WHEN I was at school at Alfred Suttons, we had a new headmaster arrive, Mr Ken Wall.

Very keen on sport, he introduced rugby and hockey alongside football, but he was also a stickler for sportsmanship.

He had a three-pronged rule for spectators at games – ‘Cheer your own team, applaud the opponents, and anyone caught booing will get six of the best’.

He meant with the cane of course, as in those days corporal punishment was allowed.

Booing still annoys me at football matches.

It’s very odd if an opponent gets injured and lays on the field waiting for treatment, spectators boo and yet when a player gets carried off on a stretcher, he is applauded off the field by fans of both sides.

Why do spectators boo a former player of their club, who returns playing for the opponents?

Don’t fans realise players are mercenaries, who go where the deal is best?

Today however, booing is almost mild behaviour.

We hear constantly of racist and homophobic chants, and other forms of abuse aimed at players, managers and match officials.

It’s not just in other countries.

One newspaper has listed 20 occasions in this country this season and there is now concern it has spread down to what is referred to as grass roots football.

So much so that a new protocol has been issued to all referees who officiate at this level, on how to act if faced with what is called discriminatory abuse.

It’s the club’s duty to identify the person or persons responsible and take the appropriate action, of course, however the referee may take the players off while this happens.

He must consider the welfare of the players when deciding whether or not to abandon the match. He must report all incidents.

It’s sad our game is defiled in this way and let’s hope it can be eradicated at all levels, but wouldn’t it be better is if we could get back to Ken Wall’s dictum.

Cheer our own team, applaud our opponents, no matter what colour or creed?