William Burns (referee)

William Burns (Born December 1952 – 23 August 2019), usually known as "Bill Burns", was an English football referee who officiated in the Football League.

William "Bill" Burns

Born	16 December 1952 Scarborough, England
Died	23 August 2019 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]