FURNESS football officials are hoping for a late flurry of applications to take part in a referees course next month.

The Lancashire FA will be running a two-day course at Furness Academy on July 16 and 17, delivered by former Football League referee Jim Parker.

Barrow Junior Football League secretary Ben Shirley – himself a former referee – is hopeful more interest can be drummed up to increase numbers on the course after a slow take-up.

He stressed the importance of officials to his own league and the local senior competitions, with many games throughout the season currently being taken charge of by representatives from one of the teams in action.

In the Barrow JFL, for instance, only 51 per cent of matches from under-11s up to under-16s, were covered by qualified referees last season. Shirley said: “Local football is very popular, but there simply aren’t enough referees.

“From the Barrow and District Junior Football League’s point-of-view, not all of our games are covered and I know that other leagues in the area on occasion don’t have maximum coverage either. And we can’t even think about beginning to have assistant referees until we get a significant intake.

“The other thing that was highlighted was that at the youth cup finals we had club officials. It’s just not good enough. It’s not an attack on would-be referees, it’s just highlighting the need and the demand for people to take up the whistle. It is becoming a bit of an epidemic.

“People as young as 14 can get into refereeing and attitudes towards referees are changing. Our league is a Respect League, which means we have signed up for the Respect campaign, and we are making an investment in that.

“All of this is geared around changing attitudes and educating people about they interact with match officials.”

The Barrow JFL want to have more referees taking charge of their matches as they seek the FA Charter Standard, which can increase funding and support from outside.

Shirley is aware the cost of the course – at £135 – could be seen as prohibitive, but his league are set to pay half that fee back when new officials complete certain criteria, involving refereeing a set number of games over the next two seasons.

He said: “I’m quite concerned about the poor uptake for the course, but the cost is going to be subsidised left, right and centre.

“As referees, they get paid well and they get all their expenses covered. I remember when I was younger, getting up and delivering papers six days a week and I earned more money on one Saturday as a referee than I did in a month delivering papers. It’s a lot more fun, and you get to keep fit as well.

“If you do well, you can progress quite quickly as well.

“There is a shortage of referees nationally and there is a clearly defined pathway.

“As an adult, you’re also giving back to the game and you can still play on a Saturday afternoon.”

The Barrow JFL will have a referees officer next season, who will be in charge of mentoring officials.

Places on the course can be booked online at https://eventspace.thefa. com/lancashirefa

For more information, contact Steven Stewart at the Lancashire FA on 01772 624 000.