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Mick

Life President
Joined
Oct 28, 2003
Messages
10,936
Particular congratulations to one of the small number of new referees promoted to referee on the Football League from next season.

He is Matt Donohue, previously of this parish but more recently from the Stockport Referees Association. He will be known to many on here. We are unlikely to be seeing much of him on Southend games !
 
I'm pleased for him, I used to work with him prior to him becoming a teacher.. nice lad..
 
I first met Matt at a local RA meeting. He was very young (16) and had just qualified. He spoke well and had "something about him". I recruited him to the Borough Comb, gave him his first game, (against the advice of the League Committee) appointed him to a Cup Final and have watched him blossom through all levels of football.

I'm absolutely delighted for him and I'm sure he'll continue to rise through the ranks.


To date, he is the ONLY referee to have qualified from the Southend area this century to have reached the Football League and the first since. (Simon Beck, also originally from Southend, never middled in the FL going straight onto the line before becoming an "elite" linesman)
 
I first met Matt at a local RA meeting. He was very young (16) and had just qualified. He spoke well and had "something about him". I recruited him to the Borough Comb, gave him his first game, (against the advice of the League Committee) appointed him to a Cup Final and have watched him blossom through all levels of football.

I'm absolutely delighted for him and I'm sure he'll continue to rise through the ranks.


To date, he is the ONLY referee to have qualified from the Southend area this century to have reached the Football League and the first since. (Simon Beck, also originally from Southend, never middled in the FL going straight onto the line before becoming an "elite" linesman)

Out of Interest LF, are referees paid lower fees in Div 1 and 2 to Championship or is it a set fee and expenses ,also in Cup games how far can they referee before the so called top refs take charge of games in later rounds
I guess the premiership is more elite and therefore all most a closed shop to referee
 
Out of Interest LF, are referees paid lower fees in Div 1 and 2 to Championship or is it a set fee and expenses ,also in Cup games how far can they referee before the so called top refs take charge of games in later rounds
I guess the premiership is more elite and therefore all most a closed shop to referee

It's completely different. Championship referees are full-time - they do it for a living. I know that's hard to believe for some of them, but they have full employment contracts working as part of Select Group 2.
 
I first met Matt at a local RA meeting. He was very young (16) and had just qualified. He spoke well and had "something about him". I recruited him to the Borough Comb, gave him his first game, (against the advice of the League Committee) appointed him to a Cup Final and have watched him blossom through all levels of football.

I'm absolutely delighted for him and I'm sure he'll continue to rise through the ranks.


To date, he is the ONLY referee to have qualified from the Southend area this century to have reached the Football League and the first since. (Simon Beck, also originally from Southend, never middled in the FL going straight onto the line before becoming an "elite" linesman)

The first since who ???

Dave Axcell ??

Obviously spreading the net a little wider you get Nick Kinseley, Ray Lee and, even wider, Andy Durso (whose son is working his way through the grades).

There was a referee from Leigh-on-Sea called Tony Oliver, late 60s early 70s who was the referee for the first ever professional football match played on a Sunday in England in his last season.
 
Mick, I suppose there is no chance that we have followed our German friends and appointed a female referee to take charge of a game in the EFL this season?.
 
The first since who ???

Dave Axcell ??

Obviously spreading the net a little wider you get Nick Kinseley, Ray Lee and, even wider, Andy Durso (whose son is working his way through the grades).

There was a referee from Leigh-on-Sea called Tony Oliver, late 60s early 70s who was the referee for the first ever professional football match played on a Sunday in England in his last season.

I think Dave was the last...... I believe he is still reffing! Before Tony Oliver, would it have been the late, great Len Forge?

I got my badge from Andy Durso!!!

Rob Whitton is fairly local, and came through the junior ranks at the same time I did. I'm not sure if he has made the FL yet, but he must be close. There are plenty of good referees around, but it is so difficult to properly get into the system. Seen plenty stall at ESL level and walk way. Shame really.
 
The first since who ???

Dave Axcell ??

Obviously spreading the net a little wider you get Nick Kinseley, Ray Lee and, even wider, Andy Durso (whose son is working his way through the grades).

There was a referee from Leigh-on-Sea called Tony Oliver, late 60s early 70s who was the referee for the first ever professional football match played on a Sunday in England in his last season.

I met Ray Lee only a couple of weeks back at a funeral for a referee called Steve Terrell who I used to run the line with on the Essex Senior League nearly 20 years ago. Sadly Steve passed away a couple of months ago in Brentwood whilst refereeing a game. Ray Lee is a cracking bloke and he used to assess me back in the early 2000's when he was on the Football League line. He was also 4th Official on the day Mike North passed away against Mansfield. :sad:
 
I think Dave was the last...... I believe he is still reffing! Before Tony Oliver, would it have been the late, great Len Forge?

I got my badge from Andy Durso!!!

Rob Whitton is fairly local, and came through the junior ranks at the same time I did. I'm not sure if he has made the FL yet, but he must be close. There are plenty of good referees around, but it is so difficult to properly get into the system. Seen plenty stall at ESL level and walk way. Shame really.

Dave is indeed still reffing, he refereed in a walking football tournament I played in recently and a very job he made of it too.
 
I think Dave was the last...... I believe he is still reffing! Before Tony Oliver, would it have been the late, great Len Forge?

I got my badge from Andy Durso!!!

Rob Whitton is fairly local, and came through the junior ranks at the same time I did. I'm not sure if he has made the FL yet, but he must be close. There are plenty of good referees around, but it is so difficult to properly get into the system. Seen plenty stall at ESL level and walk way. Shame really.

No, I don't think Len Forge got onto the Football League middle. He made lino on Football League and Football Combination middle.

Rob Whitton hails from nearer Braintree these days. He got a trial game in the Football League some five years ago and although it turned into a cardfest, it wasn't his fault. i think his ship has sailed.
 
Mick, I suppose there is no chance that we have followed our German friends and appointed a female referee to take charge of a game in the EFL this season?.

No, not even close to one.
 
Mick, I suppose there is no chance that we have followed our German friends and appointed a female referee to take charge of a game in the EFL this season?.

No, not even close to one.

..... although Rebecca Welch from Durham has been promoted to referee National League matches (she was previously doing National North level).
 
I see today that Simon Hooper the ref from our L2 Playoff final with Wycombe has just been promoted Select Group 1 for the coming season..

To be honest, I'm sure like many, I was less than impressed with his display on that historical day. I haven't followed his career at all but it does seem this is quite a fast rise up the referring pyramid...

Refs on here! your thoughts? Lord football, Mick??
 
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