FA launch probe after referee suffers significant injuries during on-pitch assault

The FA launch a probe after one referee suffers significant injuries during an on-pitch assault with police called to the scene.

Match official David Bradshaw was taken to hospital after he was attacked by a Platt Bridge player during a South Lancashire Counties League fixture against Wigan Rose.

The incident was one of two to have taken place in the county last weekend, while Greater Manchester Police and the Lancashire Football Association are already investigating the matter.

Platt Bridge have confirmed the player who assaulted Bradshaw is no longer part of the club and said they are “ashamed of what has happened”.

A statement released on Facebook read: “We as a club do not condone any violence towards anyone in the football community. We are ashamed of what has happened, and the player is no longer playing with our team going forward. We as a team hope we can build our reputation back to what we have worked so hard for.”

Many social media users sent messages of support to Bradshaw, who is the Under-13 secretary for the Bolton, Bury & District Football League.

Platt Bridge have said they have spoken to the referee to apologise with Wigan Today claiming the incident came when Bradshaw showed a red card to a Platt Bridge player.

The assault left Bradshaw with broken nose, four broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, a broken collarbone, concussion and whiplash.

On Sunday evening, he wrote on social media: “Hi all, still at hospital, I’ve sustained significant injuries.

“I’ve sustained substantial injuries but I’ll survive. My confidence has been smashed to bits but please, because of one person, don’t tarnish the club with the same brush. The club is doing great things for the community. Up the refs.” Bradshaw has since been discharged from hospital.

In response to the latest assault on a match official, the FA released a statement on Monday titled “Enough is enough”. Via their spokesperson Twitter account, the governing body wrote: “We are aware of incidents of assault on a match official and a player during matches played this weekend in Lancashire.

“We have been very clear that all forms of anti-social behaviour, abuse and assaults on match officials and participants are completely unacceptable and we will not tolerate this in the game. We are investigating the incidents as a matter of urgency, working with the Lancashire FA, who are liaising with the police and supporting the match official and player affected.”

In response to the FA’s statement, Ref Support UK – a charity devoted to training and supporting match officials – called for “changes now”. They wrote: “To be fair to The Fa this is a welcome, but sad change to their modus operandi, as they have never in the past made a statement like this. They must make it clear what their idea is that #enoughisenough. No more holding statements no more soulless campaigns. Make changes now.”

Twitter users had their say as the FA launch a probe after referee David Bradshaw suffers significant injuries during an on-pitch assault…

Awww diddums is upset so that makes it all ok. He needs locking up and banning from football for life. pic.twitter.com/BNJKsFnrQU

— ❤️🐝 ⓛⓞυᎥѕє 𝓑 🐝❤️ (@loobylouband) October 3, 2022

@BeagriesTash: Lifetime ban from the game and a custodial sentence. As a coach of an under 15’s team I’m sick of the stick that referees get (often young kids themselves learning their trade), then in the next breath the same people are moaning because they have no ref for a fixture.

@matty_appleby: Ffs the blokes taking time out of his busy life to referee a football match doesn’t deserve this hope the culprit (s) get the full extent of the law

@neilupthetics: Disgusting he should be sent down for a long time.

@nigel413: Glad to see the club has done the right thing and thrown the player out of the team disgusting shouldn’t happen in football wishing the ref well and that yes back reffing soon because without them we wouldn’t have a game

@jay_tics: My dad was reffing back in the 00s and packed it in following an assault. It was one of many. Lancs FA and the police gave the lad a slap on the wrist. Nothing will change until jail sentences and lifetime bans are handed out.

@sampo343: This is disgusting, hope he gets sent down for this assault on a referee.

@mfemigs: Lad who sits behind us in the west, who is involved in amateur football, will tell you this is the exact reason why there is a massive shortage of referees at almost every level

@MalcolmSimm2: That is GBH needs sending down and hopefully dave will sue for criminal injuries

@TicsAsh: Used to ref at my local 5 aside Dave, top bloke 👍

@HarryBridges94: A life ban and jail time

@JohnWigan3: The abuse, physical in this case, but also verbal, that referees get is beyond acceptable in football these days. Is it any wonder fewer new refs are being recruited than are leaving each year? Then they’re rushed up the pyramid too quickly and the standard is therefore poor

@RibbleBlue: @Manchester_FA Come on you all need to pull fingers out here

@amadobson: I gave up playing 15 years ago and thought it was bad then

@MarkGambles: it’s a sad state off affairs dave is a lovely lad and a passionate ref no need for this to n him home town

@lewis_gildart: What was everyone else doing why this was going on? Takes some time to sustain that many injuries

@jobrad68: Lovely fella Dave. Loves reffing too. Such a shame my son reffed and stopped at 17 he got threatened by the manager of an u9s side.

@Williams63Kenny: Dave is a top bloke who helped myself on numerous occasions in my role as Head of Academy Recruitment at Latics.Speedy recovery Dave , hope you are well pal. Now it’s time for the FA and authorities to step up their game and make a statement with severe punishment .

@PhilBolton78: About time the @FootballAssoc clamped down on abuse and dissent in the top leagues. The grassroots programmes don’t work because nothing changes in the Prem. Players still see refs hounded with nothing done about it. Sort it out #enoughisenough

@pne_jamie: The report mentions what action the LFA are taking . What about the police? This is assault and the offender deserves jail time for this

@bigboyT1968: Why there are less and less refs coming into the game. And it’s the respective FA’s and leagues who should be doing more to stop this.

@bscoot123: Not quite same level and in a different sport, young ref this weekend victim of post match abuse, response of one poster on here was she would man up and get on with it! And folk wonder why we have a problem. Same part of country which is a worry

@efc5661: Jail sentence and lifetime ban from playing for the attacker and massive points deduction for the team he plays/played for, it’s not enough to announce he doesn’t play for the club anymore

@Boonie75: I have had my fair share of run ins with Dave and the ammy league refs over the years but never thought about attacking one. Hope he has a speedy recovery and doesn’t put him off from refereeing again.

@BluesSrdc: This is awful, imagine just going out to ref a game and ending up in hospital. We’ve just recently been affected by the ref shortage, they are crucial to the game. We have to stop this happening, otherwise the game we love, will disappear. Luckily it’s not in @lancssundayleag

@SteTinsley: Shocking that @LaticsOfficial fan Dave was simply doing his job and passion helping keep grassroots football going only to be attacked by a coward. Without people like Dave the sport is dead. Without cretins attacking refs, the sport will be much stronger. #wafc

@HayleyBackup95: Oh wow. Absolutely no need in that and in sure idiots forget “no ref, no game”. Assault of any type is not needed and the younger generation of refs might see this and think it’s not worth the risk. Moronic

@jennybeann12: What has the game become. Refs being assaulted and players laughing about it. Even the club seemingly aren’t that bothered about the ref just themselves. Shambles that. Speedy recovery for the ref involved who deserved better.

@stevecco: For those who bemoan the standard of refereeing in this country, this is where it starts. More and more referees leaving the game, fewer entering it. An ever-decreasing pool from which to develop the best

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