A FOOTBALL club with a reputation as the cradle of Premiership stars could face closure because of abuse from parents on the touchline.

Marton Football Club, in Middlesbrough, which launched the careers of Premiership stars such as Stewart Downing and Jonathan Woodgate, has had its FA Charter Standard suspended because of six complaints this season from volunteer officials about parents’ behaviour.

If the FA decides not to reinstate the accreditation, the club will not be able to play in the Tees Alliance League from next season, will have its funding slashed and could face possible closure.

Mike Fairbairn, club secretary, said: “If we don’t get our charter status back then our 26 teams and 350 kids will be sent on their way and the football club will have to close.”

He said the club was working closely with the FA to try to educate a small minority of parents who swear and verbally abuse their own children, opposing teams and volunteer match officials.

Mr Fairburn said: “A few weeks ago we had an under-nines match and an eight-year-old was getting foul and abusive language from the parents.

“These are people who have failed at football themselves and are trying to live their life through their children, but instead of praising and encouraging them they focus on the negatives and will shout at them for making a bad pass.”

Another incident involved a 15-year-old girl who was refereeing a cup tie match between two top-of-the-table teams.

“It was awful,” said Mr Fairbairn. “It wasn’t sexist abuse as such, but they were shouting and swearing at her and saying she didn’t have a clue what she was doing.”

He said the club was now taking a zero tolerance approach, with parents being banned from the touchline for abusive language.

“We are doing everything we possibly can, with pitch marshals on touchlines, parents and children signing codes of conduct, and we are encouraging parents to come to an FA Soccer Parent course,” said Mr Fairbairn.

“We need to make sure we don’t have idiots on the touchline and we are determined to get our charter status back by next season and rebuild our reputation.

This is a small minority of parents who are ruining it for the rest.”

Middlesbrough FC captain Matthew Bates and former Boro players Andy Campbell and Phil Stamp also played for Marton FC as children.