Focus on Football aims to kick sectarianism into touch

Published on Monday 11 July 2011 13:17

Scottish Football Association chief executive Stewart Regan is looking to put football "right back at the heart of the game" with the new Focus on Football campaign.

First Minister Alex Salmond hosted a meeting of the Joint Action Group on football at Hampden yesterday, which agreed 40 wide-ranging proposals to improve the game, including the setting up of a National Football Policing Unit and codes of conduct for players, coaches, managers and supporters.

The group was set up following a summit which was convened in Edinburgh in March at the behest of Strathclyde Police, following a particularly troublesome Old Firm Scottish Cup replay at Parkhead.

After yesterday's meeting at the national stadium, Regan said: "Focus on Football will look at putting football right back at the heart of the game and not allowing other issues like sectarianism, alcohol and domestic abuse to take the headlines.

"We are all keen to make sure the game is protected so it will look at support for referees and it will look at codes of conduct.

"It will also look at supporting legislation when it comes through and new initiatives like the new referee recruitment and education managers, in order to try to make sure that people understand what is and isn't acceptable in supporting a team."

Attendees at Hampden also included SFL chief executive David Longmuir, SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster, Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell and Rangers' new head of operations, Ali Russell.