Faith, hope and charity

CRAIG THOMSON will stand in the middle of what will surely be the most frenetic Scottish Cup final of recent times and try to maintain order and discipline.

He will not take a single penny for doing so. There is a certain kudos in being asked to officiate at the first Edinburgh derby final since 1896 but that is not why Thomson has agreed to undergo 90 minutes of intense voluntary service.

The FIFA-listed referee, who will officiate at this summer's European Championships in Ukraine and Poland, lost his mother, Sandra, to cancer recently, a bereavement that caused him to withdraw from handling the final Old Firm game of the season.

Thomson's mum was not a football fan but would regularly watch her son's games on television. She was to spend her final days being cared for at the ACCORD Hospice in Paisley and, as an act of gratitude, Thomson has decided to donate to them his £1000 match fee for handling Saturday's match, as well as his custom-designed cup final match kit.

"Recently, my mum died from cancer after a five-week battle," he explained. "During that period I had a good opportunity to speak with her. She told me she was very proud of me getting to the Euros, although I never got the chance to tell her about the Scottish Cup final.

"I couldn't focus on football [ahead of the last Old Firm game] and it wasn't important at that stage. But, now I have to move forward because that's what my mum would have wanted. My dad will be at Hampden on Saturday and if I can make him as proud as I made my mum, then I will be happy.

"When I was 16, she was an integral part in me getting involved in refereeing. In the early part of my career she always took me to games even though she never watched them. She was my biggest critic but she was also my biggest supporter. I have decided to donate my match fee to the hospice because that's where she was in the last few days."

Thomson's gesture was appreciated by the hospice. "I'm delighted that Craig has chosen ACCORD to be the beneficiary of his match fee and shirt," said fundraiser Ken Mathie. "This is a wonderful gesture and we have a sporting dinner in August when the shirt could be auctioned."

Interest in Saturday's cup final between Hibernian and Hearts has made it all the way to mainland Europe. Thomson attended a UEFA briefing recently where he detected a note of envy among some of the refereeing fraternity at the prospect of handling such a tasty tie. Thomson has been in charge of a Scottish Cup final before – Rangers' win over Falkirk in 2009 – but admitted to a tingle of excitement at being involved in the first all-Edinburgh affair for 116 years.

"I was away last week on a UEFA fitness course prior to the Euros and when I was there, the English boys were speaking to us, the Belgians, the Germans and the Swiss, too," he revealed. "They didn't know I was refereeing the match but when they heard that they were asking how they could tune into it.

"I certainly see the envy in foreign referees when we talk about Old Firm games. When [Pierluigi] Collina was at his peak, he always wanted to do an Old Firm game. An Edinburgh derby, in a final that hasn't happened for more than 100 years, is another special thing. These guys would love to come over and do these games. These are referees who are operating at the top in Europe. For me, that helps put into perspective how big this game is."

Those who think Thomson's pre-match preparation will extend to ensuring he's packed his boots and new adidas referee kit – the maroon flashes are balanced by the green and white Specsavers logo – may be surprised to learn there is more to it than that.

"The team – Alasdair Ross and Derek Rose, my two assistants, as well as William Collum and Euan Norris – have been in sessions with John Mathers, a sports psychologist," he revealed. "He talks about imagery, where you're imaging situations so when it takes place on the pitch you're aware of what might happen and how to react. We use that for all the big games. That's maybe missed by the fans who think we just turn up for a game."

Thomson will be among illustrious company as one of UEFA's select few at Euro 2012 although perhaps he won't be the only Scot hoping England or the Republic of Ireland don't progress too far. "Having refereed Champions League quarter-finals and semi-finals, and this will be my second major international tournament, I like to feel I am at that stage with the other high-profile referees. I learn from these guys in the way I hope some of them learn from me.

"At the Euros I am guaranteed two games as there are 12 referees and 24 group matches. If, at the end of those two games, my reputation is intact, and I can hold my head high, I will be delighted. Anything else is a bonus. I can't take charge of any games involving England or the Republic of Ireland. If Scotland was there, it would be difficult not to support them. It will be easier not to support England and the Republic of Ireland, I suspect."

Taken from the Herald