Assaulted ref suffers many broken bones – with FA warned ‘murder is feared soon’
The FA have been urged to step in before a referee is potentially murdered after one suffered multiple broken bones from a mid-game assault.
Dave Bradshaw was officiating a fixture in the South Lancashire Counties league at the weekend when he was attacked by a player he'd supposedly sent off from local side Platt Bridge, who were losing 3-2 to Wigan Rose at the time. The ref suffered a broken nose, four broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, a broken collarbone, concussion and whiplash, as per Wigan Today.
He was taken to hospital, later being released. Greater Manchester Police and the Lancashire Football Association are said to be investigating the incident, with Bradshaw giving an update on his condition on social media.
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He wrote: "Hi all been a very traumatic 12 hours thanks for all the kind words. I've sustained substantial injuries I'll survive my confidence has been smashed to bits.
"Please because of one person don't tarnish the club with the same brush. The club are doing great things for the community. Up the refs."
Platt Bridge confirmed the player in question has left the club, sharing: "We as a club do not condone any violence towards anyone in the football community, we are ashamed of what has happened today and the player is no long playing with our team going forward. We as a team hope we can build our reputation back to what we have worked so hard for."
Have you seen any similar incidents at grassroots football? What can be done do you think to protect officials more? Let us know in the comments section.
The Bolton, Bury and District Football League, who Bradshaw usually refs for, called for something to be done. They said: "One of our league referees and volunteer has been viciously attached (sic) today whilst refereeing an adult game on another league. We as a league stand by Dave and wish him a speedy recovery. This has to stop. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH."
And charity Ref Support UK told Daily Star Sport they fear a referee could be killed if the FA don't take more thorough action to protect officials. CEO Martin Cassidy said: "We fear that a murder of a referee is just around the corner and although the FA have recently began a campaign called 'EnoughIsEnough', no one knows what they mean as they keep saying they will introduce stronger punishments but we are yet to see any.
"All the FA seem to do is put football on the naughty step and hope that football behaves. Their weak response to cases like this in the past tell us that they have missed many opportunities to make the game safer for all referees. Let’s hope they don’t miss another opportunity to send a message that referees are not fair game for abuse and assaults.”
Ref Support UK also tweeted: "We really do feel that the time is here to ask the @fa to state clearly what their plan is for more protection for referees. Ref needs to know the FA actually do care and will support refs taking a week or two of action and stop refereeing.
"The FA need to state clearly the date of the body cam pilot and what leagues are delivering them. They need to support a points deduction for teams found guilty or ref abuse and assaults.
"They need to show they are not waiting for a match official to be murdered but they introduce strong measures and a body cam trial. The time in now to show that they mean why they say 'enough is really enough'."
The FA have responded, issuing a statement on Monday (October 3) which read: "We are aware of incidents of assault on a match official and a player during matches played this weekend in Lancashire.
"We have been very clear that all forms of anti-social behaviour, abuse and assaults on match officials and participants are completely unacceptable and we will not tolerate this in the game. We are investigating the incidents as a matter of urgency, working with the Lancashire FA, who are liaising with the police and supporting the match official and player affected."
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