The head of an Auckland football club hopes two teams removed from competition for abusing referees will send a message to players and supporters.
A Ranui-Swanson Football Club men's team has been banned after abusing a match official last weekend June 15.
Manukau City Football Club has withdrawn its team from another league after three players were suspended a game against Ellerslie last month.
The chair of Ellerslie Football Club, Tim Adams, was also at last weekends match when the referee was forced to lock himself in a room to get away from abusers.
He spoke to RNZ reporter Tom Furley about what happened.
