New football campaign

Mark Watson has launched a new campaign to bring more respect into football.

He is fronting a new initiative called Respect FC, aimed at standing up to the ‘gobby morons’ spoiling the game.

It is aimed particularly at amateur and kids’ clubs, urging parents to reign in their touchline abuse and ‘remember that they’re playing for fun, and not for the final qualifying place in the Champion’s League’.

The website also gives advice to players on sportsmanlike behaviour, such as: ‘Finish the game with a handshake rather than a moan’ or ‘Tell the team whinger to shut it and get on with the game.’

Watson, the ‘chairman’ of Respect FC, said: ‘We know that it's so much easier to take a stand against poor behaviour if you are not on your own, if you have someone else on your team.

‘Collectively, we can stand up to the gobby morons. If you'd like to show the people spoiling our game what they're up against, go to www.respectfootballclub.com to join my new football club, Respect FC, the club with one goal – to rid the game of the gobby morons.’

However the campaign has not been well-received in all quarters, with one fan posting on YouTube: ‘What’s the meaning of this? Respect FC against the fans?! Footbnall’s got bigger problems than the fans making noise – which is, by the way, the whole bloody point.’

Watson issued this video to promote the cause:

Published: 19 Jan 2011