Last updated 11:26, Thursday, 13 November 2008

EVERY time a football manager like Newcastle’s Joe Kinnear ridicules a “Mickey Mouse” referee, or telly pundits such as the whining Andy Gray go on about the faults of match officials, usually after the 10th replay of an incident, it undermines the poor bloke doing his best on a park pitch on a Sunday morning.

Oi ref! Carlisle boss Greg Abbott makes a point

An inquiry has been launched into the abandonment of a junior match in Cumbria at the weekend where the ref claims he was subjected to taunts and foul language from spectators.

If this is happening at kids’ level, what hope is there for this supposed campaign of Respect?

I know people who have packed in refereeing because of the abuse and hassle. Junior games, with overwrought coaches and parents, are the worst.

At Premier League level managers want refs to be more approachable – until they make a decision they don’t agree with and then they become their enemies again. They accuse officials of making decisions that cost millions of pounds. No pressure, you understand.

Match officials have to put up with an increasing amount of abuse, whether it be in the big games or the local juniors. Perhaps it’s about time they all went on strike until Respect was made to mean something more than just a hollow initiative.