Mick
The Ref Aficionado.
I'm glad I didn't do this yesterday; the referee has been changed from the original appointment of David Coote (who looked a little out of his depth in the admittedly not easy home match against Stevenage which gave him his first ever red card).
So instead of one full-time FA employee, it's another one in the form of Dean Mohareb from Stockport. He is in his first season as a League referee. The former primary schoolteacher has moved swiftly through the refereeing ranks and he won't have been held back by the fact that he works for the FA as a National Referees Manager. He has travelled the world with the FA, giving workshops to Columbian referees on the subject of "delivering excellence"; I can think of some nearer to home who might benefit.
Anyway back to his refereeing. He has refereed 14 League matches, mostly League Two and shown just 34 yellow cards (rather better than average). A cautionary note, he has yet to show his first red card as a League referee.
A second cautionary note, the only previous time he has refereed Southend was the defeat at Swindon, our last defeat way back in early September. Then he cautioned Gilbert, Phillips and Grant and one of theirs.
His assistants will be Michael George from North Walsham in Norfolk and Paul Kelly from Gillingham with Stuart Butler from Maidstone doing the 4th official stuff.
The assessor is ex-dreadful referee Ian Hemley. He officiated at Brighton's last ever match at the Goldstone and had to be locked in the changing rooms at the end for his protection.
So instead of one full-time FA employee, it's another one in the form of Dean Mohareb from Stockport. He is in his first season as a League referee. The former primary schoolteacher has moved swiftly through the refereeing ranks and he won't have been held back by the fact that he works for the FA as a National Referees Manager. He has travelled the world with the FA, giving workshops to Columbian referees on the subject of "delivering excellence"; I can think of some nearer to home who might benefit.
Anyway back to his refereeing. He has refereed 14 League matches, mostly League Two and shown just 34 yellow cards (rather better than average). A cautionary note, he has yet to show his first red card as a League referee.
A second cautionary note, the only previous time he has refereed Southend was the defeat at Swindon, our last defeat way back in early September. Then he cautioned Gilbert, Phillips and Grant and one of theirs.
His assistants will be Michael George from North Walsham in Norfolk and Paul Kelly from Gillingham with Stuart Butler from Maidstone doing the 4th official stuff.
The assessor is ex-dreadful referee Ian Hemley. He officiated at Brighton's last ever match at the Goldstone and had to be locked in the changing rooms at the end for his protection.
