This is the moment a referee is chased off the pitch by an irate parent who ‘lost the plot’ when an inept player was shown a red card during an under-18s football match.
Referee Roger Hughes, 43, had just blown the whistle during the match between Portland United and Merley Cobham Sports in Dorset when he was filmed being chased.
The video shows an angry father, who was acting as a linesman, chasing Mr Hughes before being dragged away from him by another parent.
Home team Portland won Sunday’s Dorset Youth match, which took place at Camp and Satherley Stadium, on the Isle of Portland, by two goals to one. But the father, who was with the away team, is said to have confronted Mr Hughes about decisions made in the match.
Mr Hughes was then called a ‘fat bastard’ by one of the players, who was shown a red card by the referee. At that point the father is said to have ‘lost the plot’ and chased him off the field.
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This is the moment a referee is chased off the pitch by an irate parent during an under-18s football match in Dorset
Referee Roger Hughes (pictured) had just blown the whistle during the match between Portland United and Merley Cobham Sports in Dorset when he was filmed being chased
The video shows an angry dad, who was acting as a linesman, chasing Mr Hughes before being dragged away from him by another parent (pictured)
The video shows the burly man, wearing jeans and a blue top, sprinting across the field as Mr Hughes runs away.
Another man is then seen dragging the parent away before he can reach Mr Hughes.
Screams and laughter from some players and parents can be heard off camera during the shocking incident.
Mr Hughes, an official referee registered with the Dorset FA, claims he reported the matter to Dorset Police, but police told MailOnline there was no record of a report relating to the incident.
He said: “The assistant (referee), who is a parent, refused to give me my flag back and then started walking towards me. I walked back and then he started chasing me across the field.”
The incident, which took place at Portland Utd’s ground, has been condemned by Portland Utd, the Dorset FA and the charity Ref Support UK.
The number of assaults and physical attacks on youth football referees has risen, with officials fearing a referee’s death is ‘just around the corner’.
On the risk, Mr Hughes said: ‘I really hope we can stamp this out and prevent this from happening because a referee could be killed soon. I hope people realize that we are human, and if we make a mistake, so be it.”
A statement from Portland United said: ‘Portland United FC is aware of an incident that occurred at the Camp and Satherley Stadium on Sunday 24 September and is currently investigating within the club and with the local Dorset FA.
‘At the end of the football match, a uniformed football official and a non-uniformed official allegedly had an argument on the field.
“Portland United will not tolerate this action and has forwarded the evidence collected during the match to the relevant governing body. ‘
Martin Cassidy, the CEO of Ref Support UK, said: ‘I have spoken to the referee involved in the match in Portland and he is very concerned about what happened. He reported the matter to the police.
‘The referee ended the match and went to get his flag back from one of the linesmen, who wouldn’t give it back, and complained about some of the decisions he had made.
‘One player then called the referee a fat bastard and gave him a red card. That child’s parent, who was the linesman, lost the plot and went after the referee. There was another man who dragged the person away. If he hadn’t done that, who knows what would have happened.”
Mr Hughes (pictured), an official referee registered with the Dorset FA, claims he reported the matter to Dorset Police, but police told MailOnline there was no record of a report relating to the incident.
The video shows the burly man, wearing jeans and a blue top, sprinting across the field as Mr Hughes runs away
The father, who was with the away team, is said to have confronted Mr Hughes about decisions made during the match
Speaking about the risks to referees, Mr Cassidy added: ‘People think referees are playing a fair game and can be abused. This is completely unacceptable and must stop.
“We think someone is being murdered on the field around the corner.”
Roger Vaughan, the CEO of Dorset FA, said it is a terrible image for grassroots football.
He said: ‘As a referee you don’t go out and be chased around a field as a referee.’
Merley Cobham Sports FC has issued a statement condemning the actions.
They said: ‘We are currently working with the relevant governing bodies, but at this time due to the delicate welfare issues involved we are unable to comment further.
“We would, however, like to express our full and unwavering support regarding the respect for all officials within the sport and strongly condemn any such incidents of unacceptable behavior within our sport.”
Over the years, the FA has launched numerous ‘respect’ initiatives aimed at grassroots football and aimed at easing tensions between parents on the sidelines.