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#Post#: 65517--------------------------------------------------
Re: Norman Burtenshaw
DIR By: TVOS
Date: June 26, 2023, 6:39 am
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--- Quote from: nemesis link ---
>
> [quote author=Bluekipper link=topic=5002.msg65504#msg65504
date=1687693735]
> A fantastic referee and it was a privilege to have seen him
officiate. I always thought that he was from Great Yarmouth.
>
--- End Quote ---
What did you read to make you think otherwise ?
[/quote]
That he was from Mercury!
#Post#: 65557--------------------------------------------------
Re: Norman Burtenshaw
DIR By: Whistleblower
Date: June 29, 2023, 11:20 am
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I remember Norman Burtenshaw well. He was a very good and rather
strict referee who certainly would not have tolerated the abuse
many of our top match officials seem to accept these days. He
certainly liked to put himself in the limelight and did not
subscribe to the mantra of " a good referee is one you don't
notice ". He brought out a book about his officiating career
called ( from memory ) 'Whose side are you on Ref ? ' He was
quite candid about how he got dropped from the FIFA List due to
indifferent performance but then applied himself and worked his
way back on.
A very different character to the late Jack Taylor OBE and
probably slightly in his shade as were most referees at that
time but Burtenshaw was never far from the headlines.
He was granted a very long life and I'm sure looked back on it
all and especially his officiating with justified pride.
#Post#: 65566--------------------------------------------------
Re: Norman Burtenshaw
DIR By: Whistleblower
Date: June 29, 2023, 5:32 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Acme Thunderer link ---
>
> Sad news indeed. Norman was a regular visitor to Selhurst Park
and I can say with certainty that I never saw him have a bad
game! Supremely fit, he was never one to adhere strictly to
diagonals and instead, seemed to cover every blade of grass
during a game. He will perhaps best be remembered for sinking to
his knees at the end of the 1971 FA Cup Final. Some may have
thought he was on the point of collapse but he later said that
he was just exhausted at the end of a very hot and fast 120
minutes on the pitch. I have to say I was not surprised! A bit
of a showman yes, but also a top referee. RIP Norman.
>
> PS Is Clive Thomas (1976) now the oldest surviving FA Cup
Final referee I wonder?
>
--- End Quote ---
Indeed, at the age of 87, Clive Thomas is the oldest surviving
FA Cup Final Referee ( Final in 1976 ) and followed by George
Courtney aged 82 ( Final in 1980 )
#Post#: 65570--------------------------------------------------
Re: Norman Burtenshaw
DIR By: Whistleblower
Date: June 30, 2023, 4:27 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: nemesis link ---
>
> [quote author=TVOS link=topic=5002.msg65478#msg65478
date=1687554813]
> Long before my time, but Norman Burtenshaw passed away this
week, age 97.
>
>
HTML https://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/news/23603028.obituary-legendary-fifa-referee-norman-burtenshaw-dies-97/
>
--- End Quote ---
A good obituary for a good referee.
He seems to have had the proverbial "good innings".
The year he was forced out of refereeing by the age restrictions
of the time was also the year another Yarmouth referee, Alf
Grey, started his League career.
RIP
[/quote]
Alf Grey was a referee I rated extremely highly. I saw him
several times and once, by chance, had a conversation with him
at Liverpool Street Station where we were both waiting for a
train to East Anglia. He was most affable.
The Norfolk coast is clearly very beneficial to health and
longevity as, looking him up, I was pleased to note that Alf is
still this side of eternity at the ripe and good age of 88.
Norfolk has not produced that many top referees, perhaps not
unsurprisingly given the population density, but in Grey and
Burtenshaw, two of the very best.
#Post#: 65577--------------------------------------------------
Re: Norman Burtenshaw
DIR By: nemesis
Date: June 30, 2023, 10:51 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Whistleblower link ---
>
> [quote author=nemesis link=topic=5002.msg65490#msg65490
date=1687610989]
> [quote author=TVOS link=topic=5002.msg65478#msg65478
date=1687554813]
> Long before my time, but Norman Burtenshaw passed away this
week, age 97.
>
>
HTML https://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/news/23603028.obituary-legendary-fifa-referee-norman-burtenshaw-dies-97/
>
--- End Quote ---
A good obituary for a good referee.
He seems to have had the proverbial "good innings".
The year he was forced out of refereeing by the age restrictions
of the time was also the year another Yarmouth referee, Alf
Grey, started his League career.
RIP
[/quote]
Alf Grey was a referee I rated extremely highly. I saw him
several times and once, by chance, had a conversation with him
at Liverpool Street Station where we were both waiting for a
train to East Anglia. He was most affable.
The Norfolk coast is clearly very beneficial to health and
longevity as, looking him up, I was pleased to note that Alf is
still this side of eternity at the ripe and good age of 88.
Norfolk has not produced that many top referees, perhaps not
unsurprisingly given the population density, but in Grey and
Burtenshaw, two of the very best.
[/quote]
I think it's fair to say that Suffolk and, particularly, Essex
have under-produced for a fair while now too.
#Post#: 65578--------------------------------------------------
Re: Norman Burtenshaw
DIR By: Whistleblower
Date: June 30, 2023, 11:01 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Particularly Essex. It is such a large county and amateur
football seems to thrive that it is surprising more top flight
referees haven't come from there. Off the top of my head I can
think of John Moules, David Axcell, Peter Foakes and Danny
Vickers all all of them several years ago now. Ray Lee and Fred
Graham were National List but not particularly big hitters. Of
course the great Ken Aston hailed from that County as well but I
don't think there has been a referee of his stature since then.
#Post#: 65580--------------------------------------------------
Re: Norman Burtenshaw
DIR By: nemesis
Date: June 30, 2023, 3:04 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Whistleblower link ---
>
> Particularly Essex. It is such a large county and amateur
football seems to thrive that it is surprising more top flight
referees haven't come from there. Off the top of my head I can
think of John Moules, David Axcell, Peter Foakes and Danny
Vickers all all of them several years ago now. Ray Lee and Fred
Graham were National List but not particularly big hitters. Of
course the great Ken Aston hailed from that County as well but I
don't think there has been a referee of his stature since then.
>
--- End Quote ---
Surprised you have left Andy D'Urso off your list !
We can, of course, disown Turvey after he defected to Hampshire.
And Tony Oliver from just up the road from me at that time in
Leigh-on-Sea who refereed the first Sunday professional match.
#Post#: 65581--------------------------------------------------
Re: Norman Burtenshaw
DIR By: nemesis
Date: June 30, 2023, 3:14 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Whistleblower link ---
>
> ...
> Of course the great Ken Aston hailed from that County as well
but I don't think there has been a referee of his stature since
then.
>
--- End Quote ---
Talking of referees from Colchester, Aaron Farmer is amongst the
promotions from 2B to 2A having shaken off the stigma of being
Alan Young's accomplice in the Ipswich/Wycombe debacle.
#Post#: 65583--------------------------------------------------
Re: Norman Burtenshaw
DIR By: Seagull
Date: July 1, 2023, 7:56 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: nemesis link ---
>
> [quote author=Whistleblower link=topic=5002.msg65578#msg65578
date=1688140882]
> Particularly Essex. It is such a large county and amateur
football seems to thrive that it is surprising more top flight
referees haven't come from there. Off the top of my head I can
think of John Moules, David Axcell, Peter Foakes and Danny
Vickers all all of them several years ago now. Ray Lee and Fred
Graham were National List but not particularly big hitters. Of
course the great Ken Aston hailed from that County as well but I
don't think there has been a referee of his stature since then.
>
--- End Quote ---
Surprised you have left Andy D'Urso off your list !
We can, of course, disown Turvey after he defected to Hampshire.
And Tony Oliver from just up the road from me at that time in
Leigh-on-Sea who refereed the first Sunday professional match.
[/quote]
I'd like to add Brian Daniels (Brentwood) to the list. Saw him
on MOTD many times. Worked for Securicor, I believe.
#Post#: 65584--------------------------------------------------
Re: Norman Burtenshaw
DIR By: Whistleblower
Date: July 1, 2023, 8:13 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Yes, of course Andy D'Urso and Brian Daniels were both Essex
referees. Just were not near the 'top of my head' for some
reason though I saw them both a fair few times.
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