Want to be a football referee? Based in the north of Scotland? Well, now is your chance.
The Caledonian Stadium in Inverness will host entry-level classes for potential male and female officials on Sunday, January 29 and Sunday, February 5 (9am-5pm).
Gordon Seago is a Highland League referee, who has also run the line in the Championship and Scottish Cup.
He is the North of Scotland Referees’ Association’s president – and is determined to address a shortage of officials in the area.
Games not being played due to lack of referees
The two-day introductory course will take attendees through the laws of the game and explaining how to apply them while officiating matches – preparing the would-be whistlers for a three-part assessment: a written exam, pre- and post-match requirements, and a game to referee under supervision.
Ref Seago said: “We have lost a lot of members, often through the natural progression with the older generation of referees retiring and leaving refereeing, and we’re really short on officials, male and female.
“We’re now running the course over two weekends in Inverness to get guys and girls in for the seasons which lie ahead of us.
“Usually, we run the courses over 10-week periods, but we’re pushing through a course this time as quickly as we can.
“We’ve hit a spell where some games are not being played because we don’t have enough referees in the north of Scotland.
“That has mainly affected the academy and youth football.
“One game off is too many for us and it purely comes down to the lack of numbers.”
Chance to rise up referee ladder
Seago says the pathway is there for men or women to rise up the refereeing ladder, pointing to some of his own experiences, as well as the social and fitness benefits – aided by weekly fitness sessions run by the association.
He said: “People ask ‘why would you want to be a referee?’, but you really don’t know until you try it. There are far more positives than negatives, that’s for sure.
“I enjoy being involved in the sport. I never thought I would get to officiate in some of the stadia I’ve been in.
“The camaraderie is great, working as part of a team, even if it is just three or four.
“I enjoy the craic with the players, for example, while maintaining the line where you need to follow the laws.
“Personality-wise, it’s great fun and I enjoy refereeing at all levels.
“Whether that is running the line as an assistant or refereeing in the middle, all the levels provide a great way to keep fit and be involved in the sport.
“I would urge people just to give it a go, because you don’t know just how far it can take you. You really can go all the way to the top if you show commitment and the levels required.”
Support is on hand when required
Seago appreciates not every matchday will go to plan, with comments to officials from the pitch or sidelines going too far at times.
However, he insists no one would be left without the professional backing of the association and emphasising the benefits far outweigh any sour moments.
He added: “Of course, there are days when you wonder why you do it, but that feeling lasts two seconds and you remember why you do it – it’s because you enjoy it.
“There are support networks fully in place for those occasions when things don’t go as planned, or people are being abusive, we’re more than capable of coping with that to help anyone.”
Women can follow Molly’s lead
Opportunities for women from the north to make an impact as referees were also highlighted by Seago.
He added: “The pathway exists for women.
“We’ve had a number of female officials come through, such as Molly Alexander, who is a former FIFA assistant referee and category four referee. She is currently an assistant referee in the Highland League.
“Opportunities for women to become referees in Scotland are better than ever. The women’s game locally has flourished with Caley Thistle, Clach and now Elgin City for example.
“There are so many clubs starting, but you always need officials and it would be great to get more female referees, and we have active female members there to support them.”
To register for the classes, which can also be carried out in-part from home, simply email nosrasecretary@gmail.com
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