Refereeing has kept me sane, says NI Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris
- Published
'Grassroots football has kept me sane'
"You don't go into refereeing to be the most popular person around - and sometimes politics makes you a tiny bit unpopular."
Imagine turning up to watch your child play a football match on a Saturday morning and Northern Ireland's Secretary of State is the man in the middle.
Well, that's exactly what happened on Saturday as Chris Heaton-Harris stepped out to officiate an under-11s match in Hillsborough.
The Conservative MP, appointed as Secretary of State when Liz Truss became Prime Minister in September, was not just doing the fixture as a one-off.
It's a long-time passion and Heaton-Harris is an FA-qualified Grade Five referee, which enables him to officiate at senior county level in England.
"That is the first game of my 41st season in the middle," Heaton-Harris said, adding he "really enjoyed" his first experience of taking charge of a game in Northern Ireland.
"My dad's best friend happened to be a Fifa referee in England, a guy called Ray Lewis.
"He came to see me play when I was 10 or 11 in a little league like this, realised I was absolutely rubbish so he sent me the little black book with the match record cards.
"I took a course and that was it. I've been going ever since. Football has done wonders for me throughout my life so I would recommend it to everybody."
'I thought I was being bribed'
Heaton-Harris is not the only politician involved in officiating. Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross is an assistant referee and has been involved in Old Firm fixtures, the Scottish Cup final and an international friendly between England and Wales at Wembley.
There are, of course, long-running jokes about politicians and brown envelopes and Heaton-Harris recalls his first match when he thought someone was trying to pay him off.
"When I was in my teens, I used to do three or four games a week," he said.
"I didn't realise in my first game that you actually get a match fee.
"This guy came into the changing room with a little wage packet in a brown paper envelope with eight quid in it.
"He gave it to me and I thought I was being bribed. I went out and got my dad!"
Heaton-Harris revealed he has officiated at "some really good grounds" and was involved in England defender Gary Mabbutt's testimonial between Tottenham and Newcastle in 1995 at White Hart Lane.
Chris Heaton-Harris was appointed Northern Ireland's Secretary of State in September
He added his experience of refereeing in Northern Ireland won't be a one-off and he is discussing taking charge of more matches with the Irish FA.
"It has kept me sane over the years when politics has been slightly insane," said the 54-year-old.
"Being a referee has actually helped, not necessarily open doors, but certainly helped me in certain situations in my political career.
"You get to meet some real people. You go into the clubhouse afterwards, you get to talk and you get to know way more about what is going on than sometimes you would get from a piece of paper and briefings.
"It has genuinely given me some really great insights, normally after they stop swearing at you in the bar."
So, with roles in politics and refereeing, the question is whether budding young footballers or Northern Ireland's politicians are more difficult to manage?
"I wouldn't like to comment on that because it would get me into trouble whatever way I answer it," he said.
"I'll give you the politician's answer and say they are both wonderful!"