Quote Originally Posted by TheSaint2002 View Post
hhttp://www.extratime.ie/newsdesk/articles/1801/

Whats going on here, anybody any info ?
This initiative has been ongoing between the FAI, IFA, SFA and FAW for the past three seasons. It is an exchange match referees between leagues in each country which excludes FIFA referees from those associations. It also does not include the SPL. England wont exchange.

The purpose is to give the perceived promising match referees from these associations more experience outside of their own respective leagues.

How successful the initiative has proven to be is up for discussion. Referees from those associations that have refereed in the League of Ireland have done so in both divisions thus far.

The feedback from spectators in those leagues has been 60/40 towards positive with the basis for that being down to the fact that their teams were being officiated by someone 'new'. That information has been gathered from sites such as this.