A new survey conducted by a children’s football league in Dublin has given an insight into the behaviours of people in the grassroots game.

The Dublin and District Schoolboy/Girls League (DDSL) canvassed over 5,220 people, including players, parents, club volunteers and referees, on a wide range of topics.

Our mates at the Irish Mirror report that, according to the DDSL, the biggest finding from the survey was that, if football stops being fun, people stop taking part.

A shocking 90% of referees said they had experienced poor behaviour from parents at matches, with a pressing need to improve the experience officials have on a game day.

Just 11 of the 111 referees who took part in the survey said they had not directly experienced poor behaviour from parents at matches, with 87% of referees saying they experienced poor behaviour by coaches and 73% having experienced poor behaviour in general from the sidelines.

With 823 children also surveyed, there were some interesting results in terms of the likes and dislikes of grassroots football.

Whilst 92% said they enjoy playing football at their club, just 17% of kids said they like it when a parent or family member spoke to them from the sidelines during a game.

Nearly half of the kids involved in the survey said they also play another sport (48%), perhaps also reflected in the fact that 66% said that having fun is the most important reason they play football.

Over 1000 volunteers were also surveyed, with 54% of them spending between 3-6 hours a week volunteering in the grassroots game and a further 26% saying they spend 7-9 hours a week in their roles.

A fairly high percentage of respondents - 43% - said that they felt volunteering had caused a negative impact on their work-life balance.

DDSL director Barry Ferguson said: “Our goal has always been to enhance the youth football experience for everyone involved. This survey provides a clear, data-driven mandate: we need to refocus on fun, inclusivity, and long-term engagement, not just results.”