The Toolstation NCEL is backing a commitment by the Football Association and will be taking its own steps to stamp out unacceptable behaviour in grassroots football.

An open letter has been circulated by the FA to everyone in grassroots football (Steps 5 and below) that reads as follows:

"Football has a unique power to deliver amazing benefits to individuals and communities.

"Not only does it keep us physically and mentally healthy, but it also builds long lasting friendships, teaches leadership and resilience and inspires the nation.

"However, for all the good that football can bring, sadly last season, at all levels of the game, there were too many examples of unacceptable behaviours that had the opposite impact.

"At the grassroots level, these included swearing, aggressive shouting and persistent arguing among spectators, players and officials.

"It is only a small minority of people that act in this way, but these individuals can spoil the game for everyone, causing children and young people to not want to play, referees and volunteers to drop out and spectators to stop supporting their team.

"As The Football Association we are not going to stand by and allow this to happen.

"We will take action against those that spoil the game for others.

"For this coming season we will:

• Promote our RESPECT message to encourage the right behaviours.

• Consider harsher sanctions for those behaving inappropriately.

• If necessary, we will continue to look at how we strengthen penalties and suspension periods so that we can effectively tackle behaviours that have no place in the game.

• Trial different initiatives to help encourage the right behaviours, including piloting two silent side-lines weekends."


The Toolstation NCEL has a key role in delivering a positive football environment for all and these are the actions we will take against those who are not exhibiting the right behaviours:

• We will first work with clubs to address issues, however if this persists or there is no improvement, we will follow the league rules to remove clubs from membership for undesirable conduct (ensuing all league procedures are followed);

• Member clubs can be put forward for a vote of expulsion within a Special General Meeting (SGM);

• We can refuse or terminate the registration of a player for continuing misconduct;

• This applies when a player has accumulated more than 112 days of suspension or 10 matches in match based discipline in any competition two years from the first offence date;

• We can also refuse teams entry to invitational cup competitions.


There are also steps that clubs, coaches or managers, or referees can also take to commit to saying enough is enough when it comes to unacceptable behaviour in grassroots football.

Click here for a pdf document that outlines what you can do.

Please play your part to help make this season a brilliant one for all.