Back in 1970 Reading played Manchester United at Elm Park in the Watney
Cup. This was a rather curious pre-season competition, which like Watney's
beer has been almost erased from everyone's memory. It was competed for by
the highest scorers the previous season in each division. Reading were leading
goalscorers in division three and Manchester United scored the most goals in the
old division one.
Although Manchester United had been deposed at the head of
the table by their City rivals, they were even then, the glamour team of English
football and a large attendance was attracted to Elm Park. Amongst them was
the son of one of our local referees. It was the first time he had had the
opportunity to see his heroes in the flesh.
When he got home he was in tears. His father
learnt that his son has been very close to the pitch and what had upset him, was the loud and continual swearing
by the Manchester United players. His son discovered his heroes had feet of
clay. The referee and his son lived in Whitley. I am in no way disparaging that
area of the town but mention it to show that the son was no 'precious
flower' living in a protected environment.
I reminisce only to illustrate that bad language on the football field and
particularly the professional game is nothing new. In fact in the professional
game - it seems to have been tolerated for years.
I remember reading a referee's
wife who had written to the Basingstoke referee's magazine. 'I was watching the
Leeds v Manchester United on television,' she wrote, 'Alan Smith was penalised
by the assistant for shirt pulling. He asked the assistant why he had been
penalised and when told, with the camera fully on him, he told the assistant he
was a f....g w....r. No action was taken. Why doesn't the FA do
anything?'.
'Don't they realise' she continued, 'that junior players see these actions on TV
and then repeat them on the parks on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.
Because of this, hundreds of referees are lost each season and fewer are coming
forward to do the job'.
I think she was speaking for every local referee, who
have for years felt they were being let down by their more senior colleagues.
Last year in a county cup tie, when I admonished a 16 year old player for the
loud and constant use of the F word, his excuse was 'Everyone does it ref.'
No doubt the referee's wife was pleased to see during the close season, newspaper
reports that there was to be a clampdown on bad language by the FA, which had
the backing of both the players union the PFA and the League Managers' Union.
I am not in that select band of referees who perform at the professional level
so I can only rely on the reported comments of referee supremo Philip Don. 'I
have said to them, that if it is a spontaneous remark, have a quiet word. I don't
want them looking for trouble. But is the abuse is wilfully directed at them or
their assistants, then we expect them to take action. In the
laws: abusive,
offensive and insulting language is a sending-off offence.
There is no alternative'. PFA chief Gordon Taylor agreed, and said 'So much is picked up by
the cameras these days, that it is important that we set the right example. Even
so not everyone is happy. Garry Speed of Newcastle and Wales said 'Language
on the field is always colourful and to introduce such a measure is unrealistic'.
Personally I can only say about time. I know that standards have plummeted
even since Watney's Red Barrel was one of the country's favourites beers, but
competitive football can be and should be played without the constant corrosive
use of abusive, offensive and insulting language.
Dick Sawdon Smith