Rushden & Diamonds board to discuss referee abuse

AFC Rushden & Diamonds said any supporters who witnessed the incident should contact them

The board of non-league AFC Rushden & Diamonds will meet on Tuesday to discuss abuse directed at a female referee which led to their game against Coventry Sphinx being abandoned at half-time.

The clubs were due to receive an initial report from the Football Association on Monday following the incident, which involved a comment of a "sexist nature" being directed towards the match official.

"Abuse is wrong and no one should be subjected to it," Diamonds chairman Rob Usher told BBC Radio Northampton's Non-League Scene.

"We all know within the confines of football that men, women and children attend games on Saturday afternoons and shout things at people they would never dare say to them in the street. It's not right but it's part and parcel of football, particularly in non-league.

"Sometimes it's humorous and sometimes it creates a really good back and forth between fans and opposing players. But everybody knows where the line is and on this occasion, it seems to have massively crossed that line."

Saturday's Northern Premier League Midlands Division game resumed following the incident but the referee said at half-time that she did not feel comfortable continuing and it was called off.

Both clubs issued statements condemning the abuse and an investigation is ongoing.

"As a club we need to do what's right, we need to deal in facts, we need to remove emotion from it," said Usher.

"We're starting to build a very clear picture, we believe, of the incident. We've analysed video and photographs that we have, to ensure we are doing the right things."

He continued: "There's a lot of evidence we've managed to build and ultimately whether it's a Rushden fan or a Coventry fan, if this alleged incident is found to be proved then action needs to be taken."

Usher said the referee had officiated the first half of the match "really well".

He added: "Rushden & Diamonds is a community club and we're very proud of our values. Anyone who comes to our games and does not adhere to those values that we pride ourselves on will no longer be part of our football club."

Martin Cassidy, chief executive of the Ref Support UK charity, said he absolutely supported the decision to abandon the game.

"We screamed at the FA for many years to do more to support referees and over the last three or four years they have really stepped up, supporting referees at all levels, but particularly at grassroots levels on and off the pitch," Cassidy said.

"They've brought many measures in but it's still not enough. That's not the FA's fault but I think referees are now saying 'we're stepping up now, we've had enough'."