JUNIOR FOOTBALL !!

[Big J R]

Why do we bother ??

 

I decided to wander down the road and watch a couple of youth ('kids') games at our local playing field this morning.

 

The lads, (God bless 'em), played their hearts out, but I have NEVER witnessed such behaviour and language from 'supporters' in all my life !

 

No wonder the kids of today seem to get such a bad reputation if they have to follow their parents example !

 

The referee did the best he could under the circumstances, but the way he was 'verbally' attacked after the match, beggered belief !

 

Why do we bother to teach the children of today all about 'fair-play' ??

[Mark (Flag) Braintree]

Sundays, Wednesdays or Thursdays i watch our U18's thankfully at that age you don't get the over protective mums and dads. If they turn up, ours and the ones we have played against have been full of encouragement.

 

I used to coach an Under 9's team and the amount of abuse was un believable (not for Braintree I hasten to add) in their eyes little Johnny can do no wrong, that is the problem.

 

 

[Burnham Lad]

I agree Big JR! Last weekend I went to our local playing fields and stopped to watch an under 16's league match. As usual the Linos were from each team and the grief the one on my side of the pitch was giving the ref, plus the coaching as well as abuse of his own players and belittling the opposition, plus the fact that he was always at least two to three yards on the pitch, made me wonder. At one stage I actually thought he was going to slip a through ball to his winger!

 

The example to the lads of both sides,who were generally of a good standard, was awful!

 

Why some of these refs at this level bother amazes me.

[Dan Sampford]

I agree Big JR. I know find most teams at youg as 8 where the parents are fing and blinding. Even at there own children during play.

[American FLEET FAN No1]

The exact reason i refused to coach a junior team in this country............PARENTS!

[mala_D]

Last 2 seasons I regularly watched my cousin's son play footie, and yesterday I watched about 30 mins of an under-16 match, and the behaviour by players and parents has always been exemplary. Referees are given respect, players and parents engage in the Corinthian, sporting spirit of the game, and congratulate and thank eachother after the match. The lads always look as though they are enjoying the game too.

 

You lot must live in CHAV areas as I've never heard any swearing, or abuse of any sort, during youth matches played where I live. Maybe Essex/Hornchurch people have better manners than everyone else.

[Barry Scott]

same sort of things happen in Junior ice hockey in canada

[The Invisible Man]

This is exactly why, when I refereed for a few seasons in the early 90's, I went striaght to adult leagues and wouldn't do youth games. Of course if teh County give you a youth Counyt Cup game you have to do it. I only got one once and didn't like it.

 

As a minor quibble, these are called Youth games/leagues. Junior football is actually adult football - Sunday morning leagues and so on, colloquially known as park football.

[Urchin Boy]

I Refereed Two Games On Sunday And Then Arrived Late For My Own Game

 

My Second Game Was An U/8 Echo League Cup Game, For A Start The Goals Weren't Set Up Till 12:10 When The Game Was Due To Start At 12:00. Anyway Got Through The 15 Minutes Each Half It Ended 1-1 And Went Straight To Penalties.

 

Now One Of The Managers Has Reported Me To The FA For Not Playing Extra Time, When There Shouldn't Of Been Any !

[Mark (Flag) Braintree]

Apologies to all <img src="/images/graemlins/offtopic.gif" alt="" />

 

This may be of interest to you U.B as you mentioned Echo League. Posted on Braintree forum sunday night. Under title "Ricay Dream Fades away"

 

Post.

 

Thurrock U18's V Braintree Town U18's

 

In the Eastern Junior Alliance League Cup preliminary round we went to Thurrock this morning for an 11 am kick off. Knowing that on the 17th October the winners would host Ricay in the 1st round.

 

The game was played at Thurrock college, unfortunately there were no dug outs for the players (subs) and Management and the changing rooms were at least a 5 mins walk. (We carry out our dug outs to our 2nd pitch, it is a rule that dug outs should be in place. Most teams though play on their first team pitch)

 

Anyway, on the pitch behind our game and kicking off about 30 mins before us was Thurrock U15's V County Park U15's in the Echo London Junior Premier Division League , the score ended 0.0 Thanks to the dads watching that game for the info.

 

Back to our game it mirrored yesterdays first team game where we were far better than our opponents but did not get the result and again like yesterday we were pleased with the ref, a special mention must go to Steve - Braintree / Gillingham fan who ran the line for us and for Danny Shipton who stepped into young Anna Hawes role as physio both lads did very well.(In the EJA each club must provide a competent lino, where in the Ridgeons league all 3 officials are appointed.)

 

The Thurrock keeper looked decidedly dodgey and spooned so many chances we really should have punished him. Thurrock took the lead on 10 mins, but before that Peter Davies and Ashley Skeggs had shots on goal. Lloyd Gooday must surely be man of the match, he was everywhere and very influential involved in the free kick in the first half and another in the 70th also the 75th min which the Thurrock keeper spooned again. Goodays best chance surely was the shot that forced the keeper to make a blinding save which he parried round for an Iron corner.

 

Before that Matt Hobley had an effort in the 36th min and Peter Davies chipped the keeper in the first half but the ball would not come down for him.

 

Just before half time Thurrock scored a 2nd.

Which was also the full time score:

Thurrock 2.0 Braintree Town

 

TEAM,

1, Yaxley

2, Bruce

3, Stone

4, Cullen

5, Harris

6, Ellis

7, Gooday

8, Tomlinson (Capt)

9, Davies

10, Skeggs

11, Hobley

 

Subs.

14, Stevens 77 replaced Ellis

15, Cook 51 replaced Davies

16, Crow HT replaced Hobley

 

Unused Subs

12, Williams

17, Croft

 

The Iron lads could be proud of their performance I felt like the lads gave it their best, proud of them the commitment was clearly there. Unfortunately the chance to host Ricay at home has gone, but we go on to bigger fish to fry with a HUGE F.A.Youth Cup 1Q Rd game on Thursday away to Diss Town, coach departs for Norfork at 5pm from the club house.

 

See you on the coach.

 

 

Flag.

 

 

 

 

[American FLEET FAN No1]

No disrespect Mark..........but blatant Braintree advertising should stay on your forum........general junior football was the theme here

[Dan Sampford]

I think the refs should report parents who are very abusive during a game

[Big J R]

I think you'll find they can !

 

Personally, never involved in an official capacity at youth level.