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This is the moment a referee is chased off the pitch by an angry parent who ‘lost the plot’ when a stuffy-mouthed player was shown a red card during an under-18 football match .
Referee Roger Hughes had just given the full-time whistle for 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, running after Mr Hughes, before being pulled away from him by another parent.
Home side Portland won Dorset Youth’s match, held at Camp and Satherley Stadium, on the Isle of Portland, by two goals to one on Sunday. But the father, who was with the opposing team, allegedly confronted Mr Hughes over decisions made during the match.
Mr Hughes was then allegedly called a “big c**t” by one of the players, who was shown a red card by the referee – at which point the father allegedly “lost the plot” and would have driven off the land.
Did you witness the argument? Contact hannah.mcdonald@mailonline.co.uk
THIS is the moment a referee is chased off the field by an angry parent during an under-18s football match in Dorset.
The video shows an angry father, who was acting as a linesman, running after Mr Hughes, before being pulled away from him by another parent (pictured).
The video shows the burly man dressed in jeans and a blue top running onto the pitch as Mr Hughes runs away.
Another man is then seen dragging the relative away before he can reach Mr Hughes.
During the shocking incident, screams and laughter can be heard from some players and their parents off camera.
Mr Hughes, who is a registered official with the Dorset FA, claims to have reported the matter to Dorset Police, but police told MailOnline they had no record of a report relating to the ‘incident.
He said: “The assistant (referee) who is a parent refused to give me back my flag and then started walking towards me. I was coming back and then he started chasing me on the field.
The incident, which took place at Portland Utd’s ground, was condemned by Portland Utd, the Dorset FA and the charity Ref Support UK.
The level of abuse and physical attacks inflicted on young football referees has increased, with officials fearing one could be killed “around the corner”.
Of the risk, Mr Hughes said: “I really hope we can eradicate this and prevent this from happening because soon a referee could be killed. I hope people realize that we’re human and if we make a mistake, it doesn’t matter.
A statement from Portland United said: “Portland United FC is aware of an incident which took place at Camp and Satherley Stadium on Sunday September 24 and is currently investigating within the club and with the local Dorset FA.
“At the end of the football game, a uniformed official and a non-uniformed official allegedly got into an altercation on the field.
‘Portland United will not tolerate this action and has referred the evidence gathered from the match to the relevant governing body.’
Martin Cassidy, managing director of Ref Support UK, said: “I have spoken to the referee involved in the Portland game and he is very concerned about what happened. He reported the matter to the police.
“The referee finished the match and went to collect his flag from one of the linesmen who didn’t want to give it back and complained about some of the decisions he had made.
“A player then called the referee a big idiot and he gave him a red card. The parent of this child, who was a linesman, lost the pitch and ran after the referee. There was a other guy who took the person. If he hadn’t, who knows what would have happened.
The video shows the burly man dressed in jeans and a blue top running onto the pitch as Mr Hughes runs away.
The father, who was with the opposing team, allegedly confronted Mr Hughes over decisions made during the match.
Speaking about the risk posed to referees, Mr Cassidy added: “People think referees are a good thing and they can be abused. This is completely unacceptable and must stop.
“We believe that someone who will be killed on the ground is not far away.”
Dorset FA chief executive Roger Vaughan said it was a terrible picture for grassroots football.
He said: “As a referee you don’t go out to referee and be chased around a pitch.”
Over the years, the FA has launched numerous ‘respect’ initiatives targeting grassroots football, aimed at reducing tensions between parents on the sidelines of the match.
Merley Cobham Sports and Dorset Police have been contacted for comment.