Referee appointed chaplain of Bilston Town football club

Sep 6 2009 by Chris Henwood, Sunday Mercury

REFEREE Mel Perry is hoping to give sinful soccer players the red card after being appointed the chaplain of a Black Country football club.

Mel will be looking after the spiritual needs of Bilston Town’s Beckhams, Ballacks and Barrys as the club competes for glory in the West Midlands Regional League.

Ref of 20 years Mel will also watch out for the club’s youth team and staff, as well as supporting clubs attached to the Bilston Partnership Youth League.

His team currently lies top of Division One, having won four of its first six matches this season, but there’ll be no Christian forgiveness for dirty play on the pitch if he’s in charge of the whistle.

“People know exactly where I stand,” he said. “The laws of the game are clear and I give no special privileges because of what I do in the church.”