GCFA REFEREE LEGEND

We take a look at one of our Refereeing legends of the game, This man is one who would have made a real impression on you when he was in charge of your match.

it is not often match officials become icons or legends within a league association but we felt it was correct that Bill and his history deserved that honour.

BILL INNES ⬇️

Bill Innes – Referee – GCFA – Legend

ABOUT BILL

ANONYMOUS

I first came across Bill around 2006 and have had the pleasure and pain of being officiated by Bill on several occasions, Bill always struck me as being hard strict referee but he was always fair and called it the way he saw it.

What i liked about Bill was that if you approached Bill after the game in a friendly manner he would always take the time to speak to you on a personal level and explain the decisions he made and why he made them.

Quick questions before we look at Bill’s career

Which teams stood out to you when you officiated in the GCFA ?

Which players stood out to you during this time ?

Who Stood out to you from a refereeing perspective?

Did you officiate anyone who was almost certain to see red or be in trouble most games ?

Central had a boy called George who was always up to something

Which managers do you remember for good and bad reasons LOL ?

Murdo from Glasgow Islands and Mr Burns from Rosehill United were never quiet on the sidelines.

Did you have a favourite venue to referee at ?

I really like Petershill junior park

What about your least favourite venue ?

That must be Whifflet, the changing room was a cleaners cupboard.

Did you ever have to travel for Games ?

Occasionally the long journey to Alexandria to officiate lomond Vale.

Do you have any regrets about joining the GCFA ?

That i never joined earlier.

Which referees do you remember from your time in the GCFA?

Jim Pearson and Stuart Mclearie were really good match officials.

HOW IT BEGUN

Bill was born in back in November 1949, The legend would say he arrived with a whistle in his mouth and a Red Card in his hand.

A young Bill was growing fast and in 1962 he went to Saint Augustine’s Secondary School and this was were his love of football began.

Bill started off his career as a goalkeeper back in 1966. He loved to play between the sticks but he was alway interested what it would like to be a match official.

Around late 1977 Bill took the plunge and decided to study the laws of the game on preparation for sitting the referee’s exam.

After months of studying and the pressure off going into Glasgow to sit the big test Bill passed the referee exam in 1978 much to the delight of all who knew him.

The early steps of Bill’s career started to take place when he decided to go into the amateur game.

Bill then refereed in Amateur Football for three years before being promoted to being a linesman at senior level.

During this time he was also starting to get noticed in the junior ranks of a referee with very high potential.

He spent five years refereeing junior football before being promoted he was offically mafe a Class One referee.

Bill went on and refereed many of the senior teams in Scotland.

His First UEFA game he took part in he was linesman for Inter Milan and Nantes (France) held in Milan 1986

He became President of the SFA referees Glasgow in 1992-1993

Bill retired from the senior game around 1994

Mr Innies would join the Glasgow Colleges Football Association in 2006 to help his good friend Donald Brooks

Volunteer driver for World team Badmington (Sudirman Cup) 2007

host city volunteer medals for Glasgow Commonwealth games 2014

Bill decided to hang up his Whistle for the final time at the end of the 2015 season.

Ono of the highlights of Bill’s Career

refereed at multiple Special Olympic tournaments from Glasgow to USA

He also officiated abroad in a few European countries

BILL IN PICTURES

THE GCFA

Around 2007 Bill was enjoying handling the big matches in the Glasgow Colleges Football Association. In his early days there he was known as an official who was not to be messed with.

In 2014 Bill was the linesman for the GCFA Cup Final between Silverburn and Albion AFC which Albion won 1-0

Bill has certainly been missed since he has retired from officiating.

CHURCHES LEAGUE

Bill was a highly respected official and his services were much sought after in the mid 2000s. The Evangelical Churches League would also ask Bill to referee matches for them when he could.