Making it personal is going too far

CHELMSFORD CITY chairman Steve Shore raises some important points in this week’s column around the subject of personal abuse (page 33). Like many who head up a football club, he knows it’s impossible to please everyone all of the time. While some will agree with how you approach things, others certainly won’t. And those who don’t often won’t be shy in putting their thoughts forward.

But receiving some stick from supporters is, sadly, an all too familiar feeling for many who run our NonLeague clubs up and down the country. No doubt many managers will also recognise the feeling.

Interestingly, Shore says he has spoken to many other chairs and most concede they have copped some flak in their time. Some say ignore it, but should they have to? Football is a passionate sport. It’s part of what makes the game what it is. But there has to be a line.

The last 18 months has been very hard on football administrators throughout the country. There has been the angst and worry of how to navigate their clubs or leagues through the choppy waters of a Covid-19 pandemic.

Many we spoke to through last season were exhausted by the situation, the ever-changing Covid protocols, when games were being played, that were often dictated by the Government or local authorities. Then there was the stress of another season being curtailed and what it meant in the bigger picture.

We’ve seen the resilience of the Non-League community and how supporters are embracing the return to action and the opportunity to watch live football again.

For many clubs, in the view of the Football Association’s Director of Professional Game Relations Andy Ambler, the pandemic has given them a chance to reset and re-focus on what is important.

The last few weeks have been a celebration of what is good about this level of football. It’s been good to get back to ‘normal’.

But we don’t want to see everything return – including abuse that oversteps the mark.

The majority of Non-League football clubs would welcome all the help they can get. One chairman told us in the past that just having people to spare an hour in the week to put up some posters would be a big help.

Putting your hand up to help your local club is much more productive than dishing out criticism.