Latics reveal helping hand for refs

ATHLETIC manager Lee Johnson wants full-time referees in the Football League to raise standards — and says that players themselves should get involved in taking up the whistle.

Johnson revealed that he has had match officials in at the club to train with the squad to improve their knowledge of the nuances of the game.

And after a particularly controversial clash last week against Doncaster — one in which referee Carl Boyeson’s performance infuriated both managers — Johnson sees a need for money to be invested.

“For me, the way we improve it is get a group of the best referees. Fast-track maybe 10 or 15 players who have played at good non-league level, give them £50,000 a year and train them in a central location together,” said Johnson.

“Relocate people and do it properly.

“I am not going up against the referees as they do a good job. I just feel that it is so important to everyone and there is a lot of money kicking about.

“On a Saturday, you go into a game with two professional teams and one amateur. That’s no disrespect to the referees, but ideally we would have professional referees who could go and train every day and work with teams.”