THREE STRIKES AND YOU’RE OUT!
Jackson Anderson Accountants Spennymoor Sunday League
THE Spennymoor Sunday League is once again leading the way with an innovative approach to eradicating referee abuse from the touchline.
The league is incorporating a ‘three-strikes-and-you’re-out’ policy – meaning clubs that persistently offend will be expelled from the league.
While it isn’t a major problem for the Spenny league, they have launched the new strict guidelines so that it DOESN’T become a major problem.
All club secretaries and most of the league’s referees attended a meeting last week in preparation for the new season, due to start this Sunday – a day after Saturday’s big Premiership kick-off.
During the meeting, Secretary Mike Hill announced the league's plans.
“Everywhere you hear of referees leaving the game due to touchline abuse, and this season it is our goal to eradicate this problem from our league,” he said.
“We want to be the first Sunday league able to say, with confidence, “this is not an issue in our league, and any referee currently in the league or joining it will not have this problem to deal with”.
“To do this, we are adopting a ‘three-strikes-and-out’ policy. If a club is found guilty once they will be fined and severely warned as to their future conduct. A second time will mean a heavy fine and a final warning. A third guilty decision will result in expulsion from the league.
“We are encouraging referees to report abuse as in the past, everyone knows it goes on but no one reports it. Last season we had only one report for touchline behaviour.
“We have sent a clear message to all clubs: Control your touchline or go elsewhere, and to all referees, dont accept it, report it!”
The league’s full fixture programme kicks off in earnest this Sunday, while mid-week games will also go ahead for the next three weeks.
• The next league meeting will take place at Croxdale WMC on Wednesday 1st September 2004.
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