IT'S not every day you see the Wrexham captain turn up to referee a match in the local junior league.

But Reds' skipper Shaun Pearson jumped at the chance to be the man in the middle when Johnstown took on Brickfield in the Wrexham Youth League on Wednesday night.

Fans' favourite Pearson, who joined Wrexham from Grimsby Town last summer and is under contract for the 2018-19 season, revealed it is not the first time he has officiated a football match.

"My partner's boss at work asked me if I could go down and do it for her son's team," said Pearson, who hails from York.

"There are Wrexham fans in the team and I said no problem.

"To be fair I used to do a lot of refereeing around 10 years ago in local football.

"My dad is chairman of the local league for kids back home and I have always been involved in the voluntary side."

The children certainly knew who was boss and Pearson praised them for their conduct.

"I told them that I only tell the referees when they are wrong and I don't get decisions wrong so they can't have a go at me!" said Pearson.

"They were good to be fair. It was good fun and the kids enjoyed it.

"It was a good game and very close."

Pearson admits he has thought about refereeing when he calls time on his playing career, although coaching looks like the more likely option for the 29-year-old centre-back.

"I considered doing refereeing when I finished playing," added Pearson.

"The only problem is you have to start right at the bottom and I don't earn enough money to take two years out and concentrate on refereeing.

"I am more interested in coaching."