Premier League official to referee Upottery pre-season games

Upottery footballers are to have their pre-season games officiated by a Premier League linesman.

Mike Cairns is the top flight official who has agreed to take the whistle for the villagers warm-up game starting with tonight’s meeting with Honiton Town (6.30pm).

Upottery boss Dan Prettejohn said: “Mike lives close to me and was very happy to agree to referee our warm-up games. It’s a real coup for us and something the players will, I am sure both appreciate and remember for a long time. Mike’s a cracking chap and had us in stitches about some of his experiences when he was the guest speaker at our awards evening at the end of last season.

Cairns was the linesman who wrongly awarded a goal to Chelsea in their 2-1 win over Spurs in the 2010/11 Premier league season.

He signalled that Frank Lampard had scored when replays showed that the England midfielder’s shot, fumbled by Heurelho Gomes, had not crossed the line.

After the game then Spurs boss Harry Redknapp had said: “The linesman’s made a call, an honest judgment, but he’s guessed. He’s on the 18-yard line when the ball’s on the goal-line, so it’s impossible to judge. He’s had a guess and he’s guessed wrong, an honest mistake. But until we get technology, it’ll keep happening.”