Sussex's new recruit to the ranks of National League referees reckons more players should start taking up the whistle.

Brighton Cougars sharpshooter Steve McQueen has already been handed his first NBL assignment and is confident of progressing to the top flight BBL by the end of the season.

McQueen was allocated Worthing Thunder's Trophy quarter-final with Worcester tonight as his NBL refereeing debut but had to turn it down because he is playing for Cougars.

He will be in action at the end of this month however, keen to use his playing experience to keep the best of order on court.

The 6ft 4ins utility player refereed to the equivalent of BBL standard in his native Canada and was keen to get involved with the whistle after arriving in this country last season.

McQueen, who has Scottish grandparents, plans to stay in this country long term and believes he has a lot to offer with the whistle.

He said: "I used to referee 180 games a year, fitted in around a full-time job, so I have plenty of experience.

"I hope to do BBL games. I am confident in my own ability but I need to prove I can handle myself to other people before I can be promoted.

"I enjoy being part of the game as referee and I think the fact I have played to a high level helps because I tend to look at things a bit differently.

"I am not criticising referees who have not played the game but I tend to get along really well with the players and I let them play the game rather than calling ticky tacky fouls all the time.

"As a referee I am there to be part of the game and help control it but I'm not there to be seen by the fans.

"I really think more players should take up refereeing. I enjoy it and it's a good way to continue in the game.

"My playing career has got so many years left, barring injury, but I want to referee until I'm 50."

McQueen, who hails from Nanaimo, British Columbia, came to this country after being released by his Spanish club earlier this year.

He is on good terms with many of the Brighton Bears squad and admitted: "They think I'm a little crazy to want to be a referee.

"Hopefully they will accept I am a referee for 40 minutes but I'm still Steve for the rest of the time."

McQueen's playing experience is likely to help him on court but he insists he was never afraid to make a tough call even in his early days.

He said: "I graduated from college in 1998 and I was refereeing my old team by the following autumn.

"I gave my old coach a technical foul three games into the season.

"I knew he was going to test me but when it went too far I gave him a T."

McQueen said EBBA director of officiating Richard Stokes had given him great help in resuming his refereeing career in this country and added: "I'm really looking forward to it.

"It's a great opportunity to see more of the country and maybe give players a different look at refereeing.

"Coming from where basketball is from I can tell you it is a different style of game over here."

Meanwhile the three-pointers will have to keep dropping if Cougars are to maintain their flying start to the division two south season.

Defeat at Cardiff was the one blemish to their league form and McQueen declared: "We are aiming for a place in the top two.

"If we can hold teams to 70 or 80 points we will keep winning."