Refs

[FONT=&quot]Taken from Newsnow..

Yesterday evening it was confirmed that for the first time ever - isn't it exciting - referees in the Championship will be full time for the 2016/17 season.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]For the first time in English football, the EFL and the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) have announced that referee's at the Championship level - Select Group 2 - will be professional and full time, and will no longer have to attempt to decide the outcome of a game worth potentially millions whilst holding down jobs as bakers, bankers, or whatever else they do in their private time.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]18 referees have been selected for this season, with 36 assistants to make up Select Group 2 and in making them full time, with financial support from all 24 Championship clubs, it's hoped it will lead to greater communication between officials and clubs, and also an uplift in the quality of decision making to improve consistency on the pitch.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The selection process was four pronged and tasks involved match day preparation ability, possible scenarios ahead of kick off, a formal interview and communication and engagement with a first team manager following a game. Scores from the tests accounted for 50% of their assessment vote with the remaining 50% coming from performance levels in the job over the past three seasons.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Football League chief executive Shaun Harvey explained.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]'The job of a referee has always been an unforgiving one and today, more than at any other point in the history of our competitions, they face increasing scrutiny over how they perform and the split second decisions they make. Therefore, there has to be a collective responsibility between The EFL and PGMOL to ensure we prepare our officials in the most appropriate way. The introduction of Select Group 2 will do this as we continue to look at ways of improving officiating standards. The expectations that were being placed on some our officials were exceptionally unfair, given the fact they may have been holding down a demanding full-time job during the week and then being asked to referee a game at the weekend that could have significant consequences for managers, players and supporters. Now, they will have the opportunity to meet regularly, share learnings and devote more time to their profession that will only serve to improve consistency on the pitch.'[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]As well as these changes, the EFL took the opportunity to clarify the restrictions on selections.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Match officials cannot participate in some games if the following boxes are ticked.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Reside in the same town or city as either club;[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Have played for any of the participating clubs at youth, under-21 (reserve) or senior level;[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Take an active interest in a club (season/match ticket currently or previously);[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Have personal connections with a participating club.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The 18 referees selected for the coming campaign are.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]James Adcock:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Qualified in 2000 aged 16, following in his father`s footsteps, who also officiated in the EFL. Adcock was appointed to the EFL as an assistant referee in 2008 and to the National List of Referees in 2011/12. In his five seasons at this level he has refereed over 150 EFL matches. He has also participated in the PGMO exchange programme which enable referees to gain experience of different football cultures. He has refereed games in America, Japan, China, Iceland and Denmark, enabling him to share experiences with international colleagues and learn new skills.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Peter Bankes:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Began refereeing in Liverpool in 1996, aged 14. Bankes was subsequently appointed to the EFL Referees List in 2014, prior to which he spent two years as a Select Group Assistant Referee, which included his appointment to the FA Cup semi-final between Wigan Athletic and Millwall. He refereed the National League Play-Off Final at Wembley in 2014. In his two seasons on the Referees List he has overseen two Play-Off semi-finals and was the fourth official for the FA Vase Final at Wembley in May.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Darren Bond:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Bond comes from a footballing family. After taking up the whistle at 15, he has progressed to the Select Group 2 referees list armed with 20 years of refereeing experience, which included a year as an assistant referee in the Premier League.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]David Coote:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]A former Select Group assistant referee, Coote was appointed as an EFL referee in 2010. He has officiated at Wembley four times, and took charge of the FA Vase Final and League One Play-Off Final in 2014. As part of the PGMO exchange programme he has visited Japan, refereeing two senior matches and acting as fourth official in other games. A talented cricketer, David played cricket for Notts at various youth age groups, before committing to his refereeing career.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Andy Davies:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]A former player with a number of clubs at youth level, Davies capitalised on this experience to make a rapid rise through the refereeing ranks. He was appointed to the EFL Referees List in 2012/13 and since then has refereed over 100 EFL matches.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Scott Duncan:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Duncan started his career as an EFL referee in 2012/13, taking charge of Port Vale versus Barnet. Since then he has refereed more than 100 matches, including both League One and League Two Play-Off semi-finals and a Southern Area Final of the EFL Trophy.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Geoff Eltringham:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]A talented footballer in his youth, Eltringham started refereeing aged 16. He was appointed to the EFL Referees List in 2009/10, and was the fourth official in the League Two Play-Off Final between Bradford City and Northampton Town 2013.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Simon Hooper:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]An EFL referee for eight years, Hooper has refereed over 100 Championship games. He took charge of the League Two Play-Off Final between Wycombe Wanderers and Southend United in May 2015.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Tony Harrington:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Harrington began refereeing in the Teesside Junior Football Alliance at the age of 14, having completed a basic refereeing course whilst at school as part of the Duke of Edinburgh award. After four years as an EFL assistant referee and four years as a National League referee, he was appointed to the EFL Referees List in 2012/13 and has now overseen more than 100 EFL matches.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Chris Kavanagh:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Kavanagh started refereeing in 1998 at the age of 13. Sixteen years later, he was appointed to the EFL Referees List and has now refereed over 50 EFL matches, including more than 20 Championship games. As part of the PGMO development programme, he officiated in the Dallas Cup in 2014 and was appointed as the fourth official for the FA Vase Final at Wembley in 2015.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Oli Langford:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Langford is a very experienced match official, with eight seasons as an EFL referee under his belt. As part of the PGMO development programme, he has officiated in the Dallas Cup and Algarve Cup. He has now refereed nearly 200 EFL matches.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]James Linington:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Linington is required to make the short trip over from his home on the Isle of Wight when appointed to EFL fixtures. He is a very experienced official having refereed in the EFL for nine seasons. In 2010, he was named fourth official for the FA Trophy Final at Wembley, and returned to the same stadium two weeks later to referee the League Two Play-Off Final between Dagenham and Redbridge and Rotherham United.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Andy Madley:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]After an injury playing at Huddersfield Town academy Andy took up the whistle in 2002 at the age of 18. His early career saw him appointed as the assistant referee for the League 1 Play-Off final between Millwall and Swindon Town in 2010. He also ran the line on the Premier League before becoming an EFL referee in 2011. He has twice refereed at Wembley, taking charge of the FA Vase Final in 2015 followed shortly afterwards by refereeing the League 1 Play-Off final between Preston North End and Swindon Town.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Steve Martin:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Martin's father and grandfather were both EFL officials and encouraged him to take up the whistle in 2002. His rapid rise saw him appointed to the EFL assistant referee list in 2008 and to the National League referee list in the same year. After four years he became an EFL referee, and has since taken charge of more than 150 games. Notable appointments include last season`s League One Play-Off Final, where he was named as fourth official.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Tim Robinson:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Robinson was appointed to the EFL Referees List for the start of the 2012/13 season, taking charge of his first game between Southend United and Accrington Stanley. He was the fourth official at Wembley for the League Two Play-Off Final between AFC Wimbledon and Plymouth Argyle in May 2016. As part of the development programme, he represented the PGMOL at the Dallas Cup 2012 and at the Nike Cup in China in 2012.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Jeremy Simpson:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Simpson is a former international assistant referee, who officiated in many Champions League matches and other international fixtures. He opted for a career with the whistle after refereeing the 2012 National League Play-Off Final between York City and Luton Town. He was then appointed to the EFL Referees List in 2012/13 and in his four years on the list has refereed over 100 matches.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Keith Stroud:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Stroud is a vastly experienced referee at this level. His career has seen him become an international FIFA assistant referee, and his highlights include running the line in the 2003 FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Southampton. Stroud also served as a Premier League referee for two seasons before returning to the EFL in 2009/10.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Andy Woolmer:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Woolmer was appointed to the Referees List in 2004 and has refereed more than 300 EFL matches. Prior to that, he served as a Premier League assistant referee for three years and ran the line in the 2003 League Cup Final and the FA Community Shield in the same year. He was the referee for last season`s thrilling EFL Trophy Final between Barnsley and Oxford United.[/FONT]

 

[FONT=&quot]Well it has been a summer of change for the Premier League and English Football League.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]With discussions about substitute numbers, changes to the rulebook already enacted in the quest for greater consistency from the men in charge of 90 minutes and even changes to the Football League Trophy and the introduction of Under 21 Development Teams.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Well the changes haven't ended there as today plans to reduce 'intolerable behaviour' by players and managers towards the match day officials have been announced.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]In a joint statement by the authorities, the Premier League, Football League and Football Association said that poor conduct on the field of play has reached 'unacceptable levels' and starting from this season onwards, red cards will be shown to players who 'confront' match officials to use offensive language or gestures towards them.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Citing the fact that no player in the Premier League over the last five years had been sent off for dissent...well isn't that down to the referees to draw the line?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]You see it week in and week out, some players seemingly get away with murder to the referees - chasing them, harassing them and so on - and nothing happens, then some poor bugger wins the ball in a fair tackle and looks at them wrong and it's a yellow card.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]These new rules are only going to be useful and have the desired effect IF the referees actually use the power they have, and don't differentiate between players and teams when making those decisions.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Premier League Chairman Richard Scudamore put on his stating the obvious hat and explained that there had been concern 'for some time' that some players were regularly 'overstepping the mark' and somebody somewhere has now had a lightbulb moment.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]'It is our collective position that these types of behaviour should no longer be tolerated. Things happen in the heat of the moment during fast and highly competitive football. We still want to see the passion fans enjoy and demand, but players and managers have to be aware there are lines that should not be crossed.'[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]In the plans, these are listed as the offences warranting a yellow card:[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Visibly disrespectful behaviour to any match official;[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]An aggressive response to decisions;[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Confronting an official face to face;[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Running towards an official to contest a decision;[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures towards match officials;[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Physical contact with any match official in a non-aggressive manner;[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]A yellow card for at least one player when two or more from a team surround a match official.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]There are also new red card offences stipulated:[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]If a player confronts match officials and uses offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures towards them;[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Physical contact with match officials in an aggressive or confrontational manner.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]As you can imagine, reaction to this has largely been popular amongst the pundits with many commenting it would only take the referees a few matchdays to get the point across before players and managers took heed...but the same was said about dissent and surrounding officials a few years back, and the referees continued to allow it to happen.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The same was said about simulation, and you can still watch a single highlights show of a weekend and referees can't make their minds up - often giving two wildly contradictory decisions in the space of 45 minutes.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Of course the role model aspect of the modern game has to be factored in, and making these new plans should be applauded but the question is will these new rules be followed or will they quickly fall by the wayside when a referee bottles it with a big name player or at a key moment of the game?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Football League Chief Executive Shaun Harvey was confident they would be, as he spoke about the difference between these rules and existing ones.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]'Our domestic football has traditionally been admired for its excitement and sense of fair play. However, there are rising concerns amongst supporters, clubs and the football authorities about declining standards of on-field behaviour by some players and managers. This season will see the introduction of a second group of full-time referees, who will primarily oversee matches in the Championship, so it is therefore a good time for the EFL, in conjunction with the Premier League and FA, to ensure that match officials have the full support of the football authorities to apply the relevant laws in the interests of the game. To be clear, this is not designed to be just another 'Fair Play` initiative in order to encourage better conduct by players and managers, this is a clear set of instructions from the football authorities to referees to take action against certain behaviour that we will not tolerate in our matches.'[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The proof will be in the pudding.[/FONT][FONT=&quot]


[/FONT]

 

So no Trevor Kettle this season...This can only be good.

Mind you, Steve Martin? Bit of a comedian...

 

i wonder how many will become big time charlies ...no doubt some will dish out more reds than a pelican crossing sees in a week. whilst some will be totally inept and let more things go than a free to a good home site....and i bet you, a pound to a penny we will get more than our fair share of both

 

Keith Stroud for us at Ipswich on Saturday.

Renowned as one of the more card-happy refs, 191 yellows and 11 reds in 45 games last season.

We haven't had him for a couple of years though somewhat strangely he actaully reffed Ipswich's last home game!

We've had him 7 times over the years, with a decent record of 4 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat, which came the first time we had him way back in 2004(ish) - a 2-1 home loss to Port Vale in which he did give us a penalty, duly converted by the legend that was Barry Conlon but failed to send off (or even book) the defender.

The penultimate time we had him was in a 0-0 but that was a game that was memorable due to an hour's absolute midfield masterclass by Sir Robert of Hassell at Elland Road.