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#Post#: 16721--------------------------------------------------
Referee Retirement Age
DIR By: John Treleven
Date: March 18, 2020, 12:17 pm
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Has this ever been covered?
Just came across an article in June 1939
that it was being reduced from 50 to 45
so that nearly 20 experienced officials
would automatically "retire"
At the same time the top age for acceptance
on to the linesmens list was dropping from 40 to 35
When deciding age cut offs is it 1st September,
the same as for players?
#Post#: 16723--------------------------------------------------
Re: Referee Retirement Age
DIR By: bmb
Date: March 18, 2020, 2:08 pm
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Varies in the places where retirement ages still actually exist.
They have largely been done away with now.
FIFA/UEFA referees it is the 31st December after they turn 45,
unless they are being granted a +1 year. That said they ditched
the retirement age 6-8 years ago and referees can stay on after
age 45 subject to various conditions and assuming their home
nation wish them to continue on the FIFA list. It's not never
ending but no more mandatory retirement age.
Domestic leagues all vary but I'm not sure any have mandatory
retirement ages still & deal with it in their own ways.
#Post#: 16724--------------------------------------------------
Re: Referee Retirement Age
DIR By: Left Field
Date: March 18, 2020, 2:51 pm
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--- Quote from: John Treleven link ---
>
> Has this ever been covered?
>
> Just came across an article in June 1939
> that it was being reduced from 50 to 45
> so that nearly 20 experienced officials
> would automatically "retire"
>
> At the same time the top age for acceptance
> on to the linesmens list was dropping from 40 to 35
>
> When deciding age cut offs is it 1st September,
> the same as for players?
>
--- End Quote ---
As regards those proposed lower retirement ages I presume the
interruption to football caused by the war made them unrealistic
as there would have been a huge number of referees leaving the
List after the war and very few experienced officials. it would
seem that post-war the standard retirement age was 47 although a
few top referees in the 1950s had short extensions, retiring at
the latest at age 50.
For 1979-1980 the retirement age was increased to 48 - 1979 was
the final year at which referees retired at 47, there were no
retirements on age grounds in 1980 and 1981 saw the first set of
referees retire at 48 (Pat Partridge and Ron Challis were two of
that cohort who would previously have had to retire in 1980).
Age extensions for some top referees were reintroduced in 1987
before ending in 1995. Several refs continued into their 50s
with John Martin the then-record holder, retiring just short of
54. 48 though remained though the standard retirement age until
sometime before 2010 when it was dropped altogether.
As regards the time in the year when the age limit kicked in...
I'm not sure of an official specific date before the early 2000s
but it seems to have been around 1st August, i.e. if a referee
had reached the retirement age before 1st August he would not be
eligible for the forthcoming season. This meant that early
summer-born referees would referee their final game while still
aged 47 before reaching the retirement age in May, June or July.
From 2002 though the cut-off date became 1st March. This meant
some referees who had been due to retire in 2002 under the old
system, e.g. Steve Baines, Eddie Wolstenholme, got an extra
season. It also meant that some referees (those born before 1st
March) had actually turned 49 by the end of their final season.
#Post#: 16728--------------------------------------------------
Re: Referee Retirement Age
DIR By: Acme Thunderer
Date: March 19, 2020, 3:54 am
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Yes, I think it was around 2010 when the standard retirement age
was dropped. I recall Phil Crossley of Kent was given an
extension because he was badly injured in a collision with a
player and spent a long time out of the game, and he must have
been 50 when he finally stepped down in 2011 (DoB, July 1960). I
don't recall seeing Phil in action although I think he was held
in good regard by the authorities, hence their decision to grant
him an extension for something which had nothing to do with age
or performance.
#Post#: 16730--------------------------------------------------
Re: Referee Retirement Age
DIR By: John Treleven
Date: March 19, 2020, 5:03 am
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Phil Crossley (14.07.1960) was also given a Muratti "farewell"
in Guernsey on 08.05.2011
#Post#: 16734--------------------------------------------------
Re: Referee Retirement Age
DIR By: guest42
Date: March 19, 2020, 10:20 am
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He was stretchered off after Derby midfielder Seth Johnson
collided with him on the edge of the Leeds penalty area in the
fifth minute and was taken to hospital with a suspected back
injury.
Carl Boyeson replaced him and was soon brandishing a yellow card
at Alan Thompson for a needless foul on Morten Bisgaard.
#Post#: 16735--------------------------------------------------
Re: Referee Retirement Age
DIR By: John Treleven
Date: March 19, 2020, 12:54 pm
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Boyeson was the next referee (after Crossley) for a Muratti in
Guernsey (2013) although that was not a farewell match
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