Sunday League match descends into huge brawl with referee speaking out on incident

A Sunday League match descends into huge brawl with the referee speaking out on incident which took place earlier this month (March).

The Thurrock Association Sunday League fixture is said to have taken place in Orsett, with punches thrown amid pushing, shoving and kicking while one player then uses a camera tripod as a weapon to hit others with.

A referee said as per refsupportuk: “This happened in Sunday league game last weekend.

“All escalated from a penalty being awarded. To the club assistant calling me a cxxt bastard, prick, going to get me after the game. 

“Then players reacted after exchanging words. The player that fouled in the box for the awarding of the penalty had an altercation with the other. This mealy went on for 5+ minutes of fighting throwing fists, club Assistant hit players around the head, people being kicked in the head. Obviously I was off the pitch by this point. match abandoned and trying to witness what was happening.

“Whilst collecting my bag, I was threatened, told it’s all my fault, I’m a racist, im a cxxt Also Followed to my car told I’ll find out where you live I’m coming for you, you ain’t getting paid you cxxt

“All for The love of the game!!! But….”

A ref sent this to us and posted it on our facebook page “This happened in Sunday league game last weekend.
All escalated from a penalty being awarded. To the club assistant calling me a cxxt bastard, prick, going to get me after the game. 

Then players reacted after… pic.twitter.com/5npqTJTI11

— Refsupportuk (@refsupportuk) March 21, 2023

SEE MORE: Two big challenges lead to chaos with players and staff fighting at Sunday League game

This is what fans had to say as the Sunday League match descends into a huge brawl with the referee speaking out on the incident…

@_YTCP_: Come on ref, it’s just the way it is ain’t it?….

@gosdave1: A disgrace – even if the ref is having a mare (and there are some terrible decisions made) leave him/her alone, they’re trying their best. I’m a dad who runs the line for under 16s, and I get abuse from people who think they’re right – 90% of time, they’re wrong

@billericaybaggy: I’ve been watching ‘professional’ football for over 50 years. The sport has gone. Not for one moment did I want my son playing the game. Best thing I ever did was take him to our local rugby club. Unlike football, respect taught from a young age.

@SpectorMark: Anyone who justifies this with excuses putting even the slightest blame on the performance of the referee should immediately re-assess their priorities. Any player or coach engaging in behaviour like this should be banned for life. This is disgusting.

@POTTERBALLFC: this is awful. referee has completely lost control and yet the players are the ones being held accountable. english football needs the current crop of referees to leave the country from the grassroots level to the premier league

@PaddySmithDJ: Can’t believe there are people blaming the referee in this situation. Players who react badly to legitimate decisions are the reason we are losing good referees in this country…no one should have to deal with this nonsense.

@gosdave1: A disgrace – even if the ref is having a mare (and there are some terrible decisions made) leave him/her alone, they’re trying their best. I’m a dad who runs the line for under 16s, and I get abuse from people who think they’re right – 90% of time, they’re wrong

@MrDarrenFox: Starts at the top, FA and Premier League need to implement a rule where the captain can only approach the referee and any other player gets booked! Instal respect like in rugby!

@JamesPhil0410: My son reffed a game exactly like this one all 22 and spectators joined in absolute disgrace refs came over from other pitches both teams fined £80 and kicked out cup competition hence my son doesn’t ref any more and before you ask level 4 ref done it for years

@WazzaBarlow: Disband both teams and get them out of the game. We must make a stand against behaviour like this

@PoTheBrave: This could be any Sunday game across the country. I used to referee and saw this kind of thing frequently. Gave it up by the age of 17 even though I was refereeing academy football at that stage and was lucky enough to be called up to a referee academy. Absolutely not worth it.

@Fly9Ricky: Used to see this far too much in my Sunday league. We played a team for the first time since their ban for breaking an opposing ‘keepers back had been lifted and my team ended up in a fight (I sat in their goal to wait for it to finish). No way I would ref that on my own.

@rnblade69: Easiest solution. Every player banned for 10 years. Any other team that fields one of the banned players forfeits the game and a £500 fine.

@Atyeo9: Game’s gone soft…. In all seriousness, fair play to the number 15 for trying to get his players under control. Fair play to the referee for being brave enough to stick around and film it. This sort of thing needs to be seen in order to have enough impact to effect change.

@CyberGenerate: This is why I never referee Sunday morning mens anymore, did it a few times, that was enough.

@EuanStubbs: And we wonder why we can’t get refs at grass roots. Ban all players. The game has always had people disagreeing etc but people now feel they have a right to always get their way. Refs have a tough job with no linesman etc just respect they are there

@Klodmeta: This is the reason I gave up reffing Sunday league

@ArchSta61506115: Terrible. Football ceases without refs. Hardest job on the pitch, I would t do it for a kings ransom. Fair play to all the refs out there.

@matthew1985_23: I stopped playing football over 10 years ago because of abuse I saw a referee receive. There’s absolutely no need for it at all.

@dangrigg85: I was at a youth game (u10’s) recently and overheard opposition parents talking beforehand. One bragging about how he ‘banged out a linesman’ when he played and ‘got a lifetime ban but still managed to play for 5 years under a false name’. 🙄

@MauriceKilbride: No excuse for this whatsoever. If I were in charge I would ban all the players and staff involved from playing or working in non league football again and place a very hefty fine on the clubs. Zero tolerance I am afraid.

@spiderspark1978: Really hope my 2 lads grow up wanting to play cricket or rugby football and the lack of respect in it currently is shameful

@Dunkirk_1940: This is why my son swims, cycles and plays cricket. I won’t even entertain taking him to a professional football match.

@MarkRobs7: I can’t believe the grief refs getting on here. It’s not refs fighting. But it shows the problems when keyboard warriors still having goes at refs. Won’t be any refs soon and we will know why.

@darley_mike: Bother those teams should be banned for good. No problem in doing it at all. Police should also be investigating it too. Disgraceful behaviour.

@Renvoize: Both teams should be thrown out of the league and all players involved banned from Football regardless of league for 2 years. They seem to think because they’re playing football that it’s not assault, threatening and intimidation. Should be reported to the police.

@StevenBMedia: If anybody grabbed my camera tripod and used it as a weapon it would be getting used twice. On him. This is a league ban and a massive fine.