MORE than a quarter of the matches in local leagues last weekend took place without a referee according to former top-flight official Bill Cleere.

The chairman of the High Wycombe Referees Society admitted this week that the situation has reached crisis point.

He is now calling on anyone with an interest in taking up the whistle to attend a special course designed to train up referees of the future.

The ten-week course kicks off at Wycombe Wanderers' Adams Park ground on October 13 at 7.30pm.

Cleere said: "We were 45 referees short on Sundays and 50 short on Saturdays in September. More than a quarter of league matches went uncovered."

And the situation is worse at youth level where lots of matches take place every week without a referee.

Part of the problem is that referees have given up because of the verbal abuse they have to suffer, although physical abuse is rare and is actually down within Berks and Bucks.

A far bigger problem is that referees, particularly in kids football, are often dads who then give up when their son moves leagues, grows up or loses interest altogether.

The course costs £20 for U14s and £62 for over 16s.

The adult fee is as high as it is because it includes the cost of the relevant police checks etc but £30 will be reimbursed by the FA if the ref then goes on to officate at ten men's matches.

Anyone wanting to attend the referees course should call Bill Cleere on 01494 526337.