Douglas Ross to return to football officiating this weekend

The leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Douglas Ross, will return as a football official after being out for more than 18 months with an injury.

Ross is set to work as a linesman in a League Cup group stage match between Elgin City and Queen of the South on Saturday.  

Ross, an MSP as well as MP for Moray, has been unable to officiate a competitive football match since January 2021.  

His role as an SFA official has sparked controversy in the past. In 2017 the MP missed a vote in the House of Commons to run the line at a Champions League match involving Barcelona and Olympiakos.  

This prompted SNP MP John McNally to show a red card to Ross for his absence.  

Following this, he promised not to accept any appointments while the parliament was sitting, in turn giving up his place to go to the 2018 World Cup.  

In November 2021, Ross reported himself to the Commons authorities for not declaring £6,700 of earning from the SFA.  

Commenting, Hannah Bardell MP said: “Douglas Ross’ priorities are all wrong.

“In the middle of a cost of living crisis where people are terrified to open their bills, Douglas Ross is choosing to run the line when he’s not dancing to the tune of whatever his Tory bosses in London are playing.

“After 18 months without him, it’s clear that Scottish football can continue just fine without Douglas Ross - no matter how important he thinks he is to the game. It’s time to give it up and focus on one of the other three jobs he currently holds.

“If Douglas Ross believes there is genuinely nothing else he can do with his time during Parliamentary recess, he should give himself the red card - before his party gives it to him.”