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Respect is The FA’s programme to address unacceptable behaviour in football – on and off the pitch. 
On average, 7,000 referees quit football every year because of the abuse they receive from players and from the sidelines. Lots of children also pack it in because of the attitude and actions of over-enthusiastic and pushy parents. 

In response, The FA’s Respect programme provides a series of tools for leagues, clubs, coaches, Referees, players and parents from grassroots to elite football to ensure a safe, positive environment in which to enjoy the game. 

These tools include agreed codes of conduct, in-service training for Referees, Respect club packs, spectator sideline barriers funded by the Football Foundation and ensuring captains work with referees to manage player behaviour.

The FA has also launched a free online Respect Parent Guide to highlight examples of poor behaviour and, more importantly, how it can be improved. To see the Guide for Parents and carers click here. 

Actor Ray Winstone has now pledged his support to the Respect Parent Guide by taking part in a new FA film. Watch it here.

To find out more about Respect, scroll down;

My Role ~ Captains ~ Referees ~ Spectators' Areas ~ Codes Of Conduct

My Role in Respect

Respect affects the entire game, and needs your help, regardless of how you are involved in football.

PLAYERS
Whether you're in the starting eleven or on the bench, your role as a player is crucial to the success of Respect.

 On a matchday, you'll be expected to work with your coaches and your captain to allow the referee to manage the game without being subjected to abuse. With the game losing thousands of referees from the game every year, it's hugely important, because without the referees, the game isn't the same.

The Colchester and District Youth League you play in adopts the Respect programme, so you will be asked to read, agree to, and sign, a Code of Conduct at your club. This will be your 'promise' to abide by a set of rules governing your behaviour as a player. Working together with your coach, your captain, and each referee that takes charge of your games during the season, you can play a major role in improving the game for everyone, through Respect.

COACHES
Coaches have a hugely important role to play in Respect, as they are not only responsible for their own behaviour, but they can also influence that of their players and spectators, too.

On a matchday, you'll be expected to work with your players, parents and other spectators to allow the referee to manage the game without being subjected to abuse.

REFEREES
The Respect programme aims to allow Referees to officiate matches without being subjected to abuse by players, coaches or spectators - and the referees themselves have a key part to play in the process.

Working in partnership with the clubs they officiate, referees can provide post-match feedback regarding the behaviour of players, parents, coaches and other spectators, to help the clubs enforce their Codes of Conduct.

PARENTS AND SPECTATORS
Parents have a big responsibility as part of the Respect programme.

Respect is working to eradicate touchline abuse in football, and parents can play their part by agreeing to, and signing, their club's Code of Conduct and abiding by them throughout the season.

Parents also have a responsibility for their children's behaviour. The players will also be asked to sign a Code of Conduct, and parents can encourage their children to adhere to the players' code.

CLUB AND LEAGUE OFFICIALS
The Respect programme relies on clubs and leagues to take active steps to ensure high standards of conduct throughout their club or league.

Leagues can champion the Respect programme, and communicate the importance of Respect to their member clubs through meetings and bulletins. The Colchester and District Youth League have signed up to the Respect Campaign.

Club officials can sign up to and enforce Codes of Conduct for their players, coaches, parents and spectators, which will set the standard for behaviour throughout their club. If you have not read and signed a copy of the Code of Conduct, please speak to your teams manager.

Captains Role in Respect

As your team's captain, you have a vital role to play in helping us achieve the number one priority for footballers in The FA's biggest-ever survey of grassroots football - a referee for every game.

Seven thousand referees are dropping out each season because of the abuse and intimidation they receive. It ruins games and can cause matches to be abandoned. Then we've all lost.
Captain taking responsibility

As a captain, you have no special status or privileges under the Laws of the Game, but you do have a degree of responsibility for the behaviour of your team.

To promote Respect, the referee will work with you, as the team captain, to manage the players and the game effectively.

Even if you are some way away from an incident when the referee feels he/she needs you involved in a discussion with a player, the referee will call you over. This will ensure that, as the team captain, you remain the point of contact for the referee.

To find out more about how referees and captains need to work together as part of Respect, see below.

How Captains can help to instil Respect:
  • Ensure you wear a Respect captain's armband - these will be provided by your league to your club
  • Together with your opposition captain, make yourself known to the referee before the game. He/she will ask if you are clear about your responsibilities
  • Ensure all your players understand what they can/cannot do in relation to the referee and what is meant by 'unwanted behaviour'. No-one's trying to curb enthusiasm - just instil more discipline. This can only benefit your match - and football as a whole
  • Ensure your vice-captain (appoint one if you haven't got one) is aware of these rules, in case you are unavailable for a game, or have to leave the field
  • Ensure every player in your team has signed the Respect Code of Conduct

An important part of Respect is the need for captains like you to work alongside referees to ensure a better playing atmosphere between players and officials.

Given you, as the captain, are the main point of contact for the referee under Respect, it's important you understand what referees have been asked to do:

 Firstly, the referee has been requested to work with you to manage the players and the game effectively.

 However, in his/her own right, the referee must control the game by applying the Laws of the Game. This includes dealing firmly with any open show of dissent by players (e.g. not to move away from the incident, but stay and deal with it).

The type of behaviour which often gives rise to problems in matches, and where captains and referees need to work together, can be described as 'harassment' and 'challenging behaviour' towards the referee.

Here's some examples of each:

Harassment:
  • Running towards the referee in an aggressive manner
  • Players surrounding the referee to protest a decision
  • Repeatedly asking questions about decisions in an attempt to influence the referee or undermine his/her responsibilities

Challenging:

  • Continually asking the referee questions about decisions made obviously in an attempt to undermine his/her position
  • Passing comment to other players about a referee's decision-making
  • Aggressively running at a referee to object about decisions
  • Repeatedly moaning at the referee about decisions
  • Gestures that obviously are made in a derogatory manner, such as a shaking of the head or waving of the hand

DOWNLOAD: Respect Captains' Guide

"It's not enough to be a great player to be a captain. You have to be a great leader who commands and shows Respect."
 Fabio Capello, England manager

 

Referees Role in Respect

Referees have a major role to play in Respect.  Here's how match officials can help to incorporate Respect into their games.

1. ATTEND A COUNTY FA INFORMATION SESSION

You will be invited to a Respect information session or workshop, hosted by your County FA and league. It's vital you attend, as it will explain what you need to do to be part of the programme - and answer any questions you may have.

We need you to be absolutely clear about what your Respect role entails.


2. READ, UNDERSTAND, ACCEPT AND SIGN UP TO THE MATCH OFFICIALS' CODE OF CONDUCT

All referees need to sign the Match Officials' Code of Conduct contained in the Respect pack.

3. ENSURE YOU UNDERSTAND OTHERS' CODES OF CONDUCT

There are four Codes of Conduct covering various football participants:
  1. Club Officials, Coaches and Team Managers
  2. Spectators, Parents and Carers
  3. Adult players
  4. Young players (under 16)

Like the Match Officials' Code, they also include penalties which can be imposed.

Please ensure you read and understand all these Codes.

 Naturally, we want to take a sensible and measured approach to the imposition of penalties and we are relying on you, as the controller of the game, to be clear about:
  • What everybody else at the match has signed up to
  • When action needs to be taken
  • What needs to be done.
     
Respect will only work if we are fair and consistent. Ignore people's abusive behaviour, those who do not keep to their Code, and there is no Respect. As a referee you have a pivotal role to play.

4. MONITORING RESPECT

Some referees will be asked to help The FA to monitor if the Respect programme is having a positive impact on behaviour.

If the league to which you are appointed uses The FA's league administration system Full-Time you will be asked to provide feedback on matches that you officiate at. This is a simple task that will only take a few minutes each week.

Codes of Conduct

 Codes of Conduct aren't new and are already in use by some clubs (it is mandatory for Charter Standard clubs). Some are successful, some are forgotten and are not acted upon.

Respect brings them to life.

How? By supporting and strengthening the Codes of Conduct with possible consequences. There is little point in having a set of rules if no action is taken if and when they're broken.

There are five Codes of Conduct, each listing possible penalties for breaking these 'promises'. The Codes are aimed at:

Click Here to download Colchester Villa Youth Football Clubs Club Constitution, Containing The Code Of Conduct!

Respect works on placing responsibility for their actions on individuals: break your Code, and bear the consequences.
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