Stamp it Out: Sunday League player banned for 143 days after grabbing and threatening a referee

THIS ARTICLE IS PART OF A SERIES OF CASES ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION AND HIGHLIGHTED BY KENTONLINE IN A BID TO IMPROVE BEHAVIOUR IN OUR GAME

A Sunday League player was handed a lengthy ban for grabbing and threatening a referee during a post-match confrontation.

Kent Marina player Luke James denied FA charges of improper conduct towards a match official with an FA disciplinary report alleging he’d told the referee: “I will knock you out you silly c***.”

Mr James’ defence was that he only grabbed the referee having being pushed first after he had questioned the official over his decision to sin bin him and then send him off.

The FA National Serious Case Panel was called upon to look into allegations made by the referee following Kent Marina’s match against Bredhurst Juniors Seniors at Luton Rec in October.

Their disciplinary commission found the referee’s evidence “clear and compelling” and issued Mr James with a suspension from all football activities for 143 days along with a £75 fine. The player also had to complete a face-to-face mandatory education programme.

The FA commissioner said that: “I note that (Mr James) grabbed the referee’s arm and threatened him.

“He states that this was because the referee had pushed him. There was no remorse shown and no apology offered on the day or since.”

The FA’s report included a summary of the evidence and a statement from the referee.

Mr James was said to have approached the referee with another player “to question his sin bin and dismissal.”

The referee said he explained his decision and that the player then responded by saying: “That’s bulls**t” and it was claimed by the official that Mr James then approached him in a threatening manner.

The report said