Parents have been banned from cheering on their kids from the touchline at football matches in a bid to put an end to pitchside bust-ups.
Mums and dads have been ordered not to talk to their children while they are playing, but to clap politely from behind safety barriers instead.
Confused spectators were handed sheets of papers outlining the new rules before hundreds of matches for under-10s to under-16 teams last weekend.
They were told not to “communicate” with football managers, have “loud” conversations on the touchline or air their views on refereeing decisions.
The Silent Weekend initiative was part of the FA's Respect campaign, which actor Ray Winstone has got involved with by playing an abusive fan in TV ads.
The changes were tested out across Hampshire over fears of escalating touchline violence.
A match official recently revealed that a parent had threatened to stab a referee and a linesman was headbutted at youth football matches in Surrey.
The Hampshire FA said: "We are trying to create a pressure-free, safe environment where children do not feel intimidated by a negative atmosphere. It is not about punishing those who make positive comments but rather to convert those who make negative ones."
