On the pitch, team captains will be given extra responsibility in stamping out dissent next season but the new Respect
initiative launched yesterday stopped short of recommending that only skippers could speak to referees during a game.

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore admitted examples of dissent from Ashley Cole and Javier
Mascherano last season have forced governing bodies to act.

He said: “Football engages, motivates and inspires, but we know it can spill over and get ugly. We all have a responsibility to deal with these excesses.

“We want prevention rather than sanction and we’ve given credit to the media for playing a major part in the reduction of simulation.

“Now we want to see this programme becoming much more than just a campaign and result in making unacceptable behaviour just that – unacceptable.”

But referees have quashed a law change that would have meant only captains could talk to them. Referees decided they want dialogue with players.

Fourth officials will be told there must be “resolute policing” of technical areas. The power to send managers to the stand will be used more often. Out on the pitch, referees will use captains to quell trouble.

The hope is that, by putting the onus on the skipper, confrontations can be reduced.

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