Blog: AFC Telford need to sort out disciplinary record - fast

We are sitting adrift at the foot of the fair play league and there is little sign that things are about to improve.

Our card count for petulant kicking the ball away, whining at officials and general indiscipline is clocking up quicker than Lewis Hamilton's odometer.

Cards of the circular, red variety are also totting up alarmingly quickly - not only is this potentially costing us points in the games when they are shown but also further down the line, when we are having to chop and change the team to accommodate those unavailable due to suspension.

Questions need to be asked with regards who is to blame. When Andy Sinton first came to the club, he said he wouldn't tolerate the players haranguing the referee, a point he has reiterated. Some quarters have said it is essential we do this to become more competitive, as other clubs have used this 'tactic' to good effect. The problem seems to be the manner in which we are approaching the referee, or questioning his decisions.

I remember back to when Martin O'Connor did it for Shrewsbury, against us, during the season they were in the Conference. He was constantly in the referee's ear. Nagging. Moaning. Complaining. The way our players seem to be going about it appear to have just the opposite effect though, infuriating the official and appearing more 'a lack of respect for authority.' This is something the F.A will always come down hard on.

Certain players should definitely know better though. To an extent I can understand players, in the heat of the moment, temporarily losing their cool, but experienced members of the team should have a bit more nous. Even the youngsters that have gone through football league academies should have the experience to handle situations better than they have of late.

A further worry for me is the lack of discipline that is costing the club money. Failure to control our players also gives us a negative reputation.

Red cards have cost us more than 15 times this season - Daniel Preston, on his own, will have missed ten games already and it's not even the end of September. Jake Reid has played no more than ninety minutes, yet has been suspended for three games while Steve Jones is also due to miss a game after trying to play connect four with the yellow counters.

Kieron St Aimie has bagged an impressive six goals in 11 games, but hasn't kept his nose clean in a disciplinary sense, picking up unnecessary yellows and then the red on Tuesday night, meaning he will be missing for three games. Chilvers is probably the unfortunate one, being on the end of a rather harsh 'professional foul' decision.

The last thing we want is our promising start to evaporate away even further. Three points from 15 is not great, but the overall standard of display is better, with eleven men on the pitch - we could really have an impact on the Conference this year.

Let's get it sorted - together!

You Bucks!