Youth league tackles trouble

While referees across the country are quitting because of violence and abuse, one youth league in the Black Country is bucking the trend and enjoying a boom in recruitment.

More than 100 men and women of all ages have signed up to wear black and blow the whistle for the Bilston Partnership Youth Football League.

Bosses of the league, which covers youth matches and 250 teams across Wolverhampton and the surrounding areas, have expelled eight clubs due to complaints from referees and their tough stance means they have no problem getting cover for every game.

Their success is in stark contrast to other leagues around the region and across the country, where referees are resigning due to hassle from the sidelines.

League chairman Graham Hodson said: "It will sound very conceited but we have a referee for every match. We have a code of conduct that all clubs have to sign up to."We've actually expelled eight clubs over the 10 years we have been running because of problems raised by referees.

"There are problems as you would expect. Sometimes parents and children watch Match of the Day on a Saturday and they bring it with them to the pitch on a Sunday.

"It just shows that the problem is not something which needs to be tackled at grass roots level, but rather at the top, with the Football Association."

He added that any issues brought up by referees were dealt with within weeks, making referees feel more secure and supported.

At least seven games were left without a referee two weeks ago in a different league.

Stourbridge referee David Scotford quit the game after being threatened with assault by a spectator.

The 17-year-old, who used to oversee under-13s games in the Stourbridge and District Youth League, said: "I used to have to put up with all sorts, I had people swearing at me and one 13-year-old even threw a chunk of mud at me after one game. It was the last straw when someone came up to me at the end of one of the matches and threatened to kick my head in."

David, a student at King Edward's VI College, Stourbridge, said the abuse got so much that he felt he had no option but to quit to protect his own safety.