William Burns (referee)

William Burns (Born December 1952 – 23 August 2019), usually known as "Bill Burns", was an English football referee who officiated in the Football League.

Born in Scarborough, Burns refereed the 1996 Football League Third Division play-off final, and the 2001 Football League Trophy Final. Having officiated since 1985, he retired as a Football League referee at the end of the 2000–01 season, at the age of 48. In 2002, he bought a pub in Scarborough with his wife, Jenny. In later life, he underwent a successful double liver transplant at St James's University Hospital in Leeds.

He died on 23 August 2019 aged 66 after a long battle with primary sclerosing cholangitis.