Hard on the heels of Stuart Crockwell?s recent announcement to retire comes news that three other prominent football referees intend to throw in the towel.

It was only two weeks? ago that Bermuda?s lone FIFA-listed referee Crockwell confirmed he was calling it quits after 19 years, citing a decline in behaviour by players and officials as his his main reason.

Now Cal Simons, George O?Brien and Gregory Simons are reported to be preparing to say farewell to the sport.

Of the trio only Simons, a former vice-president of the Bermuda Referees? Association, was available to comment. But he admitted he was aware that the other two officials were calling it a day.

?Guys have been talking about quitting for a while?, said Simons.

?George, Greg and, yes, myself are the ones who are probably bowing out. I am definitely giving it a lot of of thought and I have heard the other two talk about it.

?I have been doing it for a long time, I still enjoy refereeing but I am getting tired. But if I do quit it?s not because of any incidents that have occurred in the sport.?

Simons said that he was surprised to see Crockwell step down, pointing out that refs regularly suggested that they would quit after a long, tough season but most never followed through.

However, in the case of Crockwell, the FIFA-listed official has made it clear he won?t be back.

Simons admitted that any resignations from the BRA would serve as a huge blow to an association already severely depleted.

?It certainly wouldn?t be too helpful,? admitted Simons. ?There are some people who say that they intend to quit, some who do quit but come back out later. So I cannot say if anything is cast in stone, but the fact remains that there are quite a few who are evaluating their position and could in fact move on.?

Former BRA president and one of the most active referees during recent seasons, Lyndon Raynor, said that he was surprised to hear that several people were contemplating retirement.

?As for myself, it?s summer time and I haven?t given football any further thought really,? he said when asked about his position regarding next season.

?But I can say that I am surprised to hear about the three mentioned. I haven?t heard that before but you get people thinking like that at the end of a busy season.?

However, Raynor did admit that he didn?t enjoy the past season, although he pointed out that his disappointment had nothing to do with his dissatisfaction with the behaviour of players, coaches or fans.

He said that he had always set high standards for himself as a Class One referee and felt he had left himself down.

?Yes, it was a difficult season for me. I really didn?t enjoy it but it wasn?t because of any football issues, it?s because I should have done better for the amount of experience that I have had,? he explained.

?I just wasn?t consistent by any means, I just don?t know why. But I can say that there were no real issues on the field of play that affect me, non whatsoever. I just didn?t do the job that I expected of myself.?