First question is – is it any safer than playing? Joking apart, the Camanachd Association is on the hunt to develop its referees list. The new season is only a couple of months away so if you’re interested, the sooner you make contact with the Association the sooner you can be in charge of a game on the pitch.

The problem is that while the list is quite respectable it’s not long enough to cover all the games that will sometimes have to be played on the same day across the various leagues and competitions. And if there’s no official available, matches have to be postponed. And this can make a mess of a season.

Everyone interested in becoming a referees will complete a foundation course and once they’ve done that satisfactorily they would ne able to officiate at matches from junior through to reserve level.

There is a Foundation Course coming up this month at Inveraray and if budding Argyll referees can’t make that, there are others at Inverness (also in January) and at Fort William and Central in February.

Refereeing is open to all over-16 year-olds and referees in charge of a senior level match get a match fee of £30, plus 40p per mile travelling expenses.

As well as the courses for new referees, the Camanachd Association is also holding a national Level-One coaching course to be held on February 7th and 8th at Lochaber High School in Fort william, with area induction sessions to befporehand in the evening of Thursday 29th January.

Everyone interested in refereeing and in coaching  is asked to apply to the Association as soon as possible, in order to be qualified to referee or coach for the start of the new season in March.

As Graham Cormack, the Camanachd’ Association’s Coaching and Performance Development Manager, says: ‘The higher the performance levels of the referees and coaches, the better opportunity for players to improve and enjoy the game fully’.

With Argyll hosting the final of the national competition, the Camanachd Cup, in Oban in this Homecoming Scotland year, it would be good to see referees and coaches taking Argyll’s celebrated shinty profile forwards.