HEREFORD Times Herefordshire League chairman Mike Best has issued a plea for good behaviour towards referees in his annual report circulated ahead of the league's annual meeting next Monday.

"We must all remember that without referees we would not have any football so please in the coming season treat all officials with the respect they deserve so we can carry on with the game we all enjoy," he writes.

Best also pays tribute to referees organiser Peter West for his hard work during the season.

"The HFA had a tough season arranging matches due to a period of very bad weather and the increased number of teams playing in the Premier Division," says the chairman. "In this, Peter West did a magnificent job finding referees for all the games.

"So a pat on the back for him and all his colleagues who supported him through the season."

Best also pays tribute to two of the league's stalwarts, Phil Watkins and Graham Hughes, who died during the season just finished.

"I will miss them both on a personal level and I am sure you will too," he says. "Football will be the poorer for the passing of both of these gentlemen."

The chairman also encourages anyone with ideas which might improve the league or its management to come forward and pass these to league secretary Derek Senior who could, in turn, bring them to the attention of the management committee's monthly meetings.

Clubs will also hear good news on the financial front with the revelation that, after two years of substantial losses, the league has made a small profit for the year to April 30, 2007.

After losses of £7,716.06 and £1924.94 in the 2004-5 and 2005-6 financial years respectively, treasurer Pete Stead will report a profit of £66.10.

The annual meeting of the Hereford Times Herefordshire Football League takes place at the GWRSA club next Monday, June 18 at 7.30pm.