Players at youth football club in Crawley create posters to support FA's Respect Campaign

Maidenbower Colts FC wanted to highlight and bring into discussion the FA’s campaign and its 'We Only Do Positive' message. Each player was invited to enter into a Respect Poster competition.

The club was looking for designs to promote respect within the football club and grassroots football as a whole. Every player who entered a poster was awarded a Maidenbower Colts FC – Proud to be Colts pin badge.

The club said the posters it received were fantastic, with entries from across the age groups and all ticked the boxes to show support fo the FA’s national campaign.

A club spokesman said it was an exeptionally difficult task to pick the four winners due to the great effort that each player had put into their poster.

The competition prizes were a signed Crawley Town FC shirt, a one hour 1:2:1 coaching session, a £25 voucher for a sports shop and a family ticket to any Crawley Town FC home league match. The posters are on display at the MPCC Café at Maidenbower Park.

One of the winning entries, from one of the club's under 12 players, wrote the following words on the poster. The club said the poster really struck a chord and captured the reason the club decided to run the competition.

‘Football isn’t just a sport, it’s an art, a family, it brings people together, it embraces the next generation.

‘But, for football to stay open to all members of society, it needs to be FAIR.

‘There will always be room for passion, kindness and respect, but never for racism or sexism.

‘Nobody is better because they are white or black, Asian or African, girl or boy. Never compare like that.

‘So when you play your next match: Thank the referee, shake hands and accept. Just be nice!’