Neil Payne started refereeing for the CFL in 1969 and was appointed the league’s Assistant Director of Officiating in 1985. Payne was named the Director of Officiating in March 2000, a role he filled until 2004. In his career, Payne worked more than 200 regular season and playoff games for the CFL and appeared in four Grey Cup games. His book Crimes and Punishment: Life as a CFL Official tells stories of the game from his unique perspective. Neil Payne lives in Winnipeg.