Ref Watch ...... AFC Wimbledon away

[Mick]

Tomorrow's referee will be travelling a fair bit further than most of us to get to the game. It is yet another first year referee, Darren Bond from Burscough in Lancashire. [Anyone remember Burscough, the "smallest" club to ever win the FA Trophy and the team that drew Man Utd at home in the third round of the FA Cup (unfortunately they were only in the draw because their second round game had been postponed and they never got to play them!).]

Anyway back on topic, he has not refereed Southend before and this will be his 11th match at this level. His first ten matches have produced a highish 37 yellows but thus far no reds. He seems to be quite highly thought of, although I haven't seen him referee before.

His first ever League match involved AFC Wimbledon and they lost 6-2.

Moving on to the rest of the "team" we have two officials, Assistant Referee Barry Holderness (who is a very decent non-league referee) and Fourth Official John Hopkins who not only come from the same place but live in the same road a few doors apart. Not only that but they come from Wickford (with a Southend-on-Sea postcode). Most unusual.

The other assistant is Graham Horwood, ex-League referee from Bedford who got thrown off the League list recently.

 

[dannypav]

Tomorrow's referee will be travelling a fair bit further than most of us to get to the game. It is yet another first year referee, Darren Bond from Burscough in Lancashire. [Anyone remember Burscough, the "smallest" club to ever win the FA Trophy and the team that drew Man Utd at home in the third round of the FA Cup (unfortunately they were only in the draw because their second round game had been postponed and they never got to play them!).]

Anyway back on topic, he has not refereed Southend before and this will be his 11th match at this level. His first ten matches have produced a highish 37 yellows but thus far no reds. He seems to be quite highly thought of, although I haven't seen him referee before.

His first ever League match involved AFC Wimbledon and they lost 6-2.

Moving on to the rest of the "team" we have two officials, Assistant Referee Barry Holderness (who is a very decent non-league referee) and Fourth Official John Hopkins who not only come from the same place but live in the same road a few doors apart. Not only that but they come from Wickford (with a Southend-on-Sea postcode). Most unusual.

The other assistant is Graham Horwood, ex-League referee from Bedford who got thrown off the League list recently.

I just hope they 'car share' and don't try to claim two lots of petrol.....................

 

[Mick]

I just hope they 'car share' and don't try to claim two lots of petrol.....................

..... or they could pick up the coach at the Watermill at 4:35 !

 

[dannypav]

..... or they could pick up the coach at the Watermill at 4:35 !

Now wouldn't that look good.

"Southends third goal was a towering back post header by Holderness" !

 

[londonblue]

Out of interest, how many times have we gone through a whole match without even a yellow card? Or is it not as rare as I think?

 

[Mick]

Out of interest, how many times have we gone through a whole match without even a yellow card? Or is it not as rare as I think?

Eight times this season now (including four in a row) - so probably not as rare as you think.

 

[tia]

John Hopkins used too be a carpenter and worked for my dad on site few years back.A mate of mine was working with him at a warehouse earlier in the year.Mate was at the game last night and said a quick hello too him.Its a small world!

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Thought the ref was pretty good last night. Could easily have given a penalty against us when Cressy handled in the 1st half, and could have been a bit tougher on their CB's manhandling of Britt, but apart from that he tried to let the game flow, and didn't get card happy.

The lino on our side was a different matter though. I was standing right at the front behind the dug-out, and there was an incident where Britt was having his shirt pulled off him, right in line with us and the lino, and he just did nothing. BBBC let him know in no uncertain terms what he thought of him.