CLUB STATEMENT | Following Football Association Investigation
- Jemma Sear
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
The background to the charge by the Football Association against Hemel Hempstead Town Football Club is that at the St Albans City v Hemel Hempstead Town National League South fixture on 21 April 2025 after around 45 minutes, Hemel Hempstead Town Football Club failed to ensure that spectators and/or its supporters (and anyone purporting to be its supporters or followers) attending a Match do not use words or otherwise behave in a way which is improper, offensive, abusive, indecent, or insulting which included a reference, whether express or imply, to gender, contrary to FA Rules E21.1 and E21.4.
At a hearing on 15 September 2025, Hemel Hempstead Town Football Club was found guilty of that charge by the Football Association Independent Regulatory Commission.
The behaviour in question was a chant addressed at the female referee, following the booking of a Hemel Hempstead Town player as follows:
“Back to the kitchen, you’re going back to the kitchen.”
It was accepted by the Independent Regulatory Commission that this was a one-off incident and was not repeated. Hemel Hempstead Town Football Club condemns without reservation this discriminatory behaviour by fans purporting to support or follow Hemel Hempstead Town Football Club.
As a result of the guilty finding the Independent Regulatory Commission imposed a fine of £750 on Hemel Hempstead Town Football Club and ordered an Action Plan to be implemented.
As a result of this finding Hemel Hempstead Town Football Club has engaged in various initiatives to make the Club more inclusive and more proactive in the prevention and detection of any potential discriminatory or disorderly behaviour going forward.
Further details will be announced in due course, but these measures include a Supporter Liaison Officer and two stewards being equipped with body cameras to assist in deterring, detecting and giving evidence of any incidents of discriminatory or poor supporter behaviour as per paragraph 3 of the Action Plan.
The Club is engaging with ongoing positive dialogue with Kick It Out and Her Game Too and other appropriate local organizations to further enhance our relationships by seeking advice and ratification of new and developing policies and procedures.
There will be introduced supporter and steward educational programmes in conjunction with Kick It Out and Her Game Too and other appropriate local organizations and these will include issues associated with the potential inappropriate usage of words, chanting, gestures or conduct associated with ethnic origin, colour, race, nationality, religion or belief, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation or disability, including supporter education programmes in the raised awareness of acceptable fan behaviour.
Other detailed initiatives are being worked on, and further announcements will be made in due course.