Junior soccer's U-turn over censored scores

From the archive, first published Tuesday 7th Feb 2006.

SCORELINES from a football youth league will be fully reported in the Worcester News - even 8-0 thrashings - after league bosses made a U-turn.

Four weeks ago, the Stourport and District Youth League, which stretches from Worcester into Staffordshire, decided not to reveal any scores higher than 7-0 because they took exception to newspaper headlines.

Bosses said words like `thrashed' and `hammered' that appeared in some newspapers hurt the feelings of the players. However, the league has now decided to print the results in the Worcester News. League secretary Jenny Pollitt said: "We had a meeting and decided to give out scores again. We have never, ever had any problems with newspapers publishing match results - it is the way the matches were reported that so upset us.

"We have said all along we object to the way headlines are worded and match reports written. It's never been about the children having to `learn to lose', either. The fact is, children who take part in these games sometimes get beaten very heavily, then they go back to school on a Monday and get the mickey taken out of them. They get back to school and read headlines saying they were thrashed. It's not on."

The original cover-up meant all weekly and regional newspapers were cut off from obtaining any scores from matches when a side had lost by more than seven goals. League management said match reports would be looked at after games to see if they are acceptable.

"We think the Worcester News reporting is fine," said Miss Pollitt. "It is the way other newspapers word their reports."

Parents of young footballers voiced their pleasure at the league's U-turn. Mark Shemwell, aged 36, of Fairleigh Road, Pershore, has two children playing youth football. "I think it's great news for the kids who play in those leagues," he said. My kids turn up every week and still play football even if they lose. One lost 7-5 last week, but he still enjoys it. At the end of the day it's just a game. It's always been about the kids, nobody else. When young players lose heavily, the next day it's forgotten.

"What these leagues have to remember is that it's only kids' football. They aren't hurt by match reports."

The Stourport and District Youth League provides mini-soccer matches for 6 to 10-year-olds and full 90 minutes matches for players up to the age of 17.

High scores are a regular occurrence in the leagues because of varied ability levels of teams.

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