Andy Halliday MBE Appointed as New WFS Referee Liaison Officer

Walking Football Scotland is delighted to announce the appointment of Andy Halliday MBE as our new Referee Liaison Officer.

Andy brings a wealth of experience to the role, having served as an assistant referee in the English Premier League for 14 years, officiating in over 600 top flight league and cup matches with 340 of those on the English Premier League. His distinguished career also includes proud moments on the biggest domestic stage—officiating as assistant referee on the FA Cup Final in 2016 (Crystal Palace v Manchester United) and also the Carabao Cup final in 2019 (Chelsea v Manchester City) at Wembley Stadium.

On retirement from active refereeing, he took up an AVAR position on the Premier league for two seasons, before coming back to Scotland and assisting in the VAR training for the Scottish FA officials.

Beyond his officiating career, Andy has served in the British Army for 39 years as a Royal Army Physical Training Corps Instructor. He has also contributed to the sport through his role on the Army Referee Executive Committee. In recognition of his outstanding service, he was awarded an MBE from King Charles in 2019 at Buckingham Palace for services to football refereeing, for both civilians and military.

Andy remains actively involved in the game, playing Walking Football in the South West region. In his new role, he will be instrumental in driving referee performance standards, delivering workshops, enhancing understanding of the Laws of the Game, and acting as the main point of contact for all referee-related matters within Walking Football across Scotland.

Andy’s passion, experience, and leadership will support the continued growth of the game, ensuring it remains fair, inclusive, and consistently officiated. On speaking about his new appointment, Andy said:

“I am looking forward to taking on this role and working with the WFS team to enhance and develop our referee pool to further the enjoyment for everyone partaking in walking football.”

WFS Trustee Matt Ramsay welcomed Andy’s appointment, saying:
“Andy’s exceptional background in professional refereeing and his dedication to the game at all levels make him an invaluable addition to our team. His leadership will play a crucial role in ensuring that our referees are supported, well-trained, and drive consistency, helping us maintain high standards across Walking Football in Scotland.”

WFS would also like to recognise and sincerely thank former Referee Liaison Officer, Simon McLean, for his dedication and efforts over the past year. His contribution has helped lay strong foundations for the continued development of officiating within Walking Football in Scotland.

Please note, for any referee support or enquiries, you can contact referee@walkingfootballscotland.org