Hugh Dallas insists only 'crackpots' believe the theory that he was a mason.

The former top referee insists he couldn't understand it when he watched a documentary claiming he was a Freemason.

Dallas was one of Scotland's best referees until he retired in 2005. He officiated at two World Cups, and was then kept on by the Scottish FA as its head of refereeing development for the next generation.

As all referees do, he faced plenty of flak from supporters up and down the country.

But that scrutiny escalated when it was claimed in a documentary that he was a mason.

The 66-year-old - who now works for the Turkish FA - is adamant this was not the case, insisting he's only once stepped foot in a masonic hall, and that was to give blood.

 I watched a documentary on YouTube about me being a Mason," he told the GlasGo podcast. "Not that I respected him, but it was from a respected author and journalist.

READ MORE: Ianis Hagi in iconic Rangers 'Ibrox baby' throwback

"You couldn't make this up. Claiming I was Orange this, masonic that. I've never even been a Masonic hall – I tell a lie, I went in to give a pint of blood one year in Shotts. So where they get this information from, I don't know.

"Of course you're using the word crackpots there, if there are enough of them watching them and listening, they believe that. That particular thing that I watched, Wow. I remember taking legal advice on it. And my lawyer looked at it, and said 'leave it, don't even waste the money'.

"I thought 'right enough'. That's probably the worst thing I've ever read – or the most bizarre, the most untruthful. People will write things that you think are a bit harsh, but when you read things that are just untrue."