After 15 years as one of shinty’s top whistlers, and a playing career that saw him win every honour in the game, Fort William-based referee Deek Cameron has retired.
A distinguished playing career for Fort William, and latterly Kilmallie, saw Deek win the Camanachd Cup twice in 1992 and 2005 as well as two successes in the MacTavish in 1996 and 2000 and one Macaulay in 1991 following an epic penalty shoot-out against Oban Camanachd. There was a league title in 2006 and two Scotland caps: a win in Inverness before Scotland retained the Mowi Quaich with a draw in Ireland a year later.
There were also a few that got away, including four Camanachd Cup runners-up medals.
Deek Cameron said: “I remember the 1994 final against Kyles Athletic at the Bught Park in particular. We had beaten Kyles comfortably on two occasions in the league that season and but lost 3-1 in the final. I think we definitely underestimated them that day.”
His four Sutherland Cup winning medals span from the first in 1984 to the last in 2009 and he played his final senior game for Fort William as a 43-year-old.
Deek Cameron is a plumber to trade, and he has faithfully maintained a diary detailing all the men’s first and second team games refereed. They total 293 games and that does not include, matches refereed for the Women’s Camanachd Association nor youth matches.
He recalls when the refereeing habit all started: “It was back in in 2008 and I got a call from Astie Cameron (Camanachd Association operations manager) one Friday evening. Now Astie only ever called when he had a problem with his plumbing, so it was a surprise when he asked if I fancied refereeing the following day’s North Division 3 game between Kincraig and Inverness. I took a bit of persuading, but Astie assured me I’d be fine and gave me his refereeing kit which was about five sizes too big.
“The game finished 1-1 but I remember a fight broke out at one point, and I didn’t have any yellow or red cards with me, so I just asked the players what they were doing as it wasn’t even a big game, and I made the players involved shake hands.
“At the end of the game, Kincraig’s Neil Ross, who might have been involved in the fight, told me I was the best referee his side had seen all season. That gave me a boost and it always stayed with me that you didn’t need to be too fussy and blow for every wee thing and wave cards around all the time. It’s good to let the game flow as much as possible which is what the players and supporters all want to see.”
Deek Cameron soon climbed the ranks to become a Grade 1 official and his first cup final was the 2010 Balliemore clash between Kinlochshiel and Lochaber when the outcome was decided during a penalty shoot-out after ‘Shiel keeper Graham Kennedy saved the ball with his face.
Thrilling cup finals became a theme, typified when Deek officiated his first Camanachd Cup final the year after at the Bught Park. It was between great rivals Newtonmore and Kingussie with ‘More looking to win the trophy for the first time in 25 years and Danny Macrae fired them into the lead after just 12 seconds. Deek Cameron had a glance at his watch as he held the record for the fastest Camanachd Cup goal, scored after just nine seconds in the 1-0 win over Kingussie in Glasgow in 1992.
He said: “Somebody shouted from the sidelines, asking if Danny’s goal had beaten my record but I was able to report it hadn’t. I remember the BBC showing both goals simultaneously on a split screen which proved mine was quicker.”
Newtonmore won the match 4-3 after extra-time whilst Deek also refereed a Macaulay final which went to extra-time.
Deek Cameron has refereed f0ur Camanachd Cup finals in all, a record he shares with John Henderson. He also refereed finals: Macaulay (2), MacTavish (1) and Glasgow Celtic Society (1) as well as Scottish internationals. He adds: “I always thought refereeing cup finals was easy as you had two top goal judges, an experienced referee as the fourth official and four people running the line so you had a lot of help. The semi-finals could be much harder.
“I also did 5 Lovat Cups, Beauly always used to ask me, as well as a couple of MacDonald Cups between Glenurquhart and Strathglass, and I really enjoyed these games.”
His refereeing talents did not go unnoticed as he received the coveted Johnny “Ach” MacRae referee of the year award at the Mowi Awards in 2015.
There have also been some bizarre moments along the way, including a first team match between Kinlochshiel and Lochaber at Kirkton. Deek Cameron said: “The game was in full flow when this wee Jack Russell ran onto the field and started chasing the ball. I had to stop play obviously and I asked the dog’s owner to keep it on a lead for safety. Then, 10 minutes later, the wee Jack Russell was back on, chasing the ball again.
“I stopped play for a second time and again, asked the owner to put the dog on a lead. He said he didn’t have a lead, so I suggested he hold the dog for its safety which he did.
“I restarted play with a throw up and as play restarted, one of the Lochaber boys struck the ball out of the park and it hit the wee Jack Russell which was in its owner’s arms. Now the dog was fine, fortunately, but what are the chances of that happening? It was bizarre.
“I remember another time at a Lovat match and there was a goalmouth melee. Lovat put the ball in the net but there was a “kick” in the lead up to the goal, so I ruled it out. As I was running back up to the middle of the park, one of the Lovat supporters shouted: ‘C’mon Deek, how about looking at V-A-R’. I shouted back, ‘I think you have been on the B-E-E-R,’ which I though was a decent comeback.
“I also once remember over-ruling (past referee) Ron Mullican, who was goal judge, as I felt I had a better view of an incident. Ron just handed the goal judge’s flag to a four-year-old kid who was standing near-by and walked off. We made up afterwards though.”
As well as his obvious refereeing skills, Deek Cameron always looked the part in his referee’s uniform.
He said: “I always thought that was important, especially for televised games as it is a better look for the sport. I used to buy my own kit, usually the Champions League referees’ gear. It was a standing joke when I played for Fort William that I never got dirty, and my gear was spotless at the end of a game, so I’ve obviously carried that on.”
Respect for match officials has been a Camanachd Association initiative and Deek said: “I’ve had nothing but respect from players and managers over the years. However, I have heard stories about other referees get stick and it’s not helpful. It puts people off refereeing and that is a problem.”
A new taxi venture with former referee Innes Wood will take up some of his free time and there will also be the opportunity to enjoy attending matches as a supporter.
He said: “I hardly ever got a chance to go and watch Fort William play so I’m looking forward to that. I only ever refereed Fort William once and they were drawing 0-0 with Inveraray, until late in the game before winning 3-0.”
Deek’s final match was Kingussie’s 4-0 win over Skye at the Dell at the end of October, a result which clinched the Mowi Premiership title.
“15 years refereeing is enough,” he said. “I’m now looking forward to watching Fort William games with my friend Ali Clark. His son Lewis plays for the team, and it will be nice to watch the games and have a beer afterwards.”
Deek will be a loss to shinty but he is always encouraging of young referees, many of whom will be happy to make even half the impact he has had on the game.