Referee banned for 21 days after using rock, paper, scissors to decide kick-off in Women's Super League match

David McNamara decided to use the children's game after forgetting his coin in the dressing room

Match referee David McNamara (Rex Features)

The Football Association have confirmed that referee David McNamara has been suspended for three weeks after accepting a charge of "not acting in the best interests of the game" before a Women's Super League match.

McNamara did not oversee an official coin toss, which is required under the laws of the game, before Manchester City faced Reading last month in the WSL.

It is understood that McNamara, after leaving his coin in the dressing room, had City captain Steph Houghton and Reading skipper Kirsty Pearce play a game of rock, paper, scissors to decide who would kick off.

"The FA can confirm that referee David McNamara has been suspended for 21 days, starting from Monday 26 November, after accepting a charge of 'not acting in the best interests of the game'," an FA spokesperson said.

"This follows an incident in the WSL match between Manchester City and Reading on Friday 26 October, when he failed to determine which team would kick off the match by the toss of a coin, as required by the laws of the game.

"McNamara will return to duty from Monday 17 December."

England captain Houghton was asked to play rock, paper, scissors by McNamara (Getty)

McNamara, who works as a submarine welfare training officer for the Royal Navy, has refereed two WSL matches this season and more regularly takes charge of National League North games.

Speaking about the incident earlier this month, the FA women's refereeing manager Joanna Stimpson said: "The referee forgot his coin and in that moment, in a TV game, he was really pushed for time, it was a moment of madness.

"He obviously thought it was the right thing to do, he probably walked away, or the second afterwards, thought it wasn't the right thing to do.

"It's not defendable. He should have been more prepared, he should have had a coin but he didn't. It was disappointing, it's not appropriate, it's very unprofessional.

"The laws of the game state you toss a coin. I can't think it's something we are going to ignore. He wasn't taking the mick out of the game, it was just a really poor decision."