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Congratulations

webmaster@SunderlandRefereesAssociation.org.uk — 2010-07-12T15:00:00+01:00

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

webmaster@SunderlandRefereesAssociation.org.uk — 2009-11-20T17:42:00+00:00

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."

Next meeting guest speaker - Colin Webster

webmaster@SunderlandRefereesAssociation.org.uk — 2009-10-10T12:01:27+01:00

Next meeting is Monday 19th October 2009 where the guest speaker will be Colin Webster.

Colin is a current National Group Referee and has been since the year 2000, with a vast of experience he is a well thought of Football League Referee, having refereeing many high profile games. More information can be found on his refworld profile: http://www.refworld.com/referee/169/1

PGMOL LAUNCHES REFWORLD.COM

webmaster@SunderlandRefereesAssociation.org.uk — 2009-08-14T12:55:51+01:00

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.

Robin Raymond

webmaster@SunderlandRefereesAssociation.org.uk — 2009-08-13T16:35:12+01:00

My name is Robin Raymond; I qualified as a referee just over a year ago, last April to be precise. I got on to the referees course by my dads friend who was a football league referee in the 70’s. I asked me mam for my 16th birthday to buy me a kit, so I got my birthday present early as I did my very first game at Ferryhill Town Youth on the 4th May 2008. I was crapping myself; there must have been 100-150 people there. I had to do a minutes silence for one of the players father had just died. I feel I gained a hell of respect when I blow the whistle for the start and finish of the minute. As I blow the whistle for the kick off the first person I saw was my dad, he must have felt so proud to see his son refereeing my first match ever. Grangetown beat Ferryhill 6-1, and no arguments at the end of the game. Durham FA don’t like you doing adult games when you are 16, but I thought what the hell and my first adult game was Kitchen Magic v. Jolly Potters at Silksworth on the Astroturf. It was a horrible rainy day.

I received a phone call from Mr. Colin Stores who asked me to referee in his league, I was excited and nervous I didn’t know what to say. He gave me a game in the Saturday league so I said yes. With it being my first adult game it was more worrying than my first ever game at Ferryhill. I had hassle through out the game they knew I was newly qualified, and ripped me to shreds. (thanks very much to Colin Stores for give in me the game, more about Colin in a minute.) I had a goalkeeper who looked like Bruce Grobbelaar, working his ticket non-stop. I give a free-kick in the box for a pass back, he went loopy (hahaha, would love to do the game again with the experience I have now). I also give a penalty against him, and he came off his line before the run up and saved it, so I made them retake it and the striker scored this time.

That was enough for any 16 year old referee with no experience. Whilst doing a tournament at Ferryhill I was talking to referees saying I wanted to get more experience and start doing lines. I was told about the Northern League and put straight onto Alan Powles, got my very first game at Guisbourgh Town v. Jarrow Roofing, I was shaking like a leaf standing in the changing rooms, no door between you and the away team I was crapping myself. I got 68 for my first assessments don’t think that is too bad. My first yellow card came in a Sunderland Sunday League game at Thompson’s Park, Blue Bell v. Washington Nostalgia Marble. Blue Bell won 4-0, and one of the goals was a penalty, I had to caution a 7 foot 5 inches monster of a goalkeeper, for a foul in the box. I was so nervous.

Another Northern League went past at Washington, and another 4 games for the Sunderland Sunday League, I did a game at Ferryhill. They where playing Acklam FC, a lad was going on and on, then he went to far and the final straight was the foul abusive language directed at another player, so I sent him off. 29th of November and I was given a match at the academy of light as referee one of my proudest moments. Sunderland were playing Lisburn from Northern Ireland it finished 4-4 after Sunderland winning 4-0 at half-time. I gave my first red card as lines man at Thornaby they where playing Crook Town, as the referee was dealing with the incident I seen a little dispute between a player off both teams. As there was multiple Crook players I couldn’t identify the Crook player but I could see the Thornaby player as he was the only one in a blue shirt for miles. I waited till the ref turned round I stood with me flag up and told the ref what happened, he took the only route for the incident and sent the player off. My first Ernest Armstrong Cup game was Sunderland RCA v. Thornaby, a cold night when both my ankles packed in. The next day I went to the doctors and was told that I had twisted all the ligaments in my ankles, and not to referee for at least a month. However, refereeing come before any injury, so my next game was 5 days later. A couple of weeks before the Sunderland RCA game I was supposed to do a game on a Saturday, got the appended fixtures and said I had no games. Well of course this broke my heart. I phoned Alan Powles and asked what I had done to be taken off the game. But I got a nice surprise and was told I was doing a top of the table clash Esh Winning v. Horden, Esh where top and Horden 2nd. This was a nice surprise to get this game and I must have done something right to get it, I was told I would be with Neal Patterson and Kevin Raine a conference league linesman. The game was going well, a cross came in for Horden and the striker was offside just as I put my flag up he scored. But, I can say I got the decision 100% correct. 28th March I was at North Shields v. Whickham, I had first met Paul Nicholson a couple of weeks earlier. As I was getting changed I was having banter with Billy Dowens the other assistant, and as I was putting on my blue undershorts, Paul walked in and I got ripped to shreds about them being my mams bloomers. How Billy laughed, all I got from Billy was,

“What goes around comes around.”

Thanks Billy mate. I had a Sunderland Sunday League game Wearside Wildcats v. Pure FC, what a game it finished 4-4 and I got a 90 off both teams some performance like hahaha. That night I was sitting on my girlfriend’s laptop looking at my emails when I had one from Alan Powles ‘appended fixtures’, so looking through I see:

This went great, I had been with Frank before but what an afternoon that’s was. I really enjoyed the trip there; I can say I got everything right on that night. So after all the running about and hard work you go in the bar area and get a bowl of soup!!!!!

I thought this was going to be my biggest game of the season, however I was wrong. Colin Stores phoned me up and told me I had the SJR Cup Final on the line. I had my first cup final in my first season, I couldn’t ask for more. So I was with my fellow RA members Paul Younger and Kieran Mersh, I had a great night, with an easy game with Wearside Wildcats running out 6-1 winners over Hetton Town. I was asked to do a charity game for Hall Farm at Herrington C.W. How fun my first charity game, the legends were getting beat 3-2 until I give 5 penalty’s in the last minute and they only scored the last one ( I know they are old but how way man 1 goal in 5 chances.) Anyway they shared the trophy. Another phone call off Colin Stores asking me if I would like to do the College County Cup Final on the line, Graham Fyvie was in the middle and James Simpson on the other line. It would have been easier if we knew who the two teams where!!!! The only time I found out was when they where getting presented with the trophy! 11th May, I sent a text to all the referees and assistants I had been with during the season to say thank you. Gary McMullan who I went to Whitehaven sent one back saying have you had confirmation about games at St. James Park. Or My God this was the biggest thing in my refereeing career to date, the 11th May was a special day being my birthday and you couldn’t ask for a better present than being told you are going to referee at St. James Park. Being a Newcastle United fan with a Sunderland season ticket was hard not to jump up and down when Newcastle scored, and not to cry when they got beat 2-1 at the Stadium of Light. So went to St. James Park on the 17th May for the tournament called Play on the Pitch where teams got to play there for the small fee of £1100 (hahaha). The turnover for the 10 days was supposed to be around £100,000 (not bad for a Championship Club). I did 8 games over the 10 days, what an experience 17 years old walking out at your favourite ground you cannot ask for more.

I was making programmes for Colin Stores for his cup finals, the last cup final and halfway through the programme my printer at work gives up the will to live. Wasn’t so bad working for me dad, I just placed the blame on my brother hahaha. I told Colin that if I couldn’t do his programmes I would be 4th Official; hopefully I helped James Simpson, Lee Brennan and Colin Archbold, with the subs, goals and cautions.

I have big thanks for Colin Stores, Billy Dowens, my dad (for the time off work), Alan Powles and every referee I have been with this season. For example, Mark Moore, Kevin McKitterick, James Simpson, Frank Campbell, Gary McMullan to name a few. I also have to thank the Durham and Sunderland RA’s with all help and support. I look up at Geoff Eltringham and Martin Coy, thinking I can achieve what they have in a few years. I have to say a massive thank you to Colin Stores; he has given me my opportunity to referee every Sunday without failure. The support and advice I receive off Colin is brilliant and I couldn’t ask for more. I will always have a soft spot for the league as if it wasn’t for the league I wouldn’t have gotten my 6 games in.

Society Season Review

webmaster@SunderlandRefereesAssociation.org.uk — 2009-05-16T11:57:06+01:00

As the end of season 2008/09 is almost upon us I thought it would be good to reflect on what has been a very good year as a whole for Sunderland Society and its members.

On a personal note, I feel it could not have gone any better both on and off the field. I would personally like to thank all of our members, young and old, for the help and advice that has made it possible. Getting promoted to the Football League list of Referees was obviously the highlight of my on field season. This is down to quite a lot of luck and being in the right place at the right time rather than pure refereeing ability, as I feel I have refereed better in previous seasons!! Nevertheless I would have taken it with open arms if it was offered at the start of the season.
Gaining my Three Lions as 4th official for the FA Sunday Cup Final was a great honor, and my appointment as 4th official for the Conference Play-off Final at Wembley really rounded off a great season on the green bit.

Off the field hasn’t gone too bad either, but people may say different at our imminent AGM!! I have just about completed my first year in the Chair having taken on the reigns from Ken Barker.
I’m first to admit that I’m more than a little ‘green around the ears’ and have to be nudged on a regular basis by our secretary Bill Black who sits to my right during our meetings. But I have really enjoyed the challenge and hope to continue in future years to come.

Anyway that’s enough about me what else has been going on this season.

Ken Barker has to take a lot of credit for laying a solid foundation during his stint in the chair, with membership showing signs of improvement. I think a lot of people would agree that we have surpassed our expectations this season when it comes to new members. With a good mix of newly qualified referees along with the likes of Jonny Hunt and Gary Hargreaves who have been familiar names on the circuit joining our organisation.
It was also pleasing to see some old faces returning to our society.

The quality of our guest speakers has been very good and I have no doubt the likes of Neale Barry, Michael Oliver, Dave Pearson, Dave Webb, Ian Blanchard and Nigel Miller will have attracted people along to Rutland Street on a regular basis. However, I feel we may have missed out a little when it comes to talking football with our members as we have done in past years, and the balance between the two may have to be addressed.

Our now religious Christmas smoker, or should I say non smoker, went very well and the turn out on the night was larger by some distance than it has been in recent years. The darts and dominos again going now a treat, not to mention Quinny’s revamped quiz which saw Fyvie and Fowler toppled from there throne (ha ha) not before time!

How did season 2008/09 treat our members? There have certainly been some ups and downs.

Messer’s Quinn, Fyvie and Hudson have all had a solid season, consistently performing week in week out in the Northern League. I have no doubt they will be in the mix for promotion this time next year.

Dave Morton has just completed his first season in the Wearside League and has encountered some ups and downs as we all do. I’ve no doubt Dave will start next season a stronger & better referee for it.

Danny Markham and Jonny Hunt gained promotion to the National List of Assistant Referees; both well deserved and will no doubt lift the profile of our society. They both have had tremendous seasons as Contributory League Referees.

Lloyd Thompson gained his promotion to level 6, and James Simpson and Gary Hargreaves both got there level 5. I’m more than confident this time next year they will both be supply league referees, the only surprise to everyone is how they never got there level 4 at the end of this season!!!

Unfortunately not all of our members were successful when going for promotion; it’s just a case of putting the disappointment behind them, and fighting on stronger next season. I’m sure with the likes of Malcolm Langley, Colin Burnickal, George Tyson, Bob Hodgson, Peter Ramsey, Dick Madden and John Lowery there to offer advice they won’t go too far wrong.

It’s been very pleasing to see so many younger members coming through our doors and the potential is very clear to see. Kieran Mersh, Paul Younger and Robin Raymond have all made the big step up from refereeing junior football to adult football and have taken to it like ducks to water.

Not to forget the stalwarts who are still heavily involved in football both on and off the field, Malcolm Langley, Dick Madden, Bill Black and Peter Ramsey have the unenviable task of going out in rain or shine assessing a lot of our members.

I’m sure that another of our more senior members, Billy Khatib, will be looking for a successful season in August. If his season hadn’t been cut short this term I’ve no doubt he would have been in the melting pot in both refereeing and assistant refereeing.

So what about next season? I firmly believe that our society is heading in the right direction.
We have the County dinner which we are hosting in October to look forward to and it’s sure to attract a lot of interest with Brendan Healy performing. Keep tabs on our website for details on the event.

Which leads me onto our website, I think that after a sluggish introduction to our members, a lot of people is starting to take interest in our refreshed and redesigned site. If anyone has anything they would like posting on our site please get in touch with Shaun Hudson or myself and we will make sure your request is dealt with.

All it leaves me to say is thank you for the hard work our committee has done, and more importantly thanks to our members for helping to put our great society back on the refereeing map. Enjoy your well deserved break, and I look forward to seeing everyone again come August, if not before.

Cheers,
Geoff.

Congratulations

webmaster@SunderlandRefereesAssociation.org.uk — 2009-05-14T13:16:27+01:00

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.

Level 2 to 1
Geoff Eltringham – (National Group of Referees – Football League)

Promotion to National List of Assistant Referees – Football League
Danny Markham
Jonathon Hunt

Level 6 to 5
James Simpson
Gary Hargreaves

Level 7-6
Lloyd Thompson

Cup Finals
Lloyd Thompson – Referee under 14’s
Geoff Eltringham – 4th official FA Sunday Cup

Young Members Fly The Flag

webmaster@SunderlandRefereesAssociation.org.uk — 2009-05-14T13:13:51+01:00

The Sunderland Sunday League – SJR Cup Final took place this week at Ryhope CW, with three of the society’s more youthful members officiating. Referee Paul Younger (24), along with his assistants Kieran Mersh (20) & Robin Raymond (17), took charge of a competitive encounter between division three high-flyers Hetton Town & Wearside Wildcats.

The first half saw Wildcats dominate, missing countless opportunities before Hetton broke away & scored with their first real attack. Tempers flared moments later following a late challenge, with opposition players squaring up. Paul cautioned a Wildcats midfielder for what was described by our onlooking chairman as “handbags”

The Wildcats continued to dominate & the inevitable equaliser came moments later, before some fine advantage play saw Wildcats break down the right & score their second just before half-time.

Wildcats began to run away with the game after the break, scoring two in five minutes, with the less than convincing Hetton keeper virtually throwing in the fourth! Wildcats scored a fifth late on & a Hetton defender was yellow-carded for dissent in a game not short of incident.

All three officials conducted themselves well in a game which could have boiled over had it not been controlled so well & were a credit to the society.

Well done lads!

County Dinner

webmaster@SunderlandRefereesAssociation.org.uk — 2009-05-06T17:31:09+01:00

Durham County Referees Association
Annual County Dinner

Sunderland Referees Association takes great pleasure in announcing it will host this year’s Annual County Dinner. We are proud that we have been accepted to host such a prestigious event and urge as many members of Sunderland RA to attend as possible.

We have managed to secure excellent entertainment in the form of the superb internationally recognised comedian Brendan Healey, ably supported by exceptional female vocalist Hayley Morrison.

This will take place at Nissan Sports and Social Club on Saturday 24th October 2009 starting at 7:00pm.

Tickets are priced at £22.00 and will be on sale at the AGM, or contact a member of the committee.

Posters of the event are available to download in the download section of the website.

Society Scores with Sponsors!

webmaster@SunderlandRefereesAssociation.org.uk — 2009-02-07T13:07:16+00:00

Sunderland referees association would like to say a big thank you to D&P Trophies and Calibre Construction for their sponsorship towards our new website.

During this very challenging period of credit crunch both companies have been good enough to provide financial funding which is much appreciated.

Many thanks too our vice chairman Ken Barker who has secured both sponsors for this current season.

Both sponsors have links on our website please take time to have a look.

If you would like to advertise on our website please give me a call.

Geoff Eltringham
07970 132943