About 6 weeks ago I was playing for my saturday league team in the York and District Leeper Hare League. I recieved a booking in the first 5 minutes for obstruction. I didn't commit a foul all game until the 85th minute when a player just nicked the ball away from me and i caught him. The ref, despite protests from both teams gave me a second yellow and sent me off. I walked off the pitch but then he made me walk all the way back on to show me the red card, at which point, in frustration, I said "Ref, thats a f*****g joke" as I walked off. I got a 7 day ban, a £28 fine and an extra £8 fine for swearing at the ref. I thought fair enough but then over the weekend I recieved a letter from the FA saying that I had been handed an extra £25 fine and a 35 day ban, reduced to 28 days for previous good disciplinary record, for using foul and abusive language. To appeal it will cost a non-returnable £50, i have to write to FA headquarters in Soho and if unsuccessful my ban will be doubled. My ban will start next season. In 5 years of playing in York I haven't been booked or sent off, despite playing centre-half. I never normally use dissent and am always respectful to referees who do a very difficult job, especially at local league level. I feel i have been made a scapegoat behind the FA Respect agenda - which I fully support. I think the FA has its priorities completely wrong and if they are serious about stamping dissent out of the game they should start at the top and make examples of professionals. If a Premier League player is sent off for dissent he gets a 3 match ban, and how often are they actually sent off for dissent. If it is going to filter down to kids that is the only place to start. I don't get paid to play, I play because I love it but from one remark having been sent off I'm faced with a £61 fine and not being able to play football for 5 weeks. I really feel the FA have their priorities very very wrong. At the end of the day i swore once, about a decision and not about the referee in person having just been sent off for 2 nothing tackles.
Its really frustrating especially when they have no knowledge of individuals involved and the decisions are made with no real option to respond. £61 is a hell of a lot of money. Given it is all my first offence why not suspend it, which would send a clearer message
they need to earn respect before they get it, and when stuff like this happens they aren't going to get it. fair enough, you were in the wrong for swearing, but getting a 60 quid fine and a 5 week ban is, in your words, a fecking joke.
Its the lack of consistency too mate. That is the one and only time we've had that ref. i can't think of another ref in the league who would have even reported it to the league. Wrong place wrong time. i accept i shouldn't have done it but i don't think the punishment fits the crime. the irony iis if i'd tried to break someone's leg i probably wouldn't even have got sent off, and if i had i'd have got a week ban
