'Fake' linesman at Notts County match

A FOOTBALL fan fooled Notts County into letting him officiate at a game.

Jarred McKnight, 23, who has no refereeing qualifications, was watching the League Two match against Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday when one of the two assistant referees picked up a calf injury and could not continue.

A plea was put out over the tannoy for a qualified referee to come forward.

Mr McKnight, a Wycombe fan, did so and took the place of the fourth official, who switched to running the line.

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He said: "The game was going to be called off. So when the call came out I thought 'I'll have a bit of that'.

"I spoke to a steward who took me to the front desk and I told them I had come all the way from Wycombe and I didn't want the game called off.

"I thought if it came off it would be one of the best stories ever – it was tremendous."

After the game Mr McKnight, a Loughborough University student, said he had drinks in the players' lounge and was thanked by the Notts County chairman for helping.

He said: "The guys I went with thought it would never happen – but when they saw me on the pitch they went wild."