'Football authorities, increasingly concerned about the image of the sport, fear that the poor behaviour of professionals is influencing amateurs to follow their bad example. From next season, players who harass, intimidate or verbally abuse a match official when challenging a decision will be sent off.
'We don't want to see individuals, groups of players or managers in the referees' faces giving them abusive language, so from next season referees will apply the rules more strictly,' said a Football Association official.
'From August, anyone doing this will get a red card far quicker than ever. We won't tolerate this any more.'
There will not be an immediate clampdown because 'you simply can't change refereeing standards midway through a season'. Football managers and refereeing chiefs admit players have escaped punishment for behaving aggressively towards officials because the rules do not allow the showing of a yellow card as a first caution for the offence.
'Football's Law 12 says that if a referee decides someone is guilty of offensive, insulting or abusive language or gestures, the player receives a red card and referees have proved reluctant to use that power, in order not to spoil the game,' said a refereeing official.
The tougher stance will be agreed this summer by the Professional Game Match Officials, who control referees and refereeing standards in England. Managers will attend meetings about the clampdown and referees will visit clubs telling players what the change will mean.'