THE national FA are implementing pilot schemes around England attempting to cut down on-field indiscipline.

FA official Alex Stone told the Daily Echo it is a situation football's governing body are taking very seriously.

Figures are not available as to how the Hampshire FA's total of player assaults and abandonments through indiscipline compare to other counties' 2003/04 figures.

But Stone admitted: "We are aware of a slight increase nationally in assaults on match officials.

"Referees are not there to ruin games - despite what some people think - they are there to help the flow of the game.

"We have to stamp out anything that might stop them wanting to referee.

"There is a shortage nationally of referees and we don't want to lose any more of the ones we have got because they think they might get assaulted."

The Northumberland FA are trialling a pilot scheme aimed at reducing indiscipline by handing out higher penalties.

In Bedfordshire the county FA have adopted a 'meet and greet' scheme whereby each referee is met when he turns up for a match by an official from the home club and introduced to both teams ahead of the game.

"It's all about increasing communication," said Stone. "We don't want the match officials turning up at a game thinking he is an unfriendly face."

And in Sheffield there is a pilot scheme operating whereby any club who causes trouble for a match official one week is penalised by not having a referee appointed to their match the week after.

Stone added: "Clubs have to take responsibility for their own players' actions, and players have to be aware that a referee has not got anything against them personally.

"Yes, referees make mistakes but how many players can go an entire match and not make a single mistake."