By COLIN ZUILL IF SOCCER referees were to hand out awards for efficiency, then minnows Ireland Rangers would be at the top of their trophy list.

The west enders have been acknowledged as standing head and shoulders above the rest of Bermuda's field operators, including some long-standing powerhouses.

When it comes to satisfying the requirements of the Island's embattled referees, who went on strike because of fears over security, Rangers are considered the Island's leaders.

Told of the compliment paid by Bermuda Referees Association president Lyndon Raynor, club president Herbie Chambers noted he and his fellow members were proud to receive such recognition.

"We've just gone and used the basic common sense approach,'' explained Chambers.

"We go out of our way to ensure that we meet all of the referee's requirements and ensure their safety both on and off the field of play.

"And it's good when we hear something of this nature from the referees. It makes us feel proud and goes to show that a small club like ours can be big in so many ways.'' While blasting the clubs, mainly field operators, for their lack of support when it came to assisting local refs, Raynor had noted that Ireland Rangers were by far the best when it came down to lending a hand to the officials.

Raynor suggested that North Village were another club that came close to meeting the refs' needs.

But he said the tiny west end club deserved special recognition because all officials within the BRA had been impressed by the way they had been treated by Rangers staff.

Gregory Grimes, chairman of the Bermuda Football Association's referees' committee, said he was aware of the BRA's admiration of Rangers and supported their view.

"I know Mr. Raynor has publicly identified them as being leaders when it comes to assisting the referees and in one match report he said that they had unprecedented service, just what the referees were looking for from other clubs all along.

" We wrote the club and told them how we had taken notice of their care and support. It's nice to see a relatively new team like them taking their responsibilities seriously,'' said Grimes.

But according to Chambers, the club haven't been doing anything out of the ordinary.

A former Commercial League club now in their third season in the First Division, Rangers are the field operators of Malabar in Dockyard and members don't hesitate to play an active role during home matches.

"It was one of the recommendations from a long time ago, that the home club do the necessary things to satisfy the officials. It just takes a little common sense to see that these things are necessary to make the referee feel secure and it's also good for the game,'' said Chambers.

"We have no problems getting a handful of guys together for a home game, giving them the necessary instructions to assist the officials. Our members are always up to the task.

"At Malabar we find five or six members, they're distinguishable with their orange bibs so that they are easily recognised by everybody.

"We assist the referees coming and going off the field, we ensure that people don't come beyond the ropes, don't shake the nets and while doing this we ensure that a basically decent approach is used.''