LOATHE them or hate them you can't get away from the fact that football can't live without referees.

So it is worrying that pressure again seems to be building on that special breed who, for reasons best known to themselves, take up the whistle.

In recent weeks local non-League managers Brent Peters, at Bacup, Darwen's Steve Wilkes and Nelson's John Bailey have all been reportedly less than satisfied with refereeing performances.

Peters summed up his feelings by saying after his side's 2-2 draw at Nelson by saying: "If I'm sent from the dug-out for complaining about a couple of incidents and their manager John Bailey is on the pitch after the game wanting to discuss different ones, then you can only conclude that it was not the most consistent performance."

And Steve Wilkes responded to Darwen's 3-0 defeat at Stand by saying: "The referee spoiled the game, we lost to the better side but you want to lose in normal circumstances.

"Quite simply we are playing a decent standard of football and what we need are decent referees."

In both instances the managers conceded that neither match official was helped by his assistants, who also seem to be a bugbear for the bosses, but the simple fact is that they believe the game is being marred.

These comments regarding the situation in the North West Counties League were not off the cuff but considered, and Wilkes and Peters were both genuinely concerned with the quality of refereeing displays as much as the outcome of their respective matches.

It would suggest there is a real problem, however, the fact is that if there is no referee then there is no game.

It would appear that football is happy to address what adorns the top of the tree, i.e. professional referees for Premiership games, but if increased funding can be found for that then surely some more brass could be ploughed into helping those officiating lower down the pyramid.

I don't mean by way of payment for lower grade referees, but if we are developing training schemes for the top refs then that elite could be spending some of their newly found "free time" imparting their knowledge to other referees on courses designed to improve performance.

Maybe this is already being done, but what football needs are good match officials.

Let's face it referees are truly amazing individuals.

Despite knowing that they will be abused and lambasted at whatever level they operate, they have such a love for the game that they are prepared to take the brickbats and ensure that from the humblest Sunday playing fields to the grandest international stadium football matches get played.

And there can't be one referee who won't admit that he could always do with a little help and guidance from those with more experience.

Surely what everyone in the game wants is consistency from referees that we can be confident in.

If that is the case then everyone with influence in the game should be doing their damndest to make sure that referees are empowered as much as they possibly can be to produce their very best.