| William "Bill" Burns | |
| Birth Date: | 16 December 1952 |
| Birth Place: | Scarborough, England |
| Death Date: | 23 August 2019 |
| Death Place: | Scarborough, England |
| Years1: | 1985–1988 |
| League1: | Football League |
| Role1: | Asst. referee |
| Years2: | 1988–2001 |
| League2: | Football League |
| Role2: | Referee |
William Burns (Born December 1952 – 23 August 2019), usually known as "Bill Burns", was an English football referee who officiated in the Football League.
Born in Scarborough, Burns refereed the 1996 Football League Third Division play-off final,[1] [2] and the 2001 Football League Trophy Final.[3] [4] Having officiated since 1985, he retired as a Football League referee at the end of the 2000–01 season, at the age of 48.[5] In 2002, he bought a pub in Scarborough with his wife, Jenny.[4] In later life, he underwent a successful double liver transplant at St James's University Hospital in Leeds.[6]
He died on 23 August 2019 aged 66 after a long battle with primary sclerosing cholangitis.[7]