A black weekend for local football with the worst behaviour in 40 years of the Junior Alliance League and a referee threatened in a youth team match

Peterborough & District Junior Alliance League officials have blasted the ‘worst weekend for discipline and behaviour’ in the 40 years of the competition’s history.
David and Hazel Burgess.David and Hazel Burgess.
David and Hazel Burgess.

The award-winning local league runs 19 divisions for under 7 to under 14 players and is a massive supporter of the FA’s Respect campaign.

But last Sunday (October 18) five games were the subject of disciplinary reports from referees, two of them from development matches (under 7s to under 11s) which are supposed to encourage a friendly atmosphere with results and tables going unreported by the media.

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And on a black weekend for the local game respected senior referee Andy Murray tweeted he had been abused and threatened by an assistant during a Youth League match. An incident he has reported to the police.

Referee Amdy Murray.Referee Amdy Murray.
Referee Amdy Murray.

Murray said: “Last Sunday on a youth game I was threatened by club assistant because of a handball offence I gave against his team. I consider I’m a fair ref and go out and ref all my games with honesty. I hope the FA support me. The police have been great.”

Hazel Burgess, the general secretary of the Junior Alliance League who has been involved in the competition for over 30 years with husband David, has issued a strongly-worded statement condemning the disgraceful behaviour and demanding an immediate improvement.

She revealed there is a referee shortage because of the abuse aimed at officials, some of whom are just 14.

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Mrs Burgess said: “Last weekend the PDJAL experienced the worst weekend of appalling discipline/behaviour at games since the league was formed 40 years ago. Five games from October 18 have been reported. Sadly two of them are development games which are supposed to be about enjoyment, and learning to win and lose with RESPECT. This does not just apply to players, it applies to managers/coaches/parents and all spectators.

“The other three games are from the older age groups where it appears the word RESPECT is non-existent. You all wonder why you are not having referees appointed to games, well this week’s abuse sends you all a message.

Referees have had enough. They are giving up and so they should. The way some managers and spectators shout at and abuse these young referees, some only 14 years of age is beyond belief. No-one cares any more, no one looks at the young referee any more. They don’t think he/she is still a child. THIS COULD BE YOUR CHILD ONE DAY. Think about taking a referee course and be on the other side as it would be an eye opener.

“The abuse given last Sunday cannot be printed because it was appalling, The PDJAL does not and will not tolerate this kind of behaviour. THIS HAS TO STOP AND IT HAS TO STOP NOW.

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“David and myself have been involved in junior football for 33 years and last weekend’s appalling behaviour really makes us wonder why do we do it.

“I will tell you why. We enjoy seeing children enjoying playing football. We love to see them develop and over the 33 years we have helped to develop football, we have seen mini soccer introduced and 9 v 9 games introduced. We have seen coaching courses, safeguarding and emergency aid all being introduced during this time, and achieving League Charter Standard was one of our proudest moments as the PDJAL was only the fifth League in the country to achieve this award.

“How did we win this award? By piloting RESPECT for the FA which was how Respect Barriers were introduced.

“We want the PDJAL TO BE PROUD AGAIN, but this can only be achieved by everyone, and I mean everyone, managers, players and parents all abiding by the Respect Code of Conduct. Please look after our referees and let them do the job they have been trained to do instead of making them nervous wrecks.

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“We need Welfare Officers to work with the League. Talk to your managers about their games and if niggling problems arise contact the opposition Welfare Officer (contact details are on the Fulltime website with Club Secretaries) so these matters can be nipped in the bud before they reach the field of play.

“I sincerely hope you will all take on board what a BLACK WEEKEND this has been and the grief and workload it has caused. Let’s get back to everyone enjoying watching their children play in a happy environment with managers and spectators not bellowing from the touchlines and, whether win or lose, learn to act gracefully.

“I hope you all enjoy a happy enjoyable & peaceful remainder of the season.”