Why anybody would want to be a referee is a mystery.It’s an utterly thankless task.You get hammered by everybody despite trying your best and the abuse only gets worse the higher you rise in the profession.It’s important to remember that match officials - whether it’s referees, assistant referees or, yes, even video assistant referees - are only human.They’re the last people who want to make mistakes - but it happens.

Still, referees will make decisions on occasions that leave us all scratching our heads in disbelief.

Step forward, Seb Stockbridge.

The Tyne and Wear official has gone viral on social media after taking charge of the League One clash between Doncaster Rovers and Oxford United at the Keepmoat Stadium - unfortunately for the wrong reasons.

When Oxford were awarded a free-kick roughly 25 yards from goal, Stockbridge appeared to forget how to count to 10 while measuring the distance between the ball and where the Doncaster wall should be positioned.

After taking just seven paces forwards, Stockbridge used his vanishing spray on the turf.

Doncaster’s players, who were positioned a couple of yards further back, looked rather surprised when they were told to move forward.

Oxford’s players, meanwhile, were understandably angry.

James Henry marked the distance out himself, in an attempt to convince the ref that he’d made a mistake, while John Mousinho also remonstrated with Stockbridge.

But their protests fell on deaf ears and Tariqe Fosu was forced to take the set-piece with a wall position just seven or eight yards in front of him.

Watch it here...

The Oxford winger managed to get the ball over the wall, but he also cleared the crossbar with his effort.

Let’s check out some of the reaction on social media…

Doncaster won the match 1-0, with Reece James scoring the only goal of the game in the first half.

As for Stockbridge, well, he’ll be at the Etihad Stadium this weekend working as the fourth official on the FA Cup third round tie between Manchester City and Port Vale.

At least he won’t be marking out any free-kicks.