Playing Saturday/Sunday league football this weekend? You may be without a referee.
More than 2,000 amateur refs will go on strike this weekend, according to a teenage official who says he has been “headbutted, spat at and punched”.
Ryan Hampson set up a campaign on Facebook calling on officials across the UK to boycott grassroots games in protest at the treatment they receive.
The 18-year-old says the Football Association’s procedures to protect referees are not strong enough.
“At times it has been awful,” said Hampson, who referees in Manchester.
Read Ryan’s full story here.
Article: www.bbc.co.uk