- Never force an unwilling child to play football.
- Remember that children play football for their enjoyment – not yours.
- Never shout or moan at your child / ward for losing a game or playing badly.
- Never use bad language and remember that children learn best by example.
- Respect the referee and remember that he is only human and never get involved in disputes with officials, opponents or spectators.
- Never enter the field of play during a game unless asked to do so by the referee.
- Remember that when you are supporting your team you are also representing St. Matthew’s.
- Encourage your child / ward to play fairly and respect their opponents.
- 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.
- Applaud the opposition as well as St. Matthew’s.
- Give attention to all the players, not just your own child / ward or the most talented.
- Teach your child / ward to accept defeat gracefully and to learn from it. This is a valuable lesson in life, not just football.
- Encourage your child / ward to get on with the game when decisions go unfairly against them – ‘You win some, you lose some’.
- Ensure that your child / ward turns up for training and matches regularly and on time, and with the correct footwear, shin pads, etc.
- Teach your child / ward to abide by the club rules and to accept any punishments they might receive for breaking them.
- Acquaint yourself with the St. Matthew’s FC ethos on our website.
Download the Parent’s code (pdf)
