LONG-SERVING local referee Alan Berry has quit after a big-match snub.
The 54-year-old, who is in his 10th season with the whistle, was due to take charge of tonight's Barlow Cup final at the Galpharm Stadium.
But local football chiefs made a u-turn after controversy when Berry took charge of the second-round tie between Berry Brow and Moldgreen on February 24.
That match had to be replayed after Berry Brow were found guilty of playing an ineligible player.
The club duplicated a name when filling out their teamsheet - something which came to light when they wanted to bring on a substitute.
Berry, who considered it a simple mistake, says he asked Moldgreen if they were willing to allow the substitute to come on.
The referee insists Moldgreen agreed, but the club, who lost the game 1-0, later complained to the District League, who run the competition.
Berry Brow were booted out of the competition.
But then they appealed to the West Riding FA and were reinstated with the game being replayed on April 7, when Moldgreen won 2-0.
Berry, having been told he would referee the final, then received a letter from the Huddersfield FA saying his appointment had been rescinded.
And he believes the reaction is over the top.
"I feel I've been made a scapegoat. Week in, week out, you see Premiership referees making various kinds of mistakes without being punished anything like this heavily," he said.
"I was trying to take a common-sense approach for the good of the game as a whole.
"The number of referees are dropping all the time, yet I have had no support from the Huddersfield Referees' Association.
"I feel really, really let down by it and I have no choice but to resign."
The Referees' Association declined to comment.
Huddersfield FA president Frank Beaumont said: "The West Riding FA suggested to us that Mr Berry not be appointed for any prestigious finals. Our referees' committee chose to listen to this suggestion and appoint another official."
