William Hill Scottish Cup final referee Willie Collum believes it could help the country's embattled match officials if they had the chance to explain key decisions.

Collum takes charge of Saturday's Hampden showpiece between Inverness Caley and Falkirk despite finding himself at the centre of several controversies earlier in the year.

But he explained how much he hurts after making mistakes and how hard he works to improve.

And he feels fans might be more understanding if refs were allowed to speak on individual decisions, something which is frowned upon by the game's rulers

Collum said: "I think there's an opportunity at times where it would be good to explain decisions, but that's not my decision.

"Any opportunity the SFA asks me to speak to the media, I'm happy to speak.

"I don't think necessarily right after the match is a good time to speak to the media, because people would judge things perhaps too quickly.

"Sometimes it's better to watch a match back two or three days after, rather than the evening of the match, because sometimes you are too raw.

"You maybe defend everything, but two or three days later you maybe sit back and think you could have improved."

Collum began 2015 by handing out four penalties and three sendings-off in his first two matches, but the two straight red cards, for then St Mirren midfielder Kenny McLean and Motherwell defender Stephen McManus, were both overturned on the same day.

But Collum has no problem with the SFA appeals process and insists he hurts more than anyone when he makes a poor decision.

"We are not judge and jury," the Lanarkshire schoolteacher said.

"Like anybody involved in football, you are always disappointed when you make the wrong decision.

"But we will make mistakes, it's how you pick yourself up."