The thing Jawahir Jewels always enjoys is the moment it dawns on the players involved that she will be refereeing their game.

When she trots out on to some swamp of a municipal pitch to take charge of a Sunday morning hangover hackaround, she is unfailingly amused by the look of astonishment that descends over the faces of those about to kick off.

“I love it,” she smiles. “Sometimes I have to tell them about five times: ‘Yeah, man, I am your referee.’ And they usually go: ‘No way, when’s the proper ref coming?’ ”

It is not entirely surprising they need telling. Weekend amateurs rarely find their games presided over by a tiny, black, Muslim young woman in a head scarf. In fact she is the only such Football Association-qualified official they are likely to encounter.

“I say to them: ‘Excuse me, don’t judge me till you’ve seen me in action,’ ” she says. “I do know how to play football and yes I do know the offside rule. Which is more than most of them.”