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#Post#: 47494--------------------------------------------------
First Sighting
DIR By: Whistleblower
Date: April 30, 2022, 8:07 am
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On another thread there are contributions as to how referees are
remembered or forgotten which leads me to ask who was the the
first National List referee you remember seeing live ? My first
ever League match was at Darlington in 1961. It would have been
just after Christmas as we always stayed with my grandparents in
County Durham for the festive season at that time. Sadly I do
not recall the referee's name nor indeed much about the match at
all ( even the opponents I'm afraid ) but I do remember finding
a ten bob note on the terraces as we were leaving....and ten bob
was a lot of money in those days especially to a young boy. It
probably sparked my life long interest in football !
Incidentally I remember seeing a programme note about that
wonderful refereeing character John Kirkby from Sheffield where
he described the highlight of his career as " finding a five
pound note on the ground in the car park after refereeing Derby
County "
Anyhow back to the question. It was at Portman Road and the
referee was Ray Tinkler ( Boston ) Other early remembered
sightings were Maurice Fussey (Retford), Gordon Kew (Amersham)
and Malcolm Sinclair (Guildford)
#Post#: 47498--------------------------------------------------
Re: First Sighting
DIR By: Ref Fan
Date: April 30, 2022, 8:55 am
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Interesting topic Whistleblower.
The first game I attended at Old Trafford was in 1957 when
United beat Arsenal 6-2. No idea who the referee was and I
guess it was well into the 60's before I started taking an
interest in the man with the whistle.
Like you, I certainly recall Maurice Fussey and Ray Tinkler.
For some reason John Thacker from Scarborough also comes to
mind, and from the Midlands Danny Lyden
who I think was FIFA listed. Also from the Midlands was Eric
Jennings who seemed to amble, even plod, round the pitch and
makes Andre Marriner look like a race horse (not literally bmb).
#Post#: 47503--------------------------------------------------
Re: First Sighting
DIR By: Ref Fan
Date: April 30, 2022, 10:41 am
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A temporary mental block when writing that previous post.
For the 1957 game against Arsenal, I went with a friend and his
father but still don't recall the referee.
However, the following season saw the terrible Munich tragedy
and my father took me to the 5th round FA Cup tie against
Sheffield Wednesday some 10 days after the crash in Feb'58. I'm
pretty sure the referee was Alf Bond from London, a remarkable
referee who had only one arm. I again went with my father to
the 6th round replay against West Brom which United won with a
last minute goal from Colin Webster when thousands were locked
outside the stadium. The name of that referee does alas escape
me.
#Post#: 47505--------------------------------------------------
Re: First Sighting
DIR By: Hendo
Date: April 30, 2022, 11:17 am
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1st watch was being invited by a school friend to watch his
beloved Everton v Bristol City in, I think, 1976. We were both
17 at the time. It was a dire game I seem to recall with Everton
winning 2-0. The referee was either Bob Perkin or Roy Capey,
can’t quite recall which.
In my youth i tended to watch Carlisle more than any other team
as they were my “local” though I lived almost 50 miles away. The
1st Carlisle game I ever attended was reffed by George Flint of
Stockport.
My only visit to Old Trafford was on a hospitality outing as we
were hosting a German visitor to our office. It was the
controversial brawl v Arsenal in 1990 reffed by Mr Hackett
#Post#: 47510--------------------------------------------------
Re: First Sighting
DIR By: cwh
Date: April 30, 2022, 12:03 pm
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My first memory was at Luton late fifties/early sixties and the
one I remember most was a B.A.B Buckle a tall gangling person
with a large bushy moustauche - I have never seen any other
mention of him but I believe he was on the list for a few years
#Post#: 47511--------------------------------------------------
Re: First Sighting
DIR By: TVOS
Date: April 30, 2022, 12:13 pm
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--- Quote from: Hendo link ---
>
> 1st watch was being invited by a school friend to watch his
beloved Everton v Bristol City in, I think, 1976. We were both
17 at the time. It was a dire game I seem to recall with Everton
winning 2-0. The referee was either Bob Perkin or Roy Capey,
can’t quite recall which.
> In my youth i tended to watch Carlisle more than any other
team as they were my “local” though I lived almost 50 miles
away. The 1st Carlisle game I ever attended was reffed by George
Flint of Stockport.
> My only visit to Old Trafford was on a hospitality outing as
we were hosting a German visitor to our office. It was the
controversial brawl v Arsenal in 1990 reffed by Mr Hackett
>
--- End Quote ---
Wasn't GE Flint from Kirkby-in-Ashfield (Notts)?
#Post#: 47512--------------------------------------------------
Re: First Sighting
DIR By: bmb
Date: April 30, 2022, 12:14 pm
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According to Daddy bmb the first foreign referee I saw was
Palotai Károly. My Dad had tickets for the European Champions
Cup final at Hampden Park in May 76, I was barely out of nappies
and don’t remember the game but he told me he took me, it was my
first really big game & I was more interested in the referee
than either team. I saw Palotai 2 more times, thanks to my Dad,
who also took me to the UEFA Super cup final in December 1978 -
it was my birthday treat! Finally we went to the European
Champions Cup Final in May 1981. I remember that one well.
Domestically Dave Allison was my first love, again according to
Daddy bmb. Can't remember if he was playing or coaching but Dave
Allison was AR and a very smitten albeit tiny bmb declared she
was going to marry the linesman instead of Mr Spock.
My Dad taught me right from as soon as I could stand to go and
shake the referees hand after every match and thank them for
coming to referee, he was very strict on respect towards the
referee, he'd fine any players who showed disrespect and I got
grounded for 1 month for singing a certain song as a young teen!
I was always conscious of the referee before I even knew the
difference between them and 2 teams of players. My Dad said my
biggest smiles as a baby were always towards the referees and
not the players, I suspect he is joking but who knows!
#Post#: 47513--------------------------------------------------
Re: First Sighting
DIR By: TVOS
Date: April 30, 2022, 12:14 pm
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Terry Holbrook refereed my first Rochdale game, v Wimbledon, in
December 1982. A week later, David Hutchinson was in the middle
v Aldershot, so I started with two men who went on to do quite
well at the higher levels.
I had been to a few other games at places like Man United,
Oldham and Burnley before then, but I'd have to get the
programmes out to find out who refereed them.
#Post#: 47519--------------------------------------------------
Re: First Sighting
DIR By: Hendo
Date: April 30, 2022, 12:42 pm
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--- Quote from: TVOS link ---
>
> [quote author=Hendo link=topic=3658.msg47505#msg47505
date=1651335433]
> 1st watch was being invited by a school friend to watch his
beloved Everton v Bristol City in, I think, 1976. We were both
17 at the time. It was a dire game I seem to recall with Everton
winning 2-0. The referee was either Bob Perkin or Roy Capey,
can’t quite recall which.
> In my youth i tended to watch Carlisle more than any other
team as they were my “local” though I lived almost 50 miles
away. The 1st Carlisle game I ever attended was reffed by George
Flint of Stockport.
> My only visit to Old Trafford was on a hospitality outing as
we were hosting a German visitor to our office. It was the
controversial brawl v Arsenal in 1990 reffed by Mr Hackett
>
--- End Quote ---
Wasn't GE Flint from Kirkby-in-Ashfield (Notts)?
[/quote]
TVOS, you are indeed correct. It was George Nolan, not Flint,
from Stockport who I meant.
My apologies
#Post#: 47526--------------------------------------------------
Re: First Sighting
DIR By: Claretman
Date: April 30, 2022, 4:33 pm
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Being from the Scunthorpe area the first referee i remember
seeing was Tony Jenkins in 1970s.
A regular at the Old showground was Gilbert Napthine, from
loughborough i think.
Saw Arnold Challinor from Rotherham, Arthur Robinson from
Radcliffe, George Tyson from Sunderland.
Saw and met At RA meetings Alan Seville from Birmingham,
Trelford Mills from Barnsley and Les Hayes from Doncaster.
Had the pleasure to run the line for Neale Barry many times in
his very early days refereeing. We both officiated at maine road
manchester in the fa county youth cup final around 1986/7 the
referee being Graham Lyner FL linesman at the time From
Gainsborough.
To add another name to list the referee at maine road the day
before was Alan Saunders from the North East. Another regular at
Scunthorpe was Ken Redfearn from Whitley Bay, interesting
character.
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