IT'S the fierce debate that's raging on touchlines across Hampshire and the UK.

Female match officials are becoming a more and more common sight at football matches across the country.

Some argue that they should be prepared to deal with "banter" which they argues goes hand in hand with being involved in a match.

But others say that jokes about being in the kitchen have no place on the pitch.

Here we have published two letters offering opposing views on the subject.

The first is from an anonymous football fan in Southampton, who argues that officials should learn to deal with game "banter" better.

The second is from referee assessor William Farrow, who says that those people who "think being sexist is funny" are in the wrong.

What do you think? Comment below the article or send your thoughts to echosport@dailyecho.co.uk

 

 

Anonymous football fan, from Southampton

"I HAVE been an avid football follower all my life which now totals 52 years; (more’s the pity.) I was a season ticket holder at Southampton for 10 years and now I’m a keen non-league football fan.

"I think non-league football is more personal, in that Premier League football that has large crowds and that means that the referees and line officials can hear the banter from fans easily as opposed to the collective roar of thousands of fans when they disagree with their decisions and hurl verbal abuse at them.

"As an old school football fan I too have hurled my fair share of abuse at officials over the years and have always assumed that they take no notice of it, as it comes with the territory.

"As a non-league fan I still feel entitled to have a pop at them as it is all part of the match day experience just like buying a programme and having a pie and a pint.

"So there I was about four weeks ago at a non-league game supporting my local club. The female line official then fails to flag for a blatant offside. I react and with absolutely no swearing all I say is: "Lino, you should stick to ironing."

"The female official turns around and tells me off for saying it. I reply: "Lighten up, it’s what we call banter."

"The matter then gets dropped....or so I thought. When I bump into our chairman at the next home game I am called to one side to be told they now potentially face an FA charge for the conduct of one of their supporters!

"So we now have a situation that should any fan aim light hearted banter with no foul language at a female official it may land the club with an FA charge.

"I am lost for words to say the least, yes on paper my remarks may be deemed to be sexist but now it seems that the good old referees and line officials who can take the banter on the chin and laugh it off are a dying breed.

"Non-league football is struggling for fans, struggling for sponsorship and, in thousands of cases, clubs are going under. If that female official wants to disenfranchise fans like me who are to be prevented from giving the officials some stick then she is going the right way about it.

"If I was on the panel adjudicating this complaint I would tell the official in question that football fans give banter and providing it is not accompanied by foul language you must take it on the chin and get on with it.

It could be summed up by the old saying "If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."

 

 

William Farrow, referee assessor

"You recently published a letter concerning banter with a female assistant referee from a person who wished to remain anonymous.

"The two points your correspondent made was 1) the assistant failed to flag for a blatant offside and 2) she complained because he said that she should stick to ironing.

"Point 1) Since Sepp Blatter has been tinkering with the offside law there is now no such thing as a blatant offside. Even the so called professional match officials seen on match of the day do not seem to be able to decide what is offside and what is not.

"Point 2) If the fan had referred to the assistants eyesight then he would not have caused a problem for the team he supports but in today's politically correct society, as soon as he mentioned 'ironing' then it became a personal attack on the female assistant's gender. This can be shown by the fact that the Northumberland County FA Vice Chairman, John Cummings was fined £250 and suspended from all football activities for 4 months in 2014 for telling a female referee that her place was in the kitchen and not on the football field.

"In my experience the banter between match officials and players/spectators is alive and kicking, it is only the people who think that being sexist is funny that are in the wrong.

"Last Saturday I assessed the match officials in a Gloucester County League match, one of whom was female and she gave as good as she got to the players and spectators alike because there was no reference to her gender in the banter."