GENTLEMEN AND HOOLIGANS

You know the old saying - that soccer is a gentlemen`s game played by hooligans, whilst rugby is a hooligans game played by gentlemen.

There`s a lot of truth in it, from the attitude of each game towards players` injuries to the contrasting respect shown towards opponents.

But the greatest difference is in the players` behaviour towards referees, linesmen, touch judges and other layers of `authority` within the respective games.

As a former soccer referee, I can claim first hand experience of the verbal abuse, the questioning of decisions and the intimidation involved. Okay, the stuff I refereed wasn`t of a high standard (neither was my refereeing, I guess) but it seems that the higher the standard of football, then the higher the level of disrespect shown by players towards match officials. You only have to watch the Premier League on television to be left in no doubt about the constant harrying, arguing, dissent and bad language used by players in what is perhaps misguidedly called `the beautiful game.`

Now, of course it goes on in cricket with the sledging of opponents but at least in that game there is a total acceptance of the decisions made - right or wrong - by umpires and a general level of respect shown towards them.

I have never played rugby - never had the opportunity, I suppose - but I have been an ardent watcher of the game since the days of going to Blackheath just to see Ken Jones of Newport, and I also go back as far as G.McG K Kendall-Carpenter, Dickie Jeeps, the great Welsh teams with JPR, Gerald Davies, Bob Norster, Phil Bennett and the England teams over the years. Why, I even remember seeing that great former employee of Southampton FC, Sir Clive Woodward, partnering Paul Dodge as centre three=quarters.

And throughout all that time, the one thing that has impressed me more than any other is the attitude of the players towards the match officials. No arguing - an immediate concession of 10 metres if you do - only the captain allowed to speak to the referee, the players calling the referee `Sir` and a total acceptance of all decisions. Of course, rugby is not without it`s bad moments - it`s the ultimate contact sport and heaven knows what goes on in the secret conclave of the scrums, especially when the Pontypool front row were around - but by and large the aggression is controlled and policed by the match officials and accepted as such.

The hooligans game has a lot to teach the one played by its namesakes and it`s high time the soccer authorities took notice. Oh, hang on - the Football Association are going to experiment with the `only the captain speaking to the referee` rule.....but only in grass roots amateur parks matches next year. They should be introducing the hooligan game rules at all levels straight away. Pity they still have so much to learn from the gentlemen.

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