Willie Collum has been named the new head of referees, succeeding Crawford Allan, who is set to leave his position at the conclusion of the current season. [SFA]
This change comes amid growing pressures and criticisms from top clubs in the SPFL, particularly concerning the handling of the VAR system under Allan’s leadership.
Collum, 45, will take over the role in early July, following his decision to retire from his position as a local authority education officer.
His appointment marks the end of a distinguished refereeing career spanning nearly three decades, during which Collum served as a Category One official and a FIFA international referee for 20 years. His transition to this administrative role will see him step away from active refereeing with immediate effect.
Crawford Allan’s departure has been influenced by dissatisfaction from several leading SPFL clubs, who have pointed to various mishaps and controversies surrounding the implementation of VAR. These clubs have expressed significant concerns about the system’s effectiveness and Allan’s management of the refereeing framework, which they believe has impacted the integrity of matches.
