Children from more than 150 youth football teams have seen matches axed amid fears referee abuse could turn deadly.
One official told the Mirror it’s “a matter of time before someone is murdered” on the pitch.
The Merseyside Youth Football League took the decision to stop more than 70 fixtures after reports of threatening behaviour, including a 15-year-old ref who was left in tears by a player’s grandad last week.
Grassroots referees as young as 14 have to put up with players even younger hurling abuse at them.
Earlier this month, Dave Bradshaw, 58, was left in hospital with broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder and concussion after he showed a player a red card in Wigan, Greater Manchester.
He said: “I gave him a red on the touchline and he just lost the plot.
“The last thing I remember is him coming over to me. I just felt a bang in my face and then I was unconscious.
“Change has got to happen.
“The abuse at grassroots level is unbelievable. The parents are horrendous, sometimes they want to kill you. The youngest player to shout at me was 12 years of age, calling me a ‘bag of sh**’. In my opinion, it’s a matter of time before someone is killed. I could have been killed.”
Following the match between Platt Bridge and Wigan Rose on October 2, Greater Manchester Police said they arrested a 24-year-old man in connection with the attack.
Dave, who has been refereeing for more than 20 years, is determined to carry on.
He will referee his first game since the attack today.
But figures show officials are leaving the game in droves, with half as many registering to be a referee as those quitting each year.
The FA said 380 bans were issued for abusive behaviour at grassroots level last season, but charity Ref Support says the real numbers are “treble” that.
Former Wales and Everton star Ashley Williams is being investigated by Manchester FA following allegations he put a coach in a headlock at his son’s under-7s match last month.
Williams’ spokesperson said he would be contesting the charge. He added: “Ashley had been assaulted and was defending himself.
“We have 45 witnesses who will back up our version of events and we will defend Ashley vigorously.”
Martin Cassidy, CEO of Ref Support, has been campaigning for body cameras for referees for five years. The FA has agreed to trial them next May, but Martin said: “That’s possibly eight months away. How many more are going to get beaten up and abused?
“We have seen videos of referees getting kicked on the floor.
“If someone, heaven forbid, is murdered, we’ll be going to the FA and saying you had opportunities to change the game.”
The charity has also spoken of the mental toll of abuse on referees.
Martin said: “Most refereeing is done locally, so they bump into the people that threaten them in pub, in the supermarket with their family, on school runs.
“I’m getting calls at midnight from people almost suicidal because of the threats they are getting.”
Ref Support called on the FA to start deducting points from teams whose players or spectators are abusive.
In Merseyside, MYFL secretary Stacey Savage said drastic action was needed, adding: “It’s unfortunate for the kids and it’s not something we want to do, but we have to protect our referees.”
An FA Spokesperson said: “We have been very clear that all forms of abuse are completely unacceptable. The retention of all referees is crucial, and this remains a priority as part of the FA’s wider Respect campaign.”
