The chants come in from the crowds, implying I was born out of wedlock. The players scream and shout in my ear, they dive and cheat but I am the one who gets the abuse. I am just doing my job but sometimes I don’t know why I bother.

It does not matter what decision you make you will always offend one set of players and thousands of fans. Is it really worth it all? Upsetting so many people by doing a job? It is not like I collect taxes or put parking tickets on cars. Not that those people who park illegally or don’t pay tax should get away with but I still don’t think tax collectors and parking attendants get the abuse I do. Maybe it is because I am beamed into millions of living rooms with cameras at every angle picking up any tiny mistake I make. You may think that means I am a massive star, all it means to me is millions upon millions more people to anger.

Talking about the cameras, it is nice to know people can see every incident from multiple points of view but do you think they realise that I can’t? The game moves so quickly, if there is a player in the way then that’s it. Sometimes I just have to guess at what has happened and in my world if you are unsure you don’t give the foul or brandish a card.

Do you know what is worse? That I am supposed to follow as set of rules whilst being fair and just and allowing the game to flow. Some matches I feel like sending half the team off but if I did that I would, to quote a phrase, “ruin the spectacle.” But again, if I don’t fully follow the rules then I get even more abuse.

The abuse doesn’t really get to you that much, only if you make a massive mistake and realise later. I think that it means little because of who it comes from, armchair pundits who have never played football higher than the local pub team and superstar players who act like little children. At times this job is little more than childcare.

So why do I it? Maybe it is the power, maybe it is to be a star, or maybe because I want to make a difference. No, the real reason is that I was not good enough at football but love the game so much and without referees it would not go ahead.

Oh well, here come the boos again but that was a blatant dive. I really should blow my whistle and book him but will just get in trouble for not letting the game flow. You know, you just can’t win!