SEBOKENG.- Sedibeng football history will never be written without mentioning Jack Leboko (55). Leboko is a former match official and long-standing member of SAFA since his playing days, before he became a referee and administrator. Sedibeng Ster Sport recently visited Leboko at his home in Zone 14, Sebokeng, to reflect back to when he was a match official. Leboko was one of the referees who officiated in the old NPSL. He also officiated in the OK League and Ellerins League in 1980s. This was before he was advised by former SAFA President Dr Molefi Oliphant to retire and concentrate on developing young referees. Leboko still has fond memories of when he was a young referee. Some of his colleagues by then included the famous Sylvester Ndaba who is one of the most respected match officials in the history of refereeing in the country. Leboko said he is concerned with the current standard of refereeing in this country. He believes that something drastically must be done to improve the standard of match officials in this country. “I must say recently the standard of refereeing is worrying especially in the highest level of football. We must go back and do things the way we used to do them to improve the standard of our referees. Some of the things must start from the development. I’m positive that we will get it right if we concentrate in the development of refereeing. There is also need for female referees to come in,” he said. Leboko has produced some of the referees that have gone to make a name for themselves in Premier Soccer League (PSL) such as Jonas “Samora” Nhlapo, Thys Mokoena and Sammy Kganya. The current match referees that officiate in PSL that he contributed to their career are Clifford Motaung, Elphus Sitole and Joseph Makubu to mention but few. He played for Parktown Rangers FC, Boipatong Ditshepe FC and Evaton Ocean Stars FC before hanging his soccer boots to became a referee. He is currently a SAFA Sedibeng Referees Instructor/assessor.