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The Spartans FC

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I well remember your first day at the SFA(you were allowed to use that acronym in these days!).It was 1st November,1981 I believe and and I was somewhat bleary eyed after the birth of our son the previous day and since that day I have always thought of you  –no not as a second son to me but as the new boy who stopped me having a wee nap in the back office when I was shattered.Still I never held it against you and we have been good friends ever since even when I went native and joined the SFL(Remember them?)With your retirement just round the corner you must be feeling like a long term prisoner nearing his release date but with such a good conduct record you should have been out long ago!I can confirm that there is life after football and I do hope that you enjoy the freedom that retirement brings.Kind Regards,Peter Donald.  

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I well remember your first day at the SFA(you were allowed to use that acronym in these days!).It was 1st November,1981 I believe and and I was somewhat bleary eyed after the birth of our son the previous day and since that day I have always thought of you  –no not as a second son to me but as the new boy who stopped me having a wee nap in the back office when I was shattered.Still I never held it against you and we have been good friends ever since even when I went native and joined the SFL(Remember them?)With your retirement just round the corner you must be feeling like a long term prisoner nearing his release date but with such a good conduct record you should have been out long ago!I can confirm that there is life after football and I do hope that you enjoy the freedom that retirement brings.Kind Regards,Peter Donald.  

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Happy retirement Drew!
Alan Hogg

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Where do I begin?  Well it goes back to nearly 44 years ago and first year at Heriot Watt University and the beginning of a lifelong friendship. over the decades, we have shared so many great footballing occasions and many of these due to your generosity. Its not just the matches though, but the experience and insight I have gained through you as I have met so many great football people.  If I had to pick just one memory though, it would be the Easter Holidays of 1977, when Caley played Keith at Kynoch Park and I had the privilage of meeting your parents.  Their hospitality and generosity was matched only by their open and genuine personalities that made me feel within 10 minutes of meeting them that I had known them forever.  Caley won 1-0 that day and Colin McDonald, a Keith lad, came off the bench to score the winner, but for once my abiding memory of a Saturday afternoon watching Caley was not of the game but off your parents.  Like yourself, Drew, absolute gems
Bring on Madrid and the CL final!
Have a wonderful retirement
Dave MacKay

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Drew,

Congratulations on reaching your well earned retirement following a fantastic period of service to the association.

Thank you for all your help and support over the last few years, from dealing with covering late call offs to ensuring we have deer sh**e removed from the playing surface while we were both  miles from the venue!!!

Hope to see you around, enjoy every minuted of your retirement.

Paul Cummings

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You have earned your early release.
You are a man of integrity which shone through in everything that you did. It was a pleasure dealing with you.
Enjoy a long and happy retirement
Best wishes
Douglas D Hope

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It is the end of an era!

Thank you for all your work, and for dealing with a Keith FC match when a young assistant referee didn't turn up...
You also taught me that it was unacceptable to call off to attend a stag do, or to watch another match - I soon learned to be more inventive.

Rest assured we will all miss your excellent work - please let me know who to email for my regular hotel stays!

Enjoy your well earned retirement.
Calum

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Drew

Just a short note to offer my congratulations and best wishes on your very well earned retirement. Over 30 years of committed service is a remarkable achievement.

I can only reiterate the sentiments expressed more eloquently elsewhere on this page, conveying gratitude for your support, assistance and encouragement over my years on the senior list. I’ve enjoyed our correspondence and phone calls over the years - it was always good to hear from you with news of an appointment. But your dedicated service extended to officials at all levels of the game. As just one minor example, I recall you taking the time to get in touch with me over a decade ago when I was a Cat 2 to let me know you’d found online highlights of one of my games in the Scottish Junior Cup. Such highlights are very common these days (probably to the dismay of many aspiring referees), but it was certainly something of a novelty back then. Hopefully they're not still available!

I wish you a long, healthy and happy retirement - hopefully our paths will cross again at some point in the future.

Best wishes,

Alastair Mather

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Many congratulations and best wishes on your retirement.   It has been a great pleasure dealing with you as a Referee (I think the first contact we had was around 1985 when I was on the ‘Supplementary List’ refereeing Highland Youth League) and, since 2005, as a Referee Observer.  That Banffshire connection was handy at times as you knew the clubs and many of the people involved in the Highland League.  Your knowledge of Scottish football and meticulous attention to detail is going to be a huge loss to everyone involved in the game.  I hope you are able to devote the time to do the things you want to do and not be bothered with your phone ringing at 13.55 on a Saturday when the Observer is trying to find where the game is being played!
Maybe see you on the golf course sometime!

Regards

Paul Watson

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Drew,
Many congratulations on a well earned retirement. Will never forget the call I received from you informing me of my appointment onto the Fifa lists and the years of support you have always being willing to offer. Although we might not miss our jokes it will definitely be the end of an era without you at the other end of the phone. Congratulations again, Sean Carr

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Drew,

Congratulations on your retirement, some innings!

Wishing you all the best for the future, and many thanks for your support especially during my time as EDRA Secretary!!!

'orrabest

Graeme Leslie

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Congratulations on your retirement Drew and best wishes on a new chapter in your life.

Always seem to bump into you in EK, although it was a surprise to meet you in the arrivals hall in Sanford Airport Florida. Hopefully I will continue to bump into you Saturday mornings in Morrisons.

All the best

Graham McNeillie

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Congratulations Drew on your retirement. Your dedication to the job will be a hard act to follow. Thank you for all the help and indeed the appointments over the years.Wishing you all the best for a happy and healthy retirement. 

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Congratulations Drew on your retirement. Your dedication to the job will be a hard act to follow. Thank you for all the help and indeed the appointments over the years.Wishing you all the best for a happy and healthy retirement. 

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Brian Templeton

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Drew,

The other messages say it all about you as a first-class administrator and ambassador for the Scottish FA and the refereeing community, far and wide. As an erstwhile colleague, to whom you were supportive and helpful at all times,  I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiments expressed.

I know you best, however, as a true friend and, as such, I have always valued your integrity, loyalty, discretion and understanding, not to mention your 'wicked' sense of humour.  Can you still do your superb impersonation of Didier?!

Enjoy all the opportunities that retirement offers!

With best wishes to you and Hazel for continued good health and fun in the next phase of your life,

Marjory

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Best wishes for your retirement and future plans. Like so many others, I am grateful for the encouragement and support that you have provided over many years and also for the professional and approachable way you have always been available for me as a referee whenever I needed to get in touch.  That has been greatly appreciated by me.

I hope you enjoy whatever lies ahead for you next.

All the best

Gavin Ross

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As always when in the arena of a legend the stories that stick out are memorable, only a few weeks ago I was fortunate to hear the tale of your first major game appointment at Hampden when the main concern was if the game would go ahead due to the Falklands War 1982……………kind of puts everything into perspective in the role you have played in the longevity and evolution of the Scottish game. My fav memory goes back to last May last year and your call to inform me of my appointment to the cup final and it still tickles me, a brief diluted transcript – you’re on the cup final. I can’t be I done the quarter and semi. Well that’s what you call a cup run was your magnificent reply……. JJJ. Have a great retirement and good luck with the golf, stick a few defeats on that Bremner lad for me. Roomy

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Congratulations on your very well earned retirement.  I hope now that you can enjoy football as a fan, without the day to day issues and pressures that no doubt your job threw up from time to time!

Many thanks for your guidance,  advice and support throughout my refereeing career, it has been genuinely appreciated.

Wishing you a long, happy and healthy retirement.

Best wishes

Michael Banks

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Drew,

Congratulations on a fantastic career. Thank you for all the support & guidance you’ve given me throughout my career. Your end of season review & stats will be sorely missed by many. Hope to see you at a game at Kynoch in the near future. Wishing you the best retirement.
Will Smith

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Drew,

Thanks very much for all the help and advice you have given me throughout my refereeing career.  It has all been very much appreciated.  Will definitely miss your calls asking if I was available for a 3 day appointment, especially the one which covered the due date for my little boy ha ha.....

All the best for your retirement and I hope to see you at a game sometime in the future.

Euan Anderson

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Drew, congratulations on a sterling career. Thanks for all your help and guidance (particularly at 5.30pm on a Saturday night after some of matches when administration issues arose!). It was a pleasure knowing you and hopefully we will still bump into each other at Morrison’s or the loch before you set off to your weekly match! Best wishes in your retirement, Alan Newlands

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Many congratulations on your retirement. It has been a pleasure to know you and I thank you for all your help and assistance over the years.
I wish you a long and happy retirement.

Stuart Stevenson

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Drew,

Congratulations on you retirement.

On a personal note thank you for the help and support you have provided over the years. You have always been approachable, willing to help and a font of knowledge for all things refereeing.

You will be a great miss amongst the refereeing movement along with your much anticipated end of season summary email!

Wishing you a very long, happy and healthy retirement.

Best Wishes,

Stevie Kirkland

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Many congratulations as you approach the end of your successful career with the Scottish FA on both the disciplinary and the refereeing side of things (and which, at times, was probably anything but straight-forward).

Your attention to detail will be a hard act for your successor to follow, whilst I know that many of your friends and colleagues have appreciated, and benefitted from, your advice and words of wisdom.

On a personal note, I am grateful to you for all of your help and assistance over the years, especially on the administration front! It was also always good to receive telephone calls from you to explain that an international appointment required to be accepted!

I hope that you have a relaxing retirement, and that you can now simply enjoy watching football without having to worry about refereeing matters!

With best wishes,

Kevin Clancy

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Drew,

Firstly, many congratulations on your well deserved retirement. It’s clear to see that your long and distinguished service to the Scottish FA has been greatly valued by not only your colleagues but by many within Scottish football, not least those involved in refereeing.

I have always appreciated your support and guidance throughout my own career in refereeing whether it be those very welcome calls to inform of an international appointment or a not-so-welcome chiding for an admin error (my refereeing may not have improved much but my admin certainly has!).

Wishing you all the very best for a long, happy and healthy retirement.

Don Robertson

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Happy Retirement Drew.

Although you never call as much now with those prestigious appointments, apart from going to Berwick-upon-Tweed. It has been a pleasure to always accept those appointments from you.

Your one of the guys I would call a real football man. Having years of skin in the game as so to speak. You have always been on hand to referees, assistants and associations in your role and going by the messages being left. A big pair of shoes need filling.

I wish you an enjoyable retirement as you more than deserve it.

Graham Chambers

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Congratulations on your career within the Scottish FA. I am certain it takes a particular character to carry out the capricious role you have performed for so many years within the Scottish FA but you managed to do it in your own inimitable way.

May I therefore take this occasion, like your other friends and colleagues have done so, to thank you for your assiduous support and for your meticulous approach to detail, which I am sure will be difficult to emulate.

I trust you will now take a step back and enjoy your retirement free from the stresses of dealing with refereeing matters on a daily basis.

Regards

CRAIG THOMSON

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Always calm, cool and collected no matter the crisis that is being brought to your attention. You were particularly calm when my car broke down before a midweek match last summer and I was unable to attend. You calmly found a replacement in time and as you said "All just in time for me to sit down and enjoy my dinner"

Thanks for your help and advice and all the behind the scenes work that many will never know.

Enjoy your retirement

Laurie MacKinnon

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Drew,
I’d like to thank you for all your help and support, particularly with any odd administrative point of uncertainty or late change of assistant.  Your unique end of season review was unique and an extension of the wit you displayed in most correspondence!  I wish you a long and happy retirement and hope to see you at games in future.
Andy Milne

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Thank your for all your help and guidance
And also my appointments
Enjoy your retirement
Sandy Miller.

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Thanks for all your help and guidance
And the appointments and call offs
Enjoy your retirement
And the lifts home from
Referees nights out
Ek Referee

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Hello, Drew Herbertson here are you available for an appointment on.... 

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Hello, Drew Herbertson here are you available for an appointment on.... 

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Good luck and all the very best for a well deserved long and happy retirement.  Going to miss the phone calls for all the brilliant appointments.... even the ones that end with statements such as “can I email you the directions to Brora!!”

Thank you for your support and guidance over the years.

Paul O’Neill

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Since passing my entrance exam some 29 years ago you have always been involved.

You have been a huge help to me as a Referee, Observer and Association Manager.

I appreciate all the support you have given me throughout the many years and it is hard to imagine SFA life without you.

You thoroughly deserve a long and enjoyable retirement and I will for one miss your banter and of course valuable advice/guidance.

Look after yourself and look forward to seeing you at your retirement dinner.

All the best,
Neil Watters

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Drew, this will really seem like the end of an era.  You have been a major part of the disciplinary and referee world in the SFA for so many years and will be a huge loss to the refereeing fraternity.

You were a huge help to me personally throughout my refereeing career, observer duties and more recently in connection with RLO duties.  An ear to listen and a wise word of guidance when required were always available and for this I am truly grateful.

How can I ever forget the telephone calls of “Hello, It’s Drew Herbertson, are you able to accept an appointment that will take you out with the county”!  They were a real pleasure to receive and immediately created the anticipation of a

Finally, I would like to wish health and happiness to you in your retirement.  From someone who has recently retired, you will soon be saying, how did I have time to work!

All ra best for the future.  Stewart Shearer

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Hello, Drew Herbertson here.

A great administrator, yet a kind and thoughtful lover.

CTR

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Drew
Wishing you Good Luck, Health and Happiness on your retirement from the Scottish Football Association. I thank you for all the advice and support you gave me during my time on the “Official List” between 1986 and 2004.” I would also like to thank you for all the appointments at home and especially for the ones Abroad. Due to the early appointments being in Eastern Europe Kenny Clark gave me the nickname of “ Dunski” the name has stuck from that day. Enjoy your retirement to the full. Best regards

Jim “Dunski” Dunne

Ps I can recommend Retirement.

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Drew, Best wishes for a long and happy retirement. Thanks for all the hard work you have put in over the years and the support shown to the refs at all levels in the game. Looking forward to one last stat filled end of season e-mail.

Ally Bruce

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Drew,  I know you have enjoyed the many highs and lows throughout your time with the association and hope that you will take great joy from your upcoming retirement. As we have all alluded to in our kind words you never shirked from doing the right thing even when it upset certain individuals, including myself!!!!! but it has been a pleasure to have a reletionship with someone who continued to hold up the highest standards day in day out during your career.  I hope you will still be involved in football and can now enjoy it as a fan and see a few more games without worrying if the game is covered!

Apologies for not being able to attend your retirement dinner but hope you have a great night and every success in any future endeavours.

Best Wishes
Kevin McElhinney
Renfrewshire Association

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Drew,

Wishing you all the best in your retirement. It’s clear the work you have carried out over the years is appreciated by many. I would also like to state my thanks and best wishes to you in the years to come.

Kind regards,
Brent Falconer

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Congratulations on your retirement!

Thank you for the help, guidance and more importantly, having myself previously been on the verge of a mental breakdown trying to organise a 5 aside game once per week, thank you for the patience you have shown over the years, I have no idea how you kept on top of it.

Enjoy your free time (all 100 hours + per week), all the best!

Gary MacLean

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Andy McWilliam
Drew, many congratulations on your retirement. Your service to football over the years will always be remembered. Personally your advice and guidance is something I will always be grateful for. It was always reassuring to me to have someone so experienced and approachable that I could confirm an intended course of action with prior to making a complete fool of myself! The seasons end will never be the same without your end of season e mail (or should I say novel). Drew I wish you a long and happy retirement.
Andy McWilliam

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Drew,
No amount of thank yous can ever make up for the great career I had thanks to you. Those words you said when you called me still send a chill down the spine “ John, would you be able to accept an appointment that would involve you being out the country for three days.” Yappa do, Thanks Drew. Many congratulations on your own magnificent career with the SFA. Professionalism at its very best and a thoroughly good guy. Enjoy your retirement . All the best.
John Rowbotham

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All the best for your retirement Drew. It has been a pleasure working alongside you. You made the cogs turn effortlessly, and you will be missed. You've helped a great deal over the years and I appreciate the work you did to make my job easier; even if it was a phone call or an email on a Sunday night, you always went out your way to assist. So, I'd like to say thanks for all you've done.  Congratulations on your retirement, and I just hope you find yourself a decent hobby to fill all the spare time you'll have now!!

Regards,
Gary Logan

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Retirement.. new chapter

Wishing you good luck, good health and great success with your retirement. Enjoy more time to play 5 asides..
Hope to see around football grounds over the coming years.
Best wishes,
One of the many referees who made your job tougher.
Alan MacFadyen

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Thanks very much for all your help and advice over the years.

Best wishes to you and your  family and I hope you enjoy your well deserved retirement.

Best regards

Mike Roncone

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Ivan Stankovic

Hi Drew,

Thank you for the all help and support for the last
9 years. I wish you and your family all the best in the future.

Regards

Ivan Stankovic

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Drew,

They say the word "Legend" is overused and thrown out there, however in this guise it's full apt. I don't think anyone would have a bad word to say about you.

As many others have said, we've all got special memories of emails, phone calls or meetings with your gems of experience and even the odd quick witted remark that raises a smile.

I feel privileged to have received my cup final medal from you this season at Inverurie (even with that remark!) in your final season however I'm sure we'll see you out and about at many Keith games over the coming seasons.

Enjoy your well deserved retirement.

Best wishes
Scott Leslie

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Drew, You have been an amazing servant to Scottish Refereeing and Scottish Football.  I am very grateful for your help, support and guidance over the years.

Your professionalism and attention to detail have kept both myself and many other referees on the right path and this was always delivered with minimum fuss. You will be missed.

I wish you the best of health and happiness in retirement. Congratulations to you!

Kindest Regards
Kevin Graham

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Drew,

Thank you for all the advice and support you have offered me throughout my refereeing career to date. I wish you all the very best in retirement and the future.

Best wishes,

Chris Rae

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A credit to the association...

Your emails informing people of their mistakes is legandary and unforgettable.
However, You have been the humble chief, setting the paths for referees to achieve greatness and I am forever grateful for the opportunities given to me over the years.
I wish you all the best and a stress free future.

Warm Regards
Danny Taylor

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Drew, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all the help and support you have afforded me not only during my time on the Senior List of Referees but also since I have taken up the managers role. I know that you are only a telephone call away when an answer is required, as you are the font of all knowledge. I will miss those Monday morning emails when our young officials have not fully completed one task or another.  Drew I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a healthy/happy retirement. All the best for the future

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Hi Drew,                              I would just like to take this opportunity to say a huge thanks for all the help and support you have given me over the years.                   I'm pretty sure you've been there since I started this job way back in 1986, and I've always appreciated your prompt and efficient handling of all my queries and 'ramblings'.                I'm sure you have had more Monday morning moans about referees performances than you'd care to remember, but you take each and every one in your stride, and while some of us secretaries might be raging when we pick up the phone or send that email, it's a pretty safe bet that you'll have calmed us down with some well chosen words of wisdom by the time we've ended the conversation.                   You have been a credit to the SFA, probably since the days of 'black and white' tv, and will be sorely missed for sure. I'll see if I can start a campaign to get a bronze statute of you erected outside Hampden, or maybe as a last resort Kynock Park!!!               Thank you for taking the time to show both Carol and I round Hampden Park when we visited your office several years ago. It was a special day and very much appreciated by us both.      I wish you a long and happy retirement, and if you're ever home to visit family, you'll always be made very welcome at Princess Royal Park, should you wish to take in a game. Just give me a shout. And don't forget to take your dad with you !          Stewart McPherson  Deveronvale FC

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Hi Drew,                              I would just like to take this opportunity to say a huge thanks for all the help and support you have given me over the years.                   I'm pretty sure you've been there since I started this job way back in 1986, and I've always appreciated your prompt and efficient handling of all my queries and 'ramblings'.                I'm sure you have had more Monday morning moans about referees performances than you'd care to remember, but you take each and every one in your stride, and while some of us secretaries might be raging when we pick up the phone or send that email, it's a pretty safe bet that you'll have calmed us down with some well chosen words of wisdom by the time we've ended the conversation.                   You have been a credit to the SFA, probably since the days of 'black and white' tv, and will be sorely missed for sure. I'll see if I can start a campaign to get a bronze statute of you erected outside Hampden, or maybe as a last resort Kynock Park!!!               Thank you for taking the time to show both Carol and I round Hampden Park when we visited your office several years ago. It was a special day and very much appreciated by us both.      I wish you a long and happy retirement, and if you're ever home to visit family, you'll always be made very welcome at Princess Royal Park, should you wish to take in a game. Just give me a shout. And don't forget to take your dad with you !          Stewart McPherson  Deveronvale FC

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It has been a real privilege to have known you as boy and man since you started on your long and very successful career at Park Gardens.

Over the 37 years whether as a Referee, Referee Supervisor, or a Referee Committee Member your advice and guidance was much appreciated as is you friendship.

Although it’s impossible to measure the tremendous amount of time and effort you put for the benefit of referees starting out through to those at the very top I doubt if the minimum hourly rate of pay would have been possible without Association finances being at risk.

I wish you a long healthy and enjoyable retirement.

You are a true LEGEND.

Kind regards

KJH

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“Very best wishes from the “older Drew” to the not quite so old “Drew” for an enjoyable retirement and thanks for all the kindness, help and friendship shown to me over the years. I hope our paths will continue to cross from time to time.

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Drew

Congratulations on your retiral from the Scottish FA.

I'm sure you've seen significant changes over the years and it was only when your retirement was announced that i realised you've been there longer than I've been born!

I'll miss our exchanges (not the bad ones of course!!) that have occurred during the years - your Forfar appointments outpost.

I'm sure one thing you wont miss is the endless queries relating to the Extranet....

I'm disappointed to miss your dinner as I'm traveling back from holiday - I can sense your alarm at "a holiday in the fitbaw season!"

Enjoy the night and more importantly enjoy the break!

Willie

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Colin Steven
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your support over the 17 years that I have been involved in refereeing. You have always been able to offer solutions whether it be organising another assistant for a junior game 2 hours before kick off, whilst you were having lunch in hospitality at Hampden, or sorting out extranet problems....which I am sure you won’t miss!
I wish you a happy, healthy and much deserved retirement.
Best Regards,
Colin

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Drew
It has been a pleasure to work with you. I remember after doing 12 years as a highland league assistant getting a call asking if I was available to help you out you said that I need to take you out of retirement.
I hope you have a long and happy retirement
Paul Grant

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Drew,
I’m afraid all good things have to come to an end. I hope you have a long and happy retirement. Please do get in touch if you fancy a game of golf at Royal Aberdeen.
All the best.
David Fleming

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Many congratulations on your retirement, I wish you well in the new life ahead.
Thoroughly enjoyed working with you over the years and enjoyed your firm, fair and to the point advice and assistance.

Looking forward to the end of season, end of an era or simply goodbye email from you.

Best regards

George MacDonald

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Drew,
The first time I came across you was as an assistant when you played for the SFA staff v English fa staff at Maryhill in 1994. After that I was also more than pleased to receive the phone call of " are you available for an appointment" on more than occasion. However you will never know what it meant to me when you approached me on the pitch after the 2014 cup final to inform me that the decision I gave that day on the goalline was correct.  You fully deserve to be honoured with this retirement dinner, and I'm sure you won't be completed lost to the refereeing movement when you are outand about. Enjoy your retirement and I wish you all the best for the future.
Alan Muir.

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Drew,
Thanks for everything and I wish you all the best for the future!

Many thanks,
David

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Jim Lyon
Congratulations on your incredible service to The Scottish FA and to refereeing.
I can remember turning up to referee an important match at Keith and  worrying that I was parking not far from the ground but in front of a residents house. I'd just got out of the car and hoped to collect my bag quickly in case the resident came out and shouted at me for parking there. Imagine my surprise when none other than Drew Herbertson came out of the house as it was his father's.
On another occasion in 2003 , I was selected for the Euro finals under 19s in Leichtenstein . Just before going out to be AR for the semi-final a rather attractive female UEFA official came up to me and started asking questions about the man from the SFA with the very sexy voice who was in charge of refereeing and disciplinary . She wished to know in and outs of Drew's appearance , interests etc.. I was looking for more prestigious UEFA appointments so made you out to be the demi god you are.
Most referees will remember where they were when that special appointment came their way ( outside Kirrie Thistle's  ground for me getting told of my Sco Cup final ) and you can be proud of a legacy that goes well beyond Scottish Refereeing  and the special role you had in so many people's lives and their future aspirations.
Happy a great 👍🏽 retirement .
Jim Lyon

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Martin Clark

When initially asked if I wished to add my thoughts, I have to say that my immediate reaction was ‘Yes, No problem’.

However, since then, I struggled to find appropriate words to aptly record my appreciation for what you’ve done, not only for me, but for all of us in the ‘Refereeing Family’.

Nevertheless, from a purely personal perspective.

You assisted and guided me on more occasions than I could possibly recall.

You were never flustered, even when your patience was severely tested.

You supported me with my ideas, yet equally proffering an alternative or a more appropriate solution.

You were always there for me, irrespective of the time of day or night.

You have always been correctly perceived as totally committed to the role.

You have, by retiring, created an almost impossible task for your successors, primarily that of emulating the levels of service and dedication you have provided. Nevertheless, if the service level is anywhere near that what we have experienced from you, then normal service will surely be maintained.

You suffered my dreadful attempts at jokes, but that’s what you deserve for having been at your desk that early in the morning😂

You are a True Gentleman in every sense of the word.

Finally Drew, I wish YOU a long and healthy retirement, you deserve that and more for sure.

All the very best.

Martin

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Drew, all the very best for your retirement. Thank you for the advice, help and support over the years. Hope to see you at a game in the future.

Pete Stuart

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Retirrment Drew enjoy your retirement try not to miss us too much all the best

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Drew,

Thank you for all your help and support over the many years I have had the pleasure of dealing with you.
Your patience and guidance has been commendable.
You will be missed by everyone involved in refereeing who benefitted from your support either directly or indirectly.

I wish you a long, healthy and happy retirement.

Ricky Mooney

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Hi Drew,
Thank you for all the hard work and dedication over the years. You deserve a rest after that!

Hope you have a happy retirement and I'm sure I'll see you at one of my games in future. Don't be afraid to pop your head in after the game!

All the best

Connor Ashwood
P.s. sorry for all the admin errors!

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Drew,

Thank you for all of your support, help, and advice over the years. I'm sure you will be overwhelmed by the amount of comments and well wishes you have received, and it just goes to show how popular and well respected you are.  Wishing you all the very best for your retirement.

Best regards
Stewart Luke

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Hi Drew,

Wishing you all of the  best for your retirement, You will be a very hard act to follow, thanks for the excellent appointments I received from you I have some amazing memories which would not have been possible without you.

All the best.

Roddy Cobb

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Very best wishes for your retiral Drew - a long and distinguished career and many a referee down the years will have benefitted from your sound advice, and looked forward to that phone call - are you available for an appointment! You have been a fixture at the SFA for as long as I have been involved, and you have always been the person to turn to to answer these difficult questions - like why can't I access the Extranet! You deserve your retirement - enjoy!

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End of an era Drew! You have been a great servant to the SFA and a good friend to the referee associations. I hope you have a long, happy and healthy retirement. Very best wishes, Tom Matthews.

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All the very best in your retirement Drew! Your advice and guidance in my refereeing career to date has been much appreciated, you will be missed by all of us! Your dedication to Scottish football won’t be forgotten and you deserve a long and happy retirement.

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Drew,

All the very best of wishes on your well deserved retirement!

You have been a true ambassador to Scottish Refereeing and the Scottish game in general and you and your vast knowledge of all things football will be missed.

Thanks for all of your support and assistance throughout my career.

David Dunne

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Drew it is the end of an era. Thanks for all your help, advice and especially the appointments over many years. I hope you have a long and happy retirement. You will be a hard act to follow.

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Drew,
Thanks for all your advice and assistance over the years. As a font of knowledge, you will be hard to replace.
Like most, I will miss the end of season e-mail informing us all of the various stats.
Congratulations on your retirement and wishing you all the very best for the future

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Mr Herbertson, Thanks for all your help and advice and repremands!!!, I hope you have a long and relaxing retirement, good luck, cheers John Weir.

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Drew,

Congratulations on taking your retirement and the incredible length of service.  It's been a pleasure to meet you and help you out on those odd occasion when a late call off came up.
All the best for the retirement and hopefully catch you up at Keith some time.

All the best Darren Munro

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It's impressive how long you have given such a great service for us all. It has been a pleasure to deal with you on all occasions that I have to date. You have always been on the end of the phone whenever I or anyone else was in need of advice or help, and were always a friendly voice on the end of the phone. You have more than earned your retirement and I wish you all the best for the future.

Best wishes

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Drew,
Thank you for all your support over the years and all the best in your retirement. Its deserved!
Still a place for you at centre half in the moray team if you're available!
All the best,
Harry

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Amazing length of service.
Always a pleasure with a friendly local voice at the other end of the phone.
Hopefully see you at a Highland League ground again soon.
Good luck to your replacement as those boots shall be tough to fill.
All the best

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Drew,                             though this has been my first season in my new roles, it became clear to me very early on that everything I had been told about you being the “go to man” and the fount of all knowledge for all Referee matters, was completely true. Your support, guidance, encouragement and patience has been of immeasurable value to me this season, and I thank you most sincerely for all of that. To think you have done this, and provided this same support, to countless people before me over so many years is truly staggering. Very many congratulations on your retirement. It is richly deserved, and I hope that you have many great adventures ahead of you now that you are getting 90 or so hours per week back! Very best regards,          Gerry Corrie.  

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Drew,                             though this has been my first season in my new roles, it became clear to me very early on that everything I had been told about you being the “go to man” and the fount of all knowledge for all Referee matters, was completely true. Your support, guidance, encouragement and patience has been of immeasurable value to me this season, and I thank you most sincerely for all of that. To think you have done this, and provided this same support, to countless people before me over so many years is truly staggering. Very many congratulations on your retirement. It is richly deserved, and I hope that you have many great adventures ahead of you now that you are getting 90 or so hours per week back! Very best regards,          Gerry Corrie.  

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Drew,  What a length of service!!  If you had killed your interviewer all those years ago you would have been released much earlier!!!!   On a serious note, many thanks for your advice, guidance and dry sense of humour over the years. The loss to the Scottish FA is your family’s gain. Enjoy your retirement and your well deserved dinner in your honour   Brian McGarry

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Brian McGarry

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Thank you for all of your advice and support over the years! You were always there and on hand to help for any secretarial matters and went above and beyond to help when we asked. It was always exciting to get that phone call to ask if you were available for an appointment which may require some time off work, and of course as many have alluded to that end of season email! Wishing you a long and happy retirement with your family.
Vikki Allan

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Drew,

Thanks for all your help during my refereeing career but particular thanks for your time since my taking over from Bill Machray as Association Manager. Enjoy your retirement and please don’t be a stranger. All the very best. Billy Murray

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Drew wish you well for the future and thanks for the good appointments and the bad ones, say no more on this Lol!! And the support over the years, Been a pressure in knowing you. all the best to the family. Charlie Macvicar

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Drew, many thanks for all your support and assistance throughout the years. Best wishes for your retirement. Grant Donald
North of Scotland

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Wishing you a long and happy retirement Drew.

Thank you for all the help and support along the way. Hopefully we'll see you at a game in the near future.

Best wishes,

Darren Westmacott
Moray & Banff

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You, were the person we all had to contact for advice at the SFA over the years which was always spot on!
Your knowledge of Scottish Football was first class!
You are a very special and respected man to all  the present and past referee's!!!!!!!

TOP MAN!!!!!

Staying south of Edinburgh I was one of your favourite referee"s to do pitch inspections in the BORDERS which you really appreciated my help!!!!!
If I was in need of help you were
always there for support to all referee's and linesmen in their time of needing help Top Man!!!
I remember Maureen Cooper talking about the SFA many years ago in the pub telling a few of the referee's and your name was always at the top of her list for help and assistance!!!

Jim Duncan
Gorebridge

Edinburgh & District

Referee Association

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It's been some journey and I am glad to have been part of it for the past 28 years.

Whether it be a phone call to request a pitch inspection at Forres on a Friday (yes - travel from Edinburgh on a Friday), a request to accept an appointment which would require three days off work (and on some exotic occasions four days!) or, as John McKendrick has already alluded to, an administrative error - it has been a pleasure knowing you.

Polite, professional and dedicated. Who could ask for any better adjectives to describe themselves?

You have been a true supporter for all of us.

Enjoy your retirement.

Crawford Allan (and yes, even though BBC thought it was the other way round, you always got it right - even from day one!)

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Drew,

Thank you for all the support and guidance over the many years!

I wish you all the best in your retirement and all that this brings for you.

Thanks again,

Liam Redpath

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Drew,

Thank you for all your help and advice over the years. I wish you a happy retirement and will hopefully see you at a game in the future at some point.

Jordan Curran

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Drew,

Thanks for all your support over the years. Your encouragement and advice was always appreciated. I wish you all the best for your retirement.

Lorraine Watson

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Drew,
best wishes for your well deserved retirement and im sure I join many other officials in giving a massive thanks for all of your help and support in our own refereeing careers in particular for me with helping facilitate the first international futsal course and appointments for officials in this country

Thanks again

Gordon McCabe

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Drew,

Thanks for all of your support and guidance. I hope you enjoy you’re night and have a healthy, long and happy retirement.

Liam Gallagher

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All the best with your retirement Drew. Many thanks for all your words of wisdom, advice & support. I've appreciated all the i dotting & t crossing guidance over the years!
Sorry I can't make your dinner, I'm sure it'll be a great celebration of your long, distinguished career at the SFA. Enjoy.
Colin McAlpine