Following the announcement that grassroots football could return from Monday the 29th of March we are all delighted to see the game finally return this week after a lengthy period on the sidelines.

Many of us have struggled during lockdown, some more than others and the football community has pulled together once again to help each other in these unprecedented times.

Despite the fantastic news that grassroots football is returning and the benefits this brings to thousands of individuals in our county to not only their physical health but mental health too, we also wanted to highlight the following sharp rise in serious misconduct cases reported to us here at East Riding FA after the previous two national lockdowns:

• 30% rise in serious disciplinary misconduct cases reported after the first lockdown
• 20% rise in serious disciplinary misconduct cases reported after the second lockdown

Many people have been isolated for months and will be naturally delighted to be back outdoors and engaging with other people, however we are asking the football community in East Riding that should emotions or situations appear to start getting the better of them to simply ‘take a breath’ which may prevent some of these incidents from escalating as we return to the game we all love after a third national lockdown.

Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold it for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds and repeat is a simple tactic that may prevent some incidents from escalating as we return to the pitch. 

Tina Edwards, East Riding FA Disciplinary Officer, said “We received a notable increase in the amount of disciplinary reports submitted to us following previous lockdowns. Please take a breath and play your part in ensuring the game is safe and enjoyable for everyone."

Adam Lowthorpe, East Riding FA Chief Executive, said "We have all missed grassroots football so much and are excited about its return. We all have a part to play to make sure the return of football is positive and take a breath is about personal accountability, take a moment and ensure you display behaviors which mean our great game can be enjoyed by participants, match officials and coaches. 

 
We all deserve to enjoy the game we love and experience the benefits to our physical and mental health." 

Clubs and Leagues can help spread the message by sharing our ‘take a breath’ posts on our social media channels. There is also a poster that can be downloaded here to distribute accordingly.