D'Urso: I made a mistake but I'll come back a better ref

Premiership referee Andy D’Urso has been undergoing an intensive training regime in an attempt to iron out the mistakes that saw him banned from top-flight football for four weeks.

D’Urso’s ban came after he failed to send off Blackburn’s Barry Ferguson despite having shown him two yellow cards in the game against Southampton on August 27.

The 40-year-old official returns on September 25 in a Football League game between Rotherham and Millwall – and that day cannot come soon enough.

“I’m itching to get back into it,” he said. “Football refereeing is what I do and I miss it badly. Saturdays have been really difficult for me.”

D’Urso has been on a strict training regime since the ban began and believes he will come back not just a better referee but also a better person.

“I have been training incredibly hard and have been following a programme set out for me by the FA.

“I’ve always been a strong person but I believe this whole situation will have made me even stronger.”

D’Urso added: “I’m confident in my ability as a referee and I know I’m good enough to be out there. My high-intensity sessions will undoubtedly have made me a better referee.”

He is philosophical about the mix-up over Ferguson and accepts he made a bad error.

“I totally accept the ban I received. I made an honest mistake and have put measures in place to make sure it does not happen again.”

After a weekend of controversial refereeing decisions in the Premiership, D’Urso is understandably supportive of his under-fire colleagues.

“I don’t think it’s right or fair for me to make a comment on the Mark Halsey decision,” D’Urso said in reference to Halsey’s contentious decision not to award a penalty in yesterday’s Fulham v Arsenal game having initially said Ashley Cole had fouled Andy Cole inside the box.

“Mark has made the decision he thought was right and as referees that is all we can possibly do.”

With referees seemingly under ever-increasing scrutiny D’Urso’s return will certainly be watched with interest by players, spectators and administrators alike.”