PEOPLE think they know Bobby Madden. If you frequent social media or some of the more jaundiced Celtic supporter web forums out there, you would know that Saturday's William Hill Scottish Cup final referee is a Rangers season ticket holder hell-bent on destroying the Parkhead side's hopes of a treble, with exhibit A being his non-award of last minute penalty for a Clint Hill challenge on Leigh Griffiths at Celtic Park in March. If you are approaching the weekend's game from an Aberdeen perspective, you would know that he has no love for the Dons either, as witnessed by his decision to disallow a perfectly-good goal at Tannadice in March 2016, then send Derek McInnes off for having the temerity to protest about it.

The truth is, these people don't really know Bobby Madden. Because if they did, they might be more inclined to mention some other pertinent bullet points about this extraordinary 38-year-old from East Kilbride. Perhaps they might lead off on the fact that he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer last March, yet refereed a match that very night. Or that having returned to action in the time it takes most people to return from a calf strain, he still has one full body scan to undergo until he can be given the full all clear, an ordeal he has put off until after this summer's European Under-21 Championships.

Perhaps these people might also dwell more on the fact that Madden was fourth official at last year's Scottish Cup final, earning the praise of the justice system for the calm way in which he marshalled players from the tide of supporters - whether joyful or malicious - rampaging onto the pitch. They could mention the fact that he is so committed to his refereeing that he gave up his day job in distribution with a publishing firm in Bishopbriggs to dedicate himself to his craft and being with his 18-month old daughter.

As for the technicalities, they may note that his likelihood of keeping up with play on Saturday is enhanced by the fact that he was a talented distance runner who ran for Scotland and Scotland schools until sustaining an injury at the age of 19. Or touch upon the stats which show that this man who officiated his first match at Hunters Hill in Bishopbriggs in 2003, West Park United against Mossend, awards less fouls and books fewer people than any of his peers in the top grades in Scotland. There is also the diverting fact that Madden played in the same East Kilbride YM club as Aberdeen assistant Tony Docherty - "I always joke with him that he played in the second team - but he definitely played in the first team, it was me in the second team!" says Madden.

In fact, some of the people who know this referee best are the managers and senior players themselves. Sean Dillon, sent off by Madden in his last cup final, the 2015 League Cup final between Dundee United and Celtic at Hampden, met Madden with a good natured yet rueful slap on the back of his bald head the next time he saw him.

"It’s frustrating," the 38-year-old said, "because unfortunately with social media one person says something and it becomes accepted as the truth. So I don’t use it. Some of my friends will occasionally take a screen shot and forward it to me ... but some of the comments there are not even worth discussing. They are casting aspersions about your family and it is better not to talk about it because some of these things are so factually incorrect. They’ve said I have a son - and I don’t have a son; that my dad was at a game ... well, my dad has actually passed away."

It is common for referees to be instructed to get their eyes tested, less so for them to check a lump on their neck and find that it threatens their livelihood. “I was first told in March, I went to Monklands Hospital to have a lump on my neck checked and I thought I would only be there for 10 minutes because I had other wee fatty tissue lumps," says Madden, who was soon receiving support from John Fleming at the SFA, Pierluigi Collina at Uefa and Hugh Dallas at Fifa. "It was the day of a game and I ended up there for four hours and the doctor told me he was 80 per cent sure I had thyroid cancer. The game that night didn’t go as well as I would have liked. I made an error. It just shows you. I thought ‘I’ll deal with this’ but obviously, it had an impact."

Whilst alert to the logistical challenges, Madden is receptive to the idea of referees wearing microphones or 'Go Pro' cameras. Whatever conclusions were drawn from the TV coverage, from his viewpoint he would make the Griffiths-Hill decision all over again, and refutes the suggestion from the Celtic player that the ref had asked him if Hill had played the ball.

“I could see the ball was played [by Hill] and as soon as I see that I can’t award a penalty kick," said Madden. "Yes, you can argue 'is the contact with the man first?' but my thought process is that if you play the ball going in for a challenge then it’s okay. I couldn’t make a percentage call in there. If you look at the reaction on the day a couple of players put their hands up, some had hands down and at the end players were comfortable. It’s only after when people see replays then people start to comment and that’s all part of the game. You can see me on TV saying twice he played the ball. Leigh maybe misquoted me.” Incidents and big calls will always crop up in football, but 12 months after he was forced to take evasive action on Scottish Cup final day, those who know Madden best know that he is the best Scottish refereeing has to offer.