Kent County League scoops FA Respect Award

Greg Dyke, the chairman of The Football Association, said: “This award recognises your exceptional work to offer an experience of football which is fair, safe and enjoyable.

“This award recognises the standards that you have set and maintained in your competition and I am delighted that The FA has had an opportunity to reward you for your commitment and energy”.

The League will formally receive the award at Wembley Stadium at the Community Shield match today.

Although the League have fully embraced the Respect programme they initiated their own Fair Play Awards back in 1990 and adopted the motto “Fair Play – We Lead the Way”! The Fair Play Trophy has proved a great success and University of Kent FC have won the trophy on six occasions, they were also one of the founder members of the Under 21 League.

The latest Fair Play winners are Faversham Strike Force FC who received the trophy and prize money totalling £700.00 at the League’s AGM.

Their delighted team manager, John Goodwin said: “We are over the moon and this demonstrates the structure and processes the club have in place to ensure players and officials conduct themselves in an acceptable manner on and off the pitch".

All Kent County Football League matches commence with the Respect Handshake and our Referees undertake Respect training.

Among recent comments from referees after matches are “What a superb game. Great advert for Kent County League Division 2 football” and “A really good game of football, played in a very sporting manner”.

Prior to receiving the award a team from the League visited the Best Western Hotel in Watford recently to meet up with a film crew from the FA’s media department.

Some time was spent with them to film a segment for the FA’s respect awards ceremony. The results of this work will go out on the big screen at Wembley.

Those attending were League chairman, Cyril Windiate and secretary and league photographer Gavin and Julie Hoare.

Referees were represented by Keith Wenham and member clubs were represented by Fabio Rossi from FC Elmstead.

Visit the NRG Gym Kent County League website: www.kentcountyfootballleague.co.uk