In a thoughtful article in this morning’s NOTW, Gary Lineker talks of the added pressure on Sian Massey as a league referee. He’s right, sheltered by the crowd, many fans will think it funny to make her life uncomfortable.

I don’t speak for other fans or for Yeovil Town Football Club but I’d be surprised and disappointed if she got any sexist chants from the Blackthorn Stand or any other part of Huish Park.

For one thing our stands are packed with kids and women as well as us boys and the kids and women are every bit as vocal as we are.

For another thing, we don’t tolerate violence, racism or sexist nonsense and if it happens we stamp it out ourselves.

For a third thing, no matter how badly Sian refereed, she could never be worse than Trevor Kettle.

Football has changed for the better over the past twenty years and especially so down in wonderful Somerset. My early days were spent watching Bournemouth one week and Southampton the next.

Earlier this season I took my Mum to a game at Huish Park for the first time in her life – she loved it, loved the friendly atmosphere, she chatted with the people sitting around us and came away from the ground with a different view of football.

There is no place for Keys and Gray’s nonsense – I wrote earlier in the week that they had done woman’s football a favour. The real test for football will be to see how fans, rather than pundits, treat Sian Massey, Gaby Login, Jacqui Oatley, Karen Brady and Sophie Hicks who have made a difference to our game over the past few years.

I’d have preferred Keys and Gray to have stayed – they may become martyrs to the morons and I’d like to have seen them taking the stick from viewers and from the terraces.

But it’s much more important that Sian Massey is welcomed back as soon as possible and that she’s treated with the respect she deserves.

Related Articles

• Sian Massey withdrawn from weekend match (independent.co.uk)
• Massey rested from weekend fixture as media storm continues (tribalfootball.com)
• Massey removed from fixture again (guardian.co.uk)
• Sian Massey taken off duty for planned weekend return at Corby v Eastwood Town clash (telegraph.co.uk)
• Andy Gray Makes More Sexist Remarks About Sian Massey: New Video (epltalk.com)
• Massey withdrawn from match duty (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Sexism scandal stirs debate on women in football (usatoday.com)
• Lee Dixon: Gray and Keys comments belong in the dark ages. Sexism is as bad as racism (independent.co.uk)
• Hope Powell says sexist Gray and Keys have helped women’s game (sports.yahoo.com)
• Sian Massey Withdrawn From Refereeing This Weekend (sbnation.com)
• Richard Keys Blames Conspiracy For Sian Massey Controversy (sbnation.com)
• Massey withdrawn from match duty (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Massey withdrawn from match duty (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Sexism in sport (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Sian Massey set to return to officiating following sexist remarks (guardian.co.uk)
• Sian Massey To Return To Officiating On Saturday After Sexist Remarks (sbnation.com)
• Audio: Richard Keys and Andy Gray mock lineswoman Sian Massey during Liverpool victory (telegraph.co.uk)
• Sian Massey withdrawn as assistant referee for Crewe v Bradford in wake of Sky sexism scandal (telegraph.co.uk)