(Left to right) GFA chairman Mark Le Tissier and Dame Mary Perkins are joined by Guernsey senior squad members Alex Le Prevost, Tom Le Tissier, Ross Allen, Glyn Dyer, Ben Coulter and Sam Cochrane at the launch of the Specsavers Respect Awards. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0893642)

THE Guernsey Football Association have teamed up with Specsavers for a plan to enhance ‘Respect’ in the local game.

The GFA today announced a significant sponsorship deal with the local optical giant to run until the end of the 2010-11 season, which will see monthly awards for a team from a designated GFA league and big end-of-season prizes for one winning team.

The deal was revealed as the association introduced the second stage of its roll-out of the Football Association’s national Respect initiative.

From 1 January all GFA matches will begin with the Respect handshake between players from both sides and the match officials, now seen at all leading national and international matches.

Referees will mark both sides, the coaching teams and club supporters for behaviour and attitude at each match, and GFA officials present at games will also note examples of good and poor behaviour both on and off the field.

The Specsavers Respect Awards will see the teams from one GFA league, chosen each month, judged on referee marks for a prize of training or warm-up kit to be branded with the Specsavers Respect logo.

The monthly winners will go on to be considered for the end-of-season prize. This summer it will be a soccer school hosted locally by a Premiership club for youth players.