FA ban on reporting DJM scores

FA ban on reporting of scores

Leagues are permitted to collect the results but not publish them and for trophy events (played in accordance with the FA Youth Review) leagues may publish who won the competition but not any related score lines, or scorers etc.

Significant consultation during the FA Youth Review with children (players), parents, coaches, clubs and league volunteers concluded that published one sided score lines can act as a disincentive to continue playing for many children. The changes brought in by the FA Youth Review is designed to make youth football more child centred and less results orientated supporting the long term development of players

FA ban on reporting DJM scores 'a distraction' says league

This season's DJM Under 12 match between Marjon St Mark v Torpoint Vanguard. Had these kids been a year younger we wouldn't be allowed to tell you the result...


DJM officials have suggested that the FA’s new rules on the reporting of youth games is a distraction from the real problems affecting grassroots football.

The most recent FA Youth Review imposed a ban on newspapers, leagues and clubs from reporting the scores of youth games from Under 11 level and below in an attempt to relieve pressure on those participating and create a more ‘child centred’ environment.

But DJM secretary Brian Rimes has suggested that such a move ignores the wider issues effecting young players.

“The bigger problems affecting children playing football in the UK are the pressures that come from either over-eager parents or coaches and poor facilities too,” he told Herald Sport.
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“Whether or not kids have their scores reported, they will still be coached by someone who wants to win.

“Of course, nobody likes losing, but sometimes kids can be put under too much pressure to win.

“Poor facilities don’t help the situation either because having low quality pitches robs the children of any chance of learning and developing their technique.

“That’s a problem that is very relevant to Plymouth and the South West; some of these kids are still playing on pitches I played on in the 1950s!”

Rimes insisted that the DJM supported the FA’s wish to make football enjoyable for children in the lower age-ranges – and were working towards that before the FA took action.

“Even when we were allowed to publish the scores of under 9s and 10s we chose not to.

“We do understand the importance of creating an environment where the children can learn to enjoy their football.

“And at under 11 level we try and make sure that all of our teams are evenly matched every week.

“If you can stop one-sided football matches before they can even be reported on then you will create a better atmosphere for young players to learn and develop themselves.”

Under 10s and below had been under a media blackout since 2012 and under 11 football was added to that list at the beginning of this season.

The rule has been in place since 2012 but had a phased implementation.

The initiative began with under 7s and under 8s and has had more categories added each year.

The Under 11 category was added this season and according to FA Youth officials, that is where it will stop.

SIMON HOLMES - AC Plymouth Colts U12s (last year's 11s)

“I think it’s right not to record scores but I think the new age limit is too high.

“After that it, at under 9s and under 10s the games are very competitive and the scores tend to end up on social media anyway.

“Having coached kids at Under 11 level I can tell you that the players still enjoy seeing their name and their team in the paper even if they lose 6-0.”

GEORGE NIELD - YMCA All Saints U12 COACH (last year’s U11s)

“When the children join the under 11 level they are given the choice of participating in friendly football or to compete in Under 12 competitive football because of the two year rule.

“When my group moved up, most of them wanted to play the competitive football.

“Having worked with them for a long time I know that they were never discouraged from playing after losing badly.

“They understood that the team that beat them heavily were obviously going to send a report in, that’s just how it works.

“I think it would be a shame if a team that won big wasn’t allowed to submit reports – if anything, I think it would discourage the side that won a whole lot more.”

What a crock of PC shit that is

How on earth can the FA ban newspapers reporting any football match played in public?
What happened to free speech?

No such thing, despite the national headline rhetoric. I assume the FA would bleat some form of ludicrous intellectual property, as seems to be the business flavour of the current society we live in.
As we speak, there are corporations out there trying to patent/copyright whatever actual existing natural seeds of foodstuffs that have been used for thousands of years, so anything is possible if you have the power. And who can forget the desperate money grabbers trying to patent the human genome. The world needs protecting from "extremists" such as these.

As for football, some people need to remember that it is a body contact competitive sport. There are plenty of other enjoyable non competitive physical activities out for those that don't want winning or losing involved. I thought competition was a lauded vehicle in our society. Is there a body out there that isn't trying to find small ways of monetising the inside of a duck's arse. That is probably what it will be all about somewhere down the line. I don't believe the Elysian reasonings given.

Thanks for the effort Sir John, but you haven't supplied an answer.

Intellectual Property? What next in Merry old England.... Banning bad reviews of movies?

The thin end of the wedge, soon Chelsea will also invoke this.

Invoke what?

A restriction on freedom of speech? How can they?

Penalty to Man Utd.

Rickler wrote:

Thanks for the effort Sir John, but you haven't supplied an answer.

Intellectual Property? What next in Merry old England....  Banning bad reviews of movies?

I thought I had ...... ie freedom of speech is restricted by those ho have power to do so.
As for bad reviews, many publications end up pulling reviews of products/movies after threats from manufacturers, and of course, the latest wheeze is to buy up all the online media opinion makers. So, it's already happening, let alone if you dare to bad mouth one of the really big boys. A friend of mine was hounded in the 80s by Macdonalds at huge cost in the infamous Maclibel case, all for handing out leaflets regarding their products. Free speech pahhh. and let's not even mention d notices, careless talk costs lives, extremist views like saying a football club owner is a property speculator on a certain fans forum not a million miles away.

Don't get me wrong Ricks, i think the FA are crackpots and are only interested in protecting their faux child friendly "product image", with a view to ultimate monetisation with every word printed. And I support even the likes of Mad loon billionaire Donald Duck to say what he sadly did recently, as long as it doesn't constitute a hate crime.

As it happens, ( who was he again ? that wrestler/dj chappie, didn't exist, did he ? ) I was listening to the excellent Melvyn Bragg's In Our Time this morning, and it happened to be the philosophical debate of Confucianism and legalism in the Qin and Han Chinese empirical dynasties about 200 BC.
Catch it on the Iplayer, Ricks. you'll like it, with lots of clear concise talk and angles on how such matters as freedom of speech, consent and directing of citizen thoughts were  controlled in every day reality 2200 years ago, and how similar echoes run through our roughly legalist modern Western democracies. Nothing's changed much since then, and Argyle still haven't won anything of note. depressing, isn't it