Huddersfield Junior Football League has sent out a strong warning to ADULTS over “abhorrent” behaviour at matches.
The league, the fifth biggest in the country, has described a “serious demise” in behaviour and conduct among players, managers, coaches and spectators.
And from this weekend teams found guilty will be banned for up to six weeks and could be thrown out of competitions or forfeit points.
Huddersfield Junior Football League, which has almost 100 clubs, 950 teams and almost 13,000 registered players, says it has never seen such behaviour in its 50-year history.
A spokesman said: “We should be celebrating 50 years of the league, not reprimanding abhorrent behaviour.”
A league statement added: “The number of discipline reports coming in over the first few weeks of the season is not only concerning, but has added to the immense workload of the league, on top of everything else we do to keep the children playing football, week in week out, re-arranging fixtures, moving teams to suit ability etc.
“We should not have to lecture adults on how to behave, it’s not our job to teach you the difference between right and wrong, however THIS BEHAVIOUR STOPS, AND IT STOPS NOW!
“Over the past few weeks it has been akin to dealing with packs of animals, not grown human beings.”
The league is planning tough sanctions to crack down on the bad behaviour.
The statement goes on: “Starting from Sunday 29th October 2023 and for the duration of the 23/24 season, any team found guilty of any discipline, welfare or misconduct charge WILL BE REMOVED FROM FIXTURES for a MINIMUM period of two weeks, up to a maximum of six weeks for the most serious offences and if those fixtures include cup/competition games, then you will forfeit your place in those competitions.
“Any teams from U12 to U18 will also forfeit any league games and points awarded to opposition.
“This is children’s football – there is NO place for abuse of any type – if you cannot watch a group of children playing football without feeling the need to abuse a child be they a player or a referee, or you cannot spend an hour and a half without swearing at the opposition coach or confronting a group of parents – then stay away.
“We are a Respect League and Respect towards players, the officials and each other is the minimum standard which we will accept – NO RESPECT = NO GAME, it is that simple.
“Age Reps are under constant attack from managers on Sunday evenings about things that have occurred.
“They are VOLUNTEERS, the same as team managers, but manage a full age group, some with over 100 teams, most also run their own junior team and they have families. No age reps, no league.”
