I AM the chairman of a very successful football club, Marton FC, with 28 teams of girls, boys and seniors.

The problem for us, and many such as ourselves, is parents’ attitudes to the refereeing decisions which have an impact on their children playing in the games.

While I will not tar everybody with the same brush, there is an element of parents, supporters, coaches and managers hell bent on making life difficult for referees and other parents and supporters.

But not any longer. At our club we now have “respect marshalls” who pinpoint the offenders and ask them to leave the field. This is a zero tolerance approach to unruly behaviour.

We have produced some very good players at Marton such as David Wheater, Stewart Downing, Jonathan Woodgate, Darren Williams, Lee Matthews, Phil Stamp and Matthew Bates. The list goes on.

We are self-sufficient at Marton. We have our own pitches and changing facilities as well as a cafe. My message to all concerned in football visiting Marton is: Let’s all sing the same tune and safeguard our children in a nice atmosphere.

Ron Gordon, chairman of Marton Football Club