Last year over twelve hundred clubs and a hundred leagues took part in the FA’s ‘Respect - Set Your Stall Out’ weekend.
For the 2015/2016 season the FA will once again be providing a range of new Respect resources to help create a really positive environment in which young people can learn to play the game. We’ll be encouraging clubs to use the resources for the first time at their fixtures on the weekend of October 10 & 11th promoting the behaviour they’d like to see displayed for the rest of the season.
For 2015/16 the Kent FA are encouraging clubs and leagues to make use of Respect Posters, Touchline Lanyards, Bootlaces, Sweatbands, Tattoos and Armbands. Clubs will also be able to make use of the Football Foundation’s Respect Equipment Scheme http://footballfoundation.org.uk/funding-schemes/respect/ offering 50% off barriers, signage, Respect Boards and other promotional items. From September 2015, all clubs and leagues with a 2015/16 affiliation number are eligible for Respect vouchers. Any club or league that has used up its allocation for 2014/15 will get their units reinstated so will be free to apply again.
These resources communicate clearly that young players will develop a life time love of the sport and improved technical skills if their experience of the game is an enjoyable one. Young players are by the very nature very competitive but most play with a sense of fairness and respect for their opponents that isn’t always matched by some of the watching adults. Normally it’s the referee – and usually a young referee – that kops the criticism.
The FA’s Respect programme is now in its eight season and although the volume of cautions are roughly the same - all dissent cautions - (abuse or back chat to referees) - has declined by 23%. The consensus of many leagues and clubs is that the environment for young people to learn the game has been improved by the introduction of designated spectator areas, Respect training for coaches, codes of conduct, Pitch Side Marshalls, Parents Briefings, Respect signage. This improvement is reflected in a decline in all misconduct charges, dismissals and to everyone’s relief - assaults on referees. There are now have approximately 27,000 registered referees up from circa 23,000 in 2008 - More importantly mentoring to young referees and the coverage of fixtures has improved considerably as has enjoyment of games.
FA Respect Manager – Dermot Collins commented
‘What these stats means in reality is a more positive and enjoyable environment for the game to take place in and because of this it’s much more likely that we keep coming back week after week - whether as players, referees, volunteers, parents or spectators.
‘As it’s still early in the new season we’d love to see clubs and leagues using our resources to send out clear, important messages about how they want to see grassroots Football being played and watched in this Country’
Clubs and Leagues can register for resources by following this link www.FASetYourStallOut.com
The FA are keen to hear about their experiences of ‘Respect – Set Your Stall Out’ - email a picture to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or tweet @FA or @KentFA.
Read more at http://www.kentfa.com/news/2015/aug/set-your-stall-2015-season-launched#9kqmGuwmDoeLlUIE.99
