In comparison to some other counties, Guernsey is relatively well off for referees, with Peter Davison, above, among their number. However, it would require treble the current amount to be able to supply goalline assistants as well. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0496457)

THE head of local referees, Graham Skuse, is a fan of proposals to have five officials overseeing matches, but said it will never happen here.

Trials are currently happening in Switzerland that see a referee and his two linesmen joined by a pair of goalline assistants, with one at each end of the pitch.

‘It’s very, very nice and I would love to have it here in Guernsey, but I would need treble the amount of referees,’ said Skuse, who is the Guernsey Football Association’s referees’ development officer.

‘It’s very desirable, but impossible at our level. The more, the better, but some counties are struggling to get three [officials].

‘In the UK [at our level] they’ve got a referee, but that’s about it.’

The thinking behind the scheme is that as top-level football gets faster, referees just cannot keep up with the run of play and are consequently making mistakes.