Liam Weston (right) with Polish referee Michal Fudala
After refereeing more than 100 football matches, Liam Weston is no stranger to the tension a high-stakes game can generate.
“You have to control players, and you know you’re going to make mistakes – and the mistakes you make they’re going to yell at you for,” the Cambridge 18-year-old said.
Liam Weston on the pitch.
“I’m generally alright with the abuse I get from players; being a player myself helps me understand where they’re coming from. It’s part of the game to a certain point. Like everything, it’s fine in moderation, but if it goes too far you’ve got to deal with it. Matches get really heated and we have tactics to calm it down.”
The year 13 Hamilton Boys’ High School student has recently returned from refereeing at the IberCup in Barcelona thanks to Refs Abroad, a programme designed to give youth referees international experience.
“It’s one of the bigger youth tournaments around Europe, where teams from all around the world go to play,” he said.
Liam admitted being amongst the game’s aspiring stars, where scouts hunt for the next Messi or Ronaldo, was a little intimidating at first.
“One of the games I officiated was the Manchester City UAE academy team, which is a pathway for future professional England players,” he said.
“I was nervous… but it soon became apparent that the rules of the game, the size of the pitch and the infringements are the same the world over.”
Liam Weston ahead of leaving for Sydney. Photo: Jeremy Smith
He spent four days refereeing two to six games a day in the heat of the Spanish summer, presiding over players who had penalty appeals down to a fine art.
“You see the diving you get in the professional game, but these guys make it look so realistic,” he said. “If you didn’t have that perfect angle, you couldn’t tell if they were hit or just falling.”
However, having to make quick-fire decisions under pressure is one of the job’s attractions.
“The thrill is being in that situation, and you’ve got to know the law and how to restart the play, and if there’s a caution of a disciplinary act you have to know it off the top of your head, straight away,” he said.
Liam lives in Cambridge with his parents, Sally and Mike, and attends Hamilton Boys’ High School, where his mother is head of English.
He took up football at Cambridge Middle School but stopped playing last year to focus on refereeing and on his summer sport, ultimate frisbee.
Now, shooting for a Level 3 refereeing qualification, he is “hungry for more international experience” and would love to referee at a FIFA World Cup one day.
He encourages others to give refereeing a go.
“Everyone in our community in Hamilton is really good, trying to help each other grow – it’s a really positive atmosphere,” he said.
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Cambridge football referee Liam Weston (right) with Polish referee Michal Fudala at an IberCup match.
