Fury at 'woke' FA who gave footballers a banned list of 'offensive' terms to stop using, including 'lads, linesman and guys' - to be replaced by 'team, assistant referee and everyone'

Think you can get away with using terms such as 'come on lads,' 'linesman,' or 'mother' while at the football? Think again - we're in 2025. 

Football chiefs have sparked fury by commanding players to avoid using such phrases and replace them with less 'offensive' terms. 

The Berks and Bucks Football Association have been blasted for publishing a 'bull****' 26-page inclusive language guide which aims to police player language. 

People have even been asked to apologise and could be reported if they dare to use terms such as 'guys,' 'Christian name,' or 'wife', which are off-limits in the comprehensive document, which Daily Mail Sport has reviewed. 

The local FA, which oversees two south-eastern counties, has assembled a 12-strong task force called the 'inclusion advisory board' to help guide policy.

Now 'lads' should be replaced with 'team' - even for an all-male squad - a mother is a 'parent/carer', and a 'linesman' is an 'assistant referee'. A 'wife' is a mere 'partner' and 'kids' should be subsumed under 'family'. 

The guide says: 'We are committed to ensuring that football is for everyone. We want players, referees, coaches, parents, and volunteers to feel welcome, valued, and respected — no matter their background or identity. 

'One of the simplest but most powerful ways we can do this is through the language we use. Language sets the tone. It shows whether someone belongs or feels excluded, whether they stay in the game or walk away.'

But the draconian linguistic rules have been decried by observers on social media, who find this all a step too far.

'What on earth is this lefty woke bull****??' asked one user on X. 

'The game is well and truly gone,' said another. 

'Stop telling me what to say and think!' one said.  

'What a load of rubbish,' another commented. 

One simply lamented: 'The world gone mad.'

There is, of course, a middle ground to be had, and the issues at large in society and within football need to be tackled. 

The racist abuse directed at Lionesses star Jess Carter over the summer during the Euros, for example, is absolutely behaviour which authorities should look to stamp out. 

And the racism directed at Bukayo Saka, Jadon Sancho, and Marcus Rashford after the Euro 2020 final remains a grim day in English football's memory. 

The guide published by the Berks and Bucks FA has some commendable aspects. People are advised against saying 'we don't allow prayer here' or calling somebody 'too old to play' - comments which could easily be insulting. 

But other directions such as having to ask a referee their pronouns, avoid using sarcasm, and eschew age-related comments such as 'you're just a kid' have riled onlookers. 

Sir John Hayes, chairman of the Common Sense group of Conservative MPs, told The Telegraph: 'At best, this is daft. At worst this is sinister.

'The distortion of language has been the business of tyrants throughout time, and I'm not sure the Football Association would want to be associated with tyranny. And so the idea that you can instruct people not to use a phrase in common usage is deeply worrying.

'So my message to young, current and aspiring footballers is: come on lads.'

In Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, if someone slips up in their use of language, they must 'acknowledge it', 'apologise' and 'learn and adapt', with the phrase, 'thanks for the feedback - I'll do better next time', the suggested parlance after an error. 

Those who overhear a mistake are told to report it to the Club Welfare Officer, or the Berks and Bucks FA directly.

The guide is aimed towards all 'players, referees, coaches, parents, volunteers... and everyone across the grassroots' across the 600 clubs and 34,000 players the body represents in the vast area.

Callum Salhotra, Community & Inclusion Manager, Berks and Bucks FA, said; 'Football has the power to unite communities and change lives. But for that to happen, everyone must feel like they belong.

'Language is at the heart of that — it can break down barriers or build them up. This guide will help us all take simple but meaningful steps to ensure our game is inclusive, respectful, and welcoming to everyone.'

The Daily Mail has approached Berks and Bucks FA for comment.