For far too long, grassroots match officials have been subjected to the most abhorrent abuse. On pitches and playing fields across the country, these unpaid heroes are the only people standing between successful community leagues and the total collapse of grassroots football. In order to protect the next generation of stars, and ensure they have the pathway to the big...

The level of abuse being aimed at football officials up and down the country has been growing for some time. While the FA’s Respect campaign has succeeded in tackling the issue up to a point, there still remains a major problem. Our referees at the grassroots level are pretty much on their own every Saturday and Sunday morning. Without the...