Paul O’Neill never sits on the sidelines – he runs them as a top-level referee’s assistant.

Paul (pictured above left) is head of healthcare at Shotts Prison, where he’s worked for the past 11 years. He manages healthcare services for 535 long-term prisoners.

Paul’s also a specialist assistant referee (development) with the Scottish Football Association (SFA).

He began refereeing eight years ago, gaining promotion over that time to reach his current position. He officiates on average two matches a week, with recent games including the top-flight clash between Hamilton and Kilmarnock.

Paul said, “I’ve always had a passion for football and played from a very young age. Moving into refereeing has allowed me to stay involved in the game and at a far higher level.

“It’s also enables me to maintain a high level of fitness. I train six sessions a week, twice with a personal trainer, and my fitness level is monitored and assessed by the SFA on a regular basis. People often think we need to be as quick as the players but in fact we need to be even fitter since our job is to keep up with the ball.

“So far the highlights have been officiating in games in the top league in the country and one at Hampden, Scotland’s national football stadium. I’ve also been coached by some of Scotland’s top officials and I’ve meet some of my best friends through this profession.”

Paul’s goal is to secure promotion as a fully-fledged Specialist Assistant Referee and to be appointed to the list of referees for FIFA, the governing body of international football.

That dream came one step closer recently when Paul was officiated at the UEFA Youth Champions league match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.