The life of a football referee is not always a rosy one - as I can vouch for myself.

Every decision you make comes under scrutiny, and with only four years under my belt, I have already experienced the highs and lows.

I am accustomed to the odd tirade of abuse when I've made a decision that was not popular, but thankfully these have been very few and far between.

I referee in the Sport Italia Hellenic League, which also means I am an assistant in the Southern League and Blue Square South.

Thanks to Hellenic League general manager Brian King and chairman Bob Dalling, this year has been a breath of fresh air after they introduced the "zero tolerance" initiative aimed at removing inappropriate language from the game.

And now it is time for the other leagues in Oxfordshire to follow their lead.

In essence, the initiative has given referees the power to take the appropriate action, be that a reprimand, a caution or a red card to cases of verbal abuse or unacceptable language.

Although always in the laws of the game, too often in the past, referees, myself included, have turned a deaf ear to abusive language.

But the clubs know their responsibilities, and they, and the players, now know the sanctions that can be taken against them.

And it has made a noticeable difference.

Yes, there is still a bit of bad language flying around, but normally it is followed by a swift apology.

In local league matches, particularly on Sunday mornings, the colourful language and different attitude makes a referee's task so much harder.

Adopting different tolerance levels for different leagues is of no help to anyone - the time has come when every league should follow the Hellenic's example and stamp out swearing for good.