The Cumberland Football Association (CFA) is encouraging the chance for young referees to take centre stage in grassroots football, and join nearly half the county's officials who are under 18.

The CFA currently boasts a total of 220 referees, with 98 of them under 18 and 21 being female referees.

Referee development officer Scott Taylor said in recent years, the county has seen a notable increase in younger girls wanting to take up refereeing, demonstrating the growing accessibility of the sport. 

"It's a big statement for us if we can have female referees on female games, you see it with the Euros and World Cup, it's a fantastic achievement for a county FA such as ours," he said. 

"We do try and utilise those 21 female referees, we don't have enough to cover all the games, but the aim and still is to get as many females officiating as possible -  it's also a great image to have young referees, officiating young people's football," he said. 

Cumberland FA also boasts two young referees who have just been elected to the referee FA national youth council, which Scott described as a 'huge achievement' considering the size of the county. 

Over the past two years, the association has been distributing special yellow armbands to under-18 match officials as part of its commitment to safeguarding and promoting a positive environment for the next generation of referees.

Alex, a referee aged 16, underlined the importance of the armband: “Wearing the CFA Referee Armband as a U18 Referee is more than just a symbol to keep me safe.

"It’s a reminder of the trust placed in us young officials to officiate the game fairly and ensure everyone’s safety.

"Let’s continue to uphold the values of respect, and sportsmanship on the pitch, making each match a positive experience for all," he said. 

The CFA is constantly on the lookout for new referees, under 18 and above, to come and join the team. 

"The referee course is brilliant for developing confidence, time-keeping, and communication skills - excellent attributes for a referee. 

"We talk about resilience, we know there are going to be tough times. We even make mistakes at the top level but it's about learning from those and analysing your performance, it's a great skill to have," Scott said. 

If you'd be interested in finding out more or becoming a central figure on the pitch, visit Cumberland FA. 

Under-18 match officials who have not yet received their yellow armband can contact RefSupport@CumberlandFA.com