The keen cricketer spent the winter not only playing but also adjudicating soccer matches around the region.

From being the man in the middle during junior matches to sideline ref at all levels of the senior competition, Fairclough says he enjoys every minute of it.

“I love the game and for me it is fun to do,” he laughs.

“It’s also a chance to give back to the club. Now we 

have more refs there is less pressure on the committee and parents no longer have to do it.”

Fairclough explains he is one of five teenage referees from the Singleton Club who have worked hard to become “Black and White Refs”.

It’s a term used to describe a Football Federation Australia (FFA) Level 4 Referee as this is how they are dressed.

“He is a really committed young bloke who showed lots of potential in his first year as a Level 4 Referee,” HVRFA 

president Phil Baldwin told The Argus.

“He really stood out.”

Baldwin says his association relies heavily on young referees and they do a “great job”.

“We have about 85 members and around 60 are young,” he said.

“This year five young blokes from Singleton stepped up and they have done a great job.

“Our young refs are very 

reliable and consistent. 

“Unfortunately some give it away after their first year as they can’t handle the pressure of parents yelling from the sidelines but we are working on trying to stop this kind of behaviour.”

We need the kids to enjoy referring for the future of the game, he says.

When it comes to the 

pressure, Fairclough shrugs and says most things are 

accidental.

“At the junior level it is pretty straight forward but in the 

higher grades it can get very competitive; you have to watch out for floppers (players taking a dive), shirt pulling, studs out and pushing in the back,” he says.

“I have only had to give out one yellow card all year.”