Ashleigh Slaughter might be just a boy - but he is not to be messed with.

He will not be intimidated by players and insists if things get out of hand he will issue cards and send players off.

Ashleigh, 15, has already sent four players off in his two-year refereeing career and when he starts officiating adult games himself next month he has a warning: "If you step out of line, you're off!"

Already the Blatchington Mill pupil is an assistant referee on the County League and takes charge of youth league and county matches. He has found that his young years have made him a target when trailing around the County League circuit.

Ashleigh said: "They try to intimidate me, but it doesn't work. I have to endure abusive language and silly remarks all because I'm young. If the language is abusive I'll pull over the ref and ask him to deal with them. If it isn't, I'll have a bit of banter and tell them what I'll do if they continue."

The boy wonder of refereeing in Sussex aims to follow in the footsteps of former top flight referees Gary Willard, Allan Gunn and Martin Bodenham, who all heralded from the county. He has two mentors in Matthew Knight and Graham Woodward, who are both ambitious themselves.

Matthew, who is officiating Dr Martens League games and an assistant in the Conference, first suggested to Ashleigh two years ago that he would make a good referee.

Ashleigh said: "I used to watch my brother Sam play for Hollingbury Hawks when I was nine and one morning was asked to run the line because they didn't have a linesman. I gave it a go.

"One day Matthew suggested I was a good linesman and recommended I take a course, so I did and have been refereeing every since."

The youngster is fit and full of energy. He does three matches every Sunday and would do more if it wasn't for his school homework.

His passion for football didn't come from playing. In fact, apart from occasionally turning out for the Brighton branch of the Referees Association, he does not play.

He said: "I have never played football, but love watching. It's great to be out there with the teams and being involved. I want to get right to the top and am more likely to get there as a ref rather than a player.

"Although I get aggro from the parents, which is part and parcel of refereeing at youth level, I do enjoy being in charge of these games. I know many of the players because I go to school with them. That's always nice."

Despite insisting that he will always apply the laws of the game and issue cards he does believe a common sense approach is the best way to handle matches.

He said: "I always tell the captains before the match that if they can't keep their players under control, I will. That seems to work.

"You will always get one or two that are determined to cause trouble and they don't care where they do it. But they are the ones that will be having an early bath if I'm in charge."

For further information on referee recruitment contact Tony West on 01342 311975.