A lack of football referees around the country is seeing younger ones being pushed through the grades more quickly than expected, club officials say.

However, trying to recruit referees was a hard sell as fewer people were up for being abused - physically or verbally - each weekend.

The views come after two amateur Auckland region football teams have either been pulled or voluntarily quit halfway through the season after separate incidents of referee abuse.

A 20-year-old referee was spat at and verbally by a Manukau City player after a match against Ellerslie Association Football Club last month.

The incident, which is still being investigated, got so heated the referee ended up locking himself in the changing rooms until help arrived.

Manukau City board chair Hone Fowler said the players involved weren't club members and it had decided to voluntarily withdraw from the competition. The incident was now being investigated by the Auckland Football Federation [AFF].

It is understood that the referee returned to the game after a week's break.

Fowler told Mike Hosking working together is the only way to move forward.

"Traditionally, I feel there's been a sense of isolation from each other. Working more collectively and bringing groups together to say 'how can we tackle these problems in a sustainable way."

He says that while the will to change is there, there's still a long way to go.

"I'm feeling quite positive that there are steps being put iun place that will see a different picture in the near future."