Ref Watch Matt Donohue ......

[Mick]

........... ex-Southend supporter and local referee, now from the Manchester area, has been promoted to a full-time professional referee as part of the Select Group 2 team refereeing primarily Championship matches. This, after just one season as a National List referee, is quite an achievement.

 

[Phil_in_blue]

Well done to Matt. I saw he was the fourth official at this years FA Trophy Final and I thought that was a great achievement. I remember travelling to away games on the coaches.

 

[Magnum PI]

Great stuff. Ross Joyce in the Premier yet?

 

[Mick]

Great stuff. Ross Joyce in the Premier yet?

Nope, looks like he's even been overlooked for SG2, deservedly so. Just Matt Donohue and Dean Whitestone announced so far.

 

[Lord Football]

........... ex-Southend supporter .

He points out he isn't an ex Southend supporter..... (he does still pop on here from time to time)

 

[Stuart W]

He is a Tottenham supporter first and Southend supporter second. (As told me by his father, my golfing buddy).

 

[Mick]

He is a Tottenham supporter first and Southend supporter second. (As told me by his father, my golfing buddy).

Perhaps that's just what his father would like to think !

 

[rigsby]

Told me her was a Southend fan when I met him.

 

[Stuart W]

Perhaps that's just what his father would like to think !

No, it's a fact.

 

[rigsby]

No, it's a fact.

Does his brother still play cricket ?

 

[Stuart W]

Does his brother still play cricket ?

He certainly was up to a couple of seasons ago. I will ask John next time I see him.

 

[rigsby]

He certainly was up to a couple of seasons ago. I will ask John next time I see him.

He played for Rayleigh CC as a young lad. Good wicket keeper/batsman as I remember.

Matt introduced himself to a few of us at Port Vale? one time when he heard our Essex accents in the main bar. He was there in some official capacity, possibly assessing?

We did discuss an obvious free kick we never got right in front of the assistant. Matt agreed and said the assistant may well have informed the ref but a lot of them are arrogant and only want off-sides and throws.

Lets hope he turns his own negative experience as a lino into a positive one as a ref, otherwise the term 'assistant' is pointless.

I wish him all the best and hope he does really well.