DAVID’S DAY IN THE SUN
Assistant ref is selected for Hampden showpiece
Assistant referee David Roome has hit a career high after being appointed to this weekend’s Scottish Cup final.
But he insists he wants to go completely unnoticed when Celtic and Motherwell clash at Hampden.
The 38-year-old is part of match referee Kevin Clancy’s team for Saturday’s showpiece, when champions Celtic are bidding to complete an unprecedented back-to-back domestic treble and the Steelmen are aiming to clinch their first trophy in 27 years.
A former left-back for EK Thistle and East Kilbride YM, the spotlight will be on Roome and the team when they step out at the National Stadium.
It will be the toughest test of his nine-year career as an official – and he’s hoping for a quiet day. He said: “It’s the biggest game in the Scottish season and it’s absolutely fantastic to be part of it. For players involved in one, they’ll have all these dreams of scoring the winning goal and running to the fans in celebration.
“But when you are appointed as an official, you just want to turn up and hopefully nobody even knows you are there. You just want to do a good job and go up the road.
“I was absolutely delighted and elated when I got the call. Hopefully there are no major issues and the game goes well for us.”
Roome, from Calderwood, has enjoyed a relatively rapid rise to the top of the game after calling time on his playing career in 2009.
He served his apprenticeship in the amateur and Junior ranks and the last two years have seen him run the line in the Scottish Premiership.
He has already been involved in a final this season, officiating during Inverness Caley Thistle’s Challenge Cup win over Dumbarton, and he was also an assistant for Motherwell’s win over Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-finals.
“I started at 29 and to get to this stage it has been quite quick, but if you are deemed to be good enough, you are deemed to be old enough,” said Roome, who was involved in last week’s Edinburgh derby between Hearts and Hibs.
“The Scottish Football Association have got a good pathway for it and if you are performing well then they are happy enough to put you in.
“And that rings true for me. This is only my second season as a specialist assistant and I’ve managed to get the semi-final and final of the Scottish Cup.
“When I got the call I had to pinch myself, but a lot of my peers contacted me to say it just shows you the level of commitment and training I’ve put in has paid off.
“Now I’ve got the ultimate appointment, so it’s fantastic.”