I read with interest your article (Malvern Gazette, January 21) featuring the unfortunate experiences of youth football referee, Malcolm Murray.

I manage a local youth football team and sympathise entirely with Mr Murray's position in that he has, in my experience, exemplified everything a referee should be and he deserves the full support of everyone associated with youth football, particularly the governing bodies.

He has always been fair and even- handed and interpreted and enforced the rules of the game in the true spirit of the game.

Youth football is, in my view, reaching crisis point with games being abandoned with frightening regularity, which whilst it may be argued is merely a reflection of wider social issues should nevertheless be dealt with and that is exactly what Mr Murray has consistently attempted to do.

I, for one, fully support Mr Murray and only wish that we had more referees like him despite the fact that we rarely won a game when he reffed us!

George Richards, Ryall Grove, Upton.