Don't shoot the ref!

Annitta Moss, of Henfield Road, Eastbourne, dismissed Luton Town FC manager Mike Newell's recent comments as old-fashioned and nothing to do with modern football.

Last week his opinions caused a storm in the national press.

Ms Moss, 52, picked up her whistle and stepped on to the pitch as a referee five years ago and says she has never encountered sexism.

She said, "I have never been criticised as a woman referee. I have only had the usual sort of criticism refs get as regards decision-making '” the sort of comments every referee gets.

"I think there's no difference between a male official and a female official apart from obviously their gender.

"We go through the same course and the same physical assessment, and we have to keep fit."

Mr Newell said of a female assistant referee, "It is bad enough with the incapable referees and linesmen we have, but if you start bringing in women, you have big problems.

"I know that sounds sexist, but I am sexist."

He later apologised for the remarks.

Ms Moss said, "The only debate I get on the pitch is to do with football.

"I think my gender has raised more interest in the fact I am a ref, rather than criticism of me doing it because of my gender.

"Youngsters do look at you and you can see it in their faces, they're thinking 'Oooh, a woman referee'.

"It's the surprise factor rather than anything else."

Ms Moss used to play football and said the manager's views echoed the ideas of critics 20 years ago.

She became a referee after watching her son Marcus, now 16 and also a referee, play in matches.

She said, "I got back into having a passion for football.

"You would stand there thinking 'Ref, why didn't you give that?' and I was really thinking 'Well? Why didn't he?' So I thought I would give it a go."

She has since been a regular official at Eastbourne league matches, switching from youth to women's to men's games where needed.

She added of Mr Newell's comments, "I was pleased that he apologised but I was quite shocked when that first came out, that somebody in his position could say something like that."

With a day job as a teaching assistant at Parkland Junior School, Brassey Avenue, Ms Moss also gets to officiate the most enthusiastic players around '” the school team.

She added the Football Association's support of women in football was wholehearted and urged female football players in Eastbourne to make the most of their local teams.

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