Congratulations
Sunderland Referees Association and its members would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all our members who were successful in achieving promotion and those appointed to County Cup Finals.
Promotion
Level 4 to 3
Graeme Fyvie
Shaun Hudson
Level 5 to 4
James Simpson
Lee Brennan
Paul Younger
Daniel Woodward
Level 7-5
Paul Younger
Level 6-5
Lloyd Thompson
Lee Brennan
Level 7-6
Kieran Mersh
Andrew Jobson
County Cup Finals
James Simpson 4th Official (Trophy)
Shaun Hudson Referee (Minor Cup)
Lloyd Thompson 4th Official (Minor Cup)
Kieran Mersh Assistant Referee (Youth Cup)
Phil Clayton Assistant Referee (U’13’s Cup)
Paul Younger Referee (U’12’s Cup)
Andrew Jobson Assistant Referee (U’12’s Cup)
Other Appointments
Andy Haines Referee (FA Trophy Semi-Final)
Graeme Fyvie Assistant Referee (Conference North Play-off Final and Northern League Cup Final)
Shaun Hudson Assistant Referee (Unibond Play-off Semi-Final)
Kieran Downey Referee (Local League Cup Final)
Lee Brennan Referee (Sunderland Sunday League Cup Final)
Kieran Mersh Assistant Referee (Sunderland Sunday League Cup Final)
Ken Barker Assistant Referee (Wearside Combination Cup Final)
Kieran Mersh Assistant Referee (Wearside League Cup Final)
We hope we haven’t missed anybody out of any appointments, if we have please get in touch and we will update the website.
Wearside ref Geoff plays his cards right
MAN IN BLACK: New Football League referee Geoff Eltringham
Published Date: 19 November 2009
Wearside has its first Football League referee in three decades.
Geoff Eltringham is one of seven new additions to the League list nationally, but the first from Sunderland Referees' Association since George Tyson joined the ranks in the late 1970s.
It is the latest step in a journey the 29-year-old would be delighted to see end in the Premier League.
And he admits the biggest decision of his career involved the club he will never be able to referee – his beloved Sunderland AFC.
Geoff said: "I played football at school and in the Russell Foster Youth League, but I wasn't good enough to make a living in the game so I went into refereeing after seeing a course advertised.
"I still had my season ticket at Sunderland so I was fitting my refereeing around that.
"The best bit of advice I ever had came from a referees assessor called Malcolm Langley. He could see I had a bit of potential but he said I had to choose between Sunderland Football Club and refereeing.
"It was a big decision because I loved going to the match with my mates, but I gave up my season ticket and that started my progress."
Quitting his Stadium of Light ritual meant Eltringham was able to officiate on Saturday's in the Wearside League, which he did for three years before spending two years in the Northern League and Unibond League and then moving up to the Conference last season.
A sales rep with Sunderland timber firm Thompson's, he was informed he would be promoted to the Football League this season and took charge of his first League Two match – a 2-2 draw between Morecambe and Hereford United – on August 8.
So far, to his relief, there have been no beach balls on the pitch to concern him, but he has sympathy with under-fire ref Mike Jones after his mistake in allowing Sunderland's goal to stand against Liverpool last month.
"I've escaped that sort of thing so far," he said.
"I'm sympathetic towards Mike Jones after all the fuss about what happened. The 'outside agent' question is on refereeing exam papers and Mike will have known the rule.
"I can only imagine he and his assistants had doubts about whether the two balls came into contact with each other – they didn't have the benefit of video replays. I know a few people who were at the match and said they didn't know what all the fuss was about until after the game."
Geoff has taken charge of seven League Two matches to date and was in action last week when Crewe went down 2-1 at home to Morecambe. His highest ranked match so far was Carlisle's League One win over Southend at Brunton Park last month.
He was fourth official at the Conference play-off final between Torquay and Cambridge at Wembley last season and is also now eligible to be a fourth official in the Premier League.
"I think it would be a little while before I got an opportunity at the top level, but eventually I'd love to referee in the Premier League and perhaps get on the Fifa list," added Eltringham.
"The higher the level you reach the more pressure and focus there is on the job you are doing. I'm aware of that and prepared for it.
"I would love to go all the way, but I'm still developing and I have perhaps 20 years ahead of me refereeing at a high standard so I intend to take it one step at a time.
"One thing I'll never do, unfortunately, is referee at the Stadium of Light because of the conflict of interest with me being a Sunderland fan."
PGMOL LAUNCHES REFWORLD.COM
PGMOL LAUNCHES REFWORLD.COM
- Play The Refworld Quiz -
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) have launched a new website www.refworld.com to bring football fans closer to the men in the middle. It has been developed to provide referee information to everyone involved in football; the supporters, the managers, the referees and of course the players themselves - at all levels of the game.
PGMOL are challenging fans to sign up to the site to play their Refworld Quiz game – can you make the correct decision at the crucial moment? A whole host of prizes are on offer, and players can set up mini-leagues to compete with their mates, and demonstrate their expert knowledge for bragging rights!
Visit the site, and sign up now to play at www.refworld.com/quiz
PGMOL General Manager, Keith Hackett said: “The website aims to provide an insight in to the world of refereeing, and give fans a look at what goes on behind the scenes to prepare for the all-important kick-offs. Playing the Refworld quiz will challenge even the most ardent supporter - the site is an essential resource for all those who are interested and involved in the beautiful game!”
As well as the latest news and features, including details of official appointments and professional verdicts, the site features profiles of all referees and provides detailed directives including the full written Laws of the Game.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) was formed to provide match officials for all professional football matches played in England and they are tasked with the responsibility of developing excellence in officiating in the English game at the Professional Level.