William Burns (referee)
English football referee
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William Burns (Born December 1952 – 23 August 2019), usually known as "Bill Burns", was an English football referee who officiated in the Football League.
Scarborough, England
Scarborough, England
| Born |
16 December 1952 Scarborough, England | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Died |
23 August 2019 (aged 66) Scarborough, England | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1985–1988 | Football League | Asst. referee | |
| 1988–2001 | Football League | Referee | |
Born in Scarborough, Burns refereed the 1996 Football League Third Division play-off final,[1][2] and the 2001 Football League Trophy Final.[3][4] Having officiated since 1985, he retired as a Football League referee at the end of the 2000–01 season, at the age of 48.[5] In 2002, he bought a pub in Scarborough with his wife, Jenny.[4] In later life, he underwent a successful double liver transplant at St James's University Hospital in Leeds.[6]
He died on 23 August 2019 aged 66 after a long battle with primary sclerosing cholangitis.[7]