SOCCER: Suffolk Football Association disciplinary secretary Gary Steed has confirmed that bad behaviour at football matches in the county is on the increase.

By Elvin King

SOCCER

Suffolk Football Association disciplinary secretary Gary Steed has confirmed that bad

behaviour at football matches in the county is on the increase.

Last season the county recorded 875 sendings off (compared to 794 the previous season), 5,993 cautions (5,691) and 227 reports (223).

The only piece of good news was that cases of poor administration had come down from 579 to 574. The total of 7,669 charges is 5.2 per cent up on the previous season.

Suffolk FA public relations officer Barry Felgate said: "These figures makes you wonder what is going on and how we can we try and bring them down to an acceptable level?"

With just over a month of the current season gone, 49 players have been sent off and cautions total 368. There were 19 reports and eight charges of poor administration.

"There was also the charge against a player for an 'alleged' assault on an official, and even one charge like that is one too many," added Felgate.

"I know that in games people get a bit uptight when a decision goes against them, but in almost every case that is just a spur of the moment thing. Within a few seconds they are back involved in the game.

"However, the players who cause problems are the ones who then take things a step further and hit or try to hit a referee. To be honest the game and the clubs are a lot better off without players like that."

Whatever the county do figures are likely to continue to rise – and do enormous harm to refereeing numbers.

There is no easy answer and most other counties are experiencing the same problems. Leagues in our area have taken their own initiative and come down hard on serious offenders.