A football referee urges for more support from the FA after being ATTACKED by a spectator following an under-7s match with footage released.
The official, from Merseyside, ended up being punched twice by Adam Sears with the incident taking place on the 7th of January 2023 at Lord Derby Pavilion, the home of AFC Knowsley.
The referee said he was “sickened” after the spectator say he would “drop” the teenager, who had been in charge of his stepson’s match, while the FA said the abuse was “unacceptable”, as per the BBC and Liverpool Echo.
The FA Discipline process should never begin before the justice system of this land begins. This needs to change.
Found not proven in FA Process but found guilty in the courts. This makes a mockery of the current FA process.
We have had this video for some time but as there… https://t.co/3RwSTRRlA1 pic.twitter.com/JyEiPVld9R
— Refsupportuk (@refsupportuk) September 8, 2023
Sears, 29, watched his stepson play in the game, but got angry when the boy was subbed off.
An FA judgement claimed that he repeatedly told the young referee he would “drop him” through gritted teeth and clenched his fists.
The teenage official blew the whistle subsequently abandoned the game.
The ref said when he questioned the spectator about this, as he was leaving the ground he was attacked and now CCTV footage has emerged, showing Sears getting out of his car before punching him.
The victim said: “I was most worried that he had threatened (the other referee) because he didn’t like some of the decisions he had made in an under 7s match.
“We actually stopped playing in the Merseyside Youth League league for a week after Christmas because of the level of abuse aimed at referees, and then in the first week back I get punched in the face.”
The older referee, who had been overseeing another match at the same venue, was alerted and spoke with the managers of the team in which Sears’ stepson was playing.
CCTV footage shows Sears then pulling up in car and getting out, before throwing two punches at the older referee.
The official said “justice was done” after the sentencing, with Sears found guilty this week of assault by beating of the adult referee and of using threatening, abusive or insulting language or behaviour towards a younger referee.
After a trial at South Sefton Magistrates Court, Sears was sentenced on Tuesday and given a 12-month community order, while has been ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and pay hundreds of pounds in compensation and costs. A restraining order also will prevent Sears from having contact with the victims.
The ref, who can’t be named for legal reasons, feared for the teenager’s safety and urged the FA to protect young referees.
“It was an under-7s game. It wasn’t the World Cup final. It is meant to be fun at that age.”
He said the assault also “knocked” the teenager’s confidence, adding that Sears’ behaviour was “a lorry load of aggro”.
He said the FA had promised the teenager a mentor but “it hasn’t materialised”.
Sears recently appealed against an initial five-year suspension from all football activities including attending matches.
In the judgement, Liverpool County FA state they had “imposed a ground ban by default in such cases, having received guidance”.
But, the FA appeal board said the ban was “excessive” and add “there was no justification in the reasons as to why a ground ban was considered appropriate, given the purported intention to impose the minimum sanction”.
It ruled that the suspension should be amended so Sears could watch games at venues, but conceded his behaviour in January had been “confrontational and aggressive”.
The victim said: “I was most worried that he had threatened (the other referee) because he didn’t like some of the decisions he had made in an under 7s match.”
“We actually stopped playing in the Merseyside Youth League league for a week after Christmas because of the level of abuse aimed at referees, and then in the first week back I get punched in the face.”
He goes on to say the fact that Sears pleaded not guilty to the charges meant he had the situation “hanging over us for nine months. This guy has put us through a lot.”
Sears also was given a five-year suspension from all football activity, originally included a ban from all grounds or venues but this element was lifted on appeal – but the victim isn’t happy with this.
“This man should be nowhere near a football match. I am concerned that this will happen to someone else who is refereeing a match. People should not be abused just because they are wearing the black uniform.”
SEE MORE: Hundreds of referees fear for safety at grassroots level after being punched, headbutted, spat at
Twitter users reacted as the referee urges for support from the FA after being ATTACKED a by spectator…
@camberwell73: Not proven 😂😂😂 the evidence is right there before their eyes. Absolute shambles, we need Counties and an FA that support our officials
@KieranGaughan: Wait… You’re saying the FA didn’t get the right decision despite having clear video evidence? Well I never….. At least they’re consistent 😂
@Nacha533: Shameful and very shameful. It actually scares the hell out of me. Seeing that and the number of vulnerable times we find ourselves. This is bad and football authorities have let us down here.
@RFC_97: Sounds about right. Numerous times had hearings where county FA have thrown out a case because a club says they didn’t do it, sat there and the county and club make you feel like you’ve made the whole thing up… whole system needs a revamp.
@darren_m_sage: I had to read that 3 times… an u7s match… we may as well all be packing up football when this type of stuff happens…. kudos to the older ref for helping out and putting himself in the way. The county FA discipline system has never been fit for purpose and never will be.
@bman1878: The @FA are horrendous with dealing with anything let alone anything in grassroots football. They genuinely couldn’t give a toss about the violence issues in grassroots football.
@richwilks: FA found not proven? Fucking hell, I asked the referee what his name was and got a 6 month ban 😂
@TazkerV2: How absolutely pig miserable do you have to be with your life that you attack a ref. It’s not the ref’s fault your kid is shit and will turn into a cunt like you.
@Mallymaldini: U7s ffs 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
@leogowing23: Cowardly cunt 🤢
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