TOP referee Eddie Wolstenholme has named former Clarets midfielder Kevin Ball as one of his favourite players in the game.

Ball, who never shirked a challenge in his two years at Turf Moor, was named alongside Wolves legend Steve Bull as the men that the Blackburn official most enjoyed reffing.

"I like them both because neither of them would ever whinge," he said. "Kevin Ball always plays hard and he gives it out and he takes it. But the one thing he never does is complain.

"I once sent him off for Sunderland when Terry Butcher was the manager and he just accepted it. He knew when he had done wrong."

Wolstenholme was the man in the middle when Sunderland, captained by Ball, missed out on a place in the Premiership after a penalty shoot-out defeat by Charlton in one of the most thrilling games ever seen at Wembley.

"Kevin asked me to referee his testimonial match against Sampdoria after that and it was an honour to do it.

"He gave me a signed shirt after the game and I was very grateful."

Ball, who was released by Clarets manager Stan Ternent at the start of the summer, is currently one of the hundreds of professional footballers who are out of work in the wake of the ITV Digital crisis.