Parent & Guardian Club Code of Conduct

  1. Never force an unwilling child to play football.
  2. Remember that children play football for their enjoyment – not yours. 
  3. Never shout or moan at your child / ward for losing a game or playing badly.
  4. Never use bad language and remember that children learn best by example.
  5. Respect the referee and remember that he is only human and never get involved in disputes with officials, opponents or spectators.
  6. Never enter the field of play during a game unless asked to do so by the referee.
  7. Remember that when you are supporting your team you are also representing St. Matthew’s.
  8. Encourage your child / ward to play fairly and respect their opponents.
  9. Do not shout instructions from the side-lines, this only confuses the players and places added pressure on them. While you may well know a great deal about football, at St. Matthew’s it will always be a case of One singer, one song, and the team manager will be singing it.
  10. Applaud the opposition as well as St. Matthew’s.
  11. Give attention to all the players, not just your own child / ward or the most talented.
  12. Teach your child / ward to accept defeat gracefully and to learn from it. This is a valuable lesson in life, not just football.
  13. Encourage your child / ward to get on with the game when decisions go unfairly against them – ‘You win some, you lose some’.
  14. Ensure that your child / ward turns up for training and matches regularly and on time, and with the correct footwear, shin pads, etc.
  15. Teach your child / ward to abide by the club rules and to accept any punishments they might receive for breaking them.
  16. Acquaint yourself with the St. Matthew’s FC ethos on our website.

Download the Parent’s code (pdf)