COACHING, REFEREE AND GOALKEEPING COURSES
Martyn Jones has details of coaching, refereeing and goalkeeping courses for anyone interested.

Contact him by email martyn@www.shirecolts.net or meet up on a match day for more details.

THE LATEST LETTER FROM YOUR CLUB CHAIRMAN - AUGUST 2005
Hello everybody and welcome to the start of the 2005/06 football season. There have been a number of changes in the club over the summer months and I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to advise you of the changes and also to bring to your attention certain matters.

The end of an era

As you will all know, Alan Bennett stood down as Club Chairman at the Annual General Meeting and I have stepped into his shoes. Alan did a tremendous amount of good work for the club and I shall try my best to be as good a Chairman as he was. Like Alan, I am available should anybody have any issues that they wish to discuss with me, but you should initially discuss any issues with your Team Manager and if that doesn't resolve matters, then please feel free to contact me.

Club's codes of conduct

The Club has a formal constitution and is run in accordance with those rules and those laid down by the Football Association. We adhere to all the rules and requirements of the Gloucestershire Football Association to whom we are affiliated. A number of boys will have joined mid-way through a season and it is possible that they may not have been issued with the Club's Code of Conduct for players, parents and spectators.

I thought it would be an appropriate time to re-issue these Codes of Conduct and also to report on a new initiative that is being brought into force this season. The initiative is called "Respect for the Referee". This has come down from the League in association with the Referees Association. There were a high number of referees, particularly the younger ones, who refused to referee games last year due to the abuse, verbal and physical, that they suffered during games. The game needs referees and it is because of the treatment that they have suffered over the last few years, this new initiative has been brought in. The Referees Association has warned that any player caught swearing will now be automatically red-carded. There will be no exceptions to this policy. Furthermore, the referees will now no longer allow any player to start a game if they are wearing any form of jewellery. This means that watches, rings, necklaces, earrings or any other form of visible jewellery will have to be removed before a game starts. Changing rooms are not the safest of places and if security is an issue regarding your personal jewellery, can I suggest that it is left at home before you come to matches.

If a player is sent off, the referee has to make a report to the League and the Football Association. They then have the right to summon the player, team and club to a disciplinary hearing. If that were to happen, the likely outcome is a fine for the player, coupled with a ban for a number of games and a fine for the club. However, at the last Avon Youth League meeting, the League Management Committee stated that "if any player or club is found guilty of abusing a referee, then the entire club, not just the player and team involved, but the whole club, will be removed from the League with immediate effect". This really does show how serious the Football Association and Leagues are taking the issue of referee abuse. I obviously cannot stress how important it is that every player, whatever age, shows respect for the referee. Please stress upon your children how important this new initiative is.

As part of the "Respect for the Referee" campaign, as a club, I set out below our Code of Conduct for players, parents and spectators. They have not changed, and set out what we should all be doing anyway.

Code of Conduct for Parents and Spectators

Parents and spectators have a great influence on children's enjoyment and success in football. Children play football because they first and foremost love the game and it is great fun. It is important to remember that positive encouragement will contribute to:

Children enjoying their football.
A sense of personal achievement.
Self-esteem.
Improvement in the child's skill and performance.

A parent or spectator's expectations and attitudes have a significant bearing on a child's attitude towards:

Other players.
Officials.
Managers and Coaches.
Spectators

Parents and spectators are expected to always offer positive and encouraging support towards all of the children, not just their own.

Parents and spectators are encouraged to:

Applaud the opposition as well as your own team.
Avoid coaching the children during the game.
Not to shout and scream at any child.
Respect the referee's decision.
Give attention to each of the children involved in the football, not just the most talented ones.
Give encouragement to everyone to participate in football.

Code of Conduct for Players

Players are the most important people in the game. Playing for the team, and for the team to win, is the most fundamental part of the game, but not winning at any cost. Fair play and respect for all others in the game, both on and off the field, is also fundamentally important. A player should:

Make every effort to develop their own sporting abilities, in terms of skill, technique, tactics, fitness and stamina.
Give maximum effort and strive for the best possible performance during a game, even if the team is in a position where the desired result has been achieved.
Set a positive example for others.
Avoid all forms of gamesmanship, time wasting and particularly cheating.
Always have regard to the best interests of the game.
Not to use inappropriate or bad language.
Make every effort consistent with fair play and laws of the game to help their own team win.
Know and stick to the rules, laws and spirit of the game.
Accept success and failure, victory and defeat equally.
Treat opponents with due respect at all times, irrespective of the result of the game.
Safeguard the physical fitness of opponents, avoid violence and rough play and help injured opponents.
Accept the decision of the match officials without protest.
Show due respect towards match officials.
Abide by the instructions of your coach and team officials.
Show due respect towards the team officials of the opposition.

All of the above is standard basic good behaviour and I am sure something that all parents and players adhere to anyway. As a club, we respectfully ask all parents, spectators and players to adhere to the club's Code of Conduct and also comply with the club's child protection policy.

Manager's Meetings

All managers meet once a month to deal with matters arising. All managers have the dates of the meetings and any parent is able to attend should they wish to do so. The meetings are held at Shirehampton Football Club Clubhouse and start at 7.30pm on a Sunday evening.

Moving forward

Finally, the club had a tremendously successful season last year, the under 9's won their Hanham Minor League cup, the under 10's were runners up in their Hanham Minor League Cup, the under 14's won the Gloucester Youth FA Cup and our club secretary, Julie Price, was awarded the Avon Youth League Secretary of the Year trophy.

It was one of the greatest season's for the club and the players and as we all start again, lets go forward in the spirit of fun, excitement, enjoyment and hope that at the end of this season there are more cups to hand out at presentation night !

Enjoy your football and good luck to every single player.

Peter Root
Club Chairman