A SCHOOLGIRL football referee has made a heartfelt appeal for respect after she was sworn at by parents who called her a "f****** disgrace" during an under 8s game she was officiating.

Emily Dyke, 14, considered quitting as a ref after she was abused by adults in two consecutive games, but decided against after writing a plea for support from the touch lines.

The teenager, who also enjoys playing in midfield for Skelton United under 16s in Cleveland, is learning to referee junior games and took charge of an under 9s match then the semi-final of an under 8s tournament a fortnight ago.

The Northern Echo:

She was called a "f****** disgrace" and told "you don't know what you're f****** doing" when she did not give a goal when a shot rebounded off the bar, but not as far as she could tell, over the line.

Emily, who goes to school in Guisborough, was also abused in the under nines game previously.

Her father Paul, who coaches her girls' team, stepped in to ask the parents to stop swearing, but said he was told: "She is a ref, she should expect abuse."

It was after the two games that Emily wrote in to the Grass Roots Facebook page for local football teams and asked parents to think how they would feel if their child was being targeted.

She said: "I have recently suffered some verbal abuse from people whilst refereeing and have found it very difficult to deal with to the point I'm now considering not doing it anymore.

"I'm not looking for sympathy or anything like that. I'm wanting people to realise that I'm just a child doing something I love.

"I want everyone to take a look at their children and put yourself in my shoes when the abuse is being said.

"I'm learning that to referee you need to have a thick skin (whatever that means). And to also ignore people when stuff is said but it's hard when the name calling continues.

"I hope no-one is offended by what I've said and take the time to realise I'm a child so please respect me."

Her father said: "It's not just the men doing it, it's the women too.

"This is not the Premier League or even the Northern League, there's no linesman with a flag, the referees have to make the decisions on their own, so yes, she will get some wrong, but who doesn't?"