Football Leagues/ Association and Governance | Football Referees, Players, Managers and Media
The lower tiers of Scottish football are being damaged by a shortage of referees, according to the Scottish Football Association (SFA).
Hugh Dallas, head of referee development at the SFA, told BBC Sport that the organisation is actively seeking people who wish to pursue a career as a match official.
He said that the current number of qualified referees in Scotland is between 2,300 and 2,400, but the SFA wants to "aim a lot higher" with its recruitment plans.
"New leagues start up and we have more women's football, but no-one considers where we'll get the match officials," Mr Dallas explained.
He claimed that some youth matches and amateur fixtures in outlying areas of the country are being postponed or refereed by coaches due to the scarcity of trained personnel.
The role of referees came under scrutiny in the English Premier League recently after Sir Alex Ferguson questioned the physical fitness of Alan Wiley, the 49-year-old referee who was in charge for Manchester United's 2-2 draw with Sunderland on October 3rd.
Written by Mark Thompson
© Copyright
21 October 2010
21 October 2010
21 October 2010
20 October 2010
20 October 2010
