A Heckmondwike policeman has been hired by the Football League - to bring law and order to the pitch.

Sergeant Alan Kaye, who has been assigned to police matches in divisions one, two and three, will be swapping his touch-line flags for a whistle when he graduates next season from linesman to referee.

Sgt Kaye, who started refereeing Sunday league games in 1981, said: "I've made steady progress up through the ranks and it's a real dream to become a Football League referee.

"My refereeing work takes up about 40 hours a week so my social life revolves around football.

"It used to be a hobby but it's now as much a profession as my policing - though it's the policing which pays the mortgage."

Sgt Kaye, who works for the Dewsbury police division's traffic unit, said he started refereeing after a broken leg suffered playing football kept him off work for six months.

The former Liversedge player was encouraged by his then sergeant Ray Shepherd, now a chief inspector, who runs policing at Bradford City.

Chief Insp Shepherd is the only other West Yorkshire police officer to have become a Football League referee.

Sgt Kaye rose to the Northern Counties Football League and since 1993 has worked as an assistant referee in the Football League and Premiership.

His biggest job so far was as assistant referee during the 1997 FA Charity Shield clash between Manchester United and Chelsea.

And this season he worked the touchlines during this month's games between Blackburn and Manchester United and Scarborough and Peterborough - which saw Scarborough relegated from the Football League.

"My police training has definitely helped me to referee," said Sgt Kaye, who has a 14-year-old daughter Lyndsey and a son, Ashley, 12, who plays for Drighlington boys.

"It's given me an ability to deal with people and it's taught me how to deal with potentially volatile situations.

"A lot of my colleagues follow what I do with interest.

"I'd love one day to take charge in Premiership games."

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