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#Post#: 102523--------------------------------------------------
The Big Match Revisited
By: robbieg Date: March 8, 2026, 5:12 pm
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Been watching a few reruns again from the seventies and some
interesting names have been mentioned by commentators.
Mr T Bune from Sussex
Mr Derek Richardson
Mr Lester Shapter from Devon [ I remember his name]
Mr Ron Challis
I guess these gentlemen would have been top referees of their
era but I would be interested if learned posters on here would
be able to fill in the blanks regarding their careers and their
well being today if possible.
#Post#: 102528--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Match Revisited
By: RCG Date: March 9, 2026, 3:46 am
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Lester was a very well respected, white topped, white badge man
I met Tom a few times when he was assessing
#Post#: 102529--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Match Revisited
By: Acme Thunderer Date: March 9, 2026, 4:08 am
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Lester Shapter was a police officer. Ron Challis - my dad once
played against him when both were serving with Army / RAF in
Singapore. Coming from Tonbridge, Ron was a welcome guest at our
local RA in Surrey on more than one occasion.
#Post#: 102586--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Match Revisited
By: John Treleven Date: March 9, 2026, 2:58 pm
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Thomas George Owen Patrick "Tom" BUNE
born Reading Q4 1936 and now aged 89 living in Wallingford
Computer Salesman
married Ann M. Jones Q1 1959 Wokingham (two sons, Mark 1960,
Duncan 1963)
Reading & District, Spartan, Isthmian, FL line 1968, FL Supp
1973, FL Full 1974, Retired 1985
Lived in Reading, Billingshurst, Cranleigh, Newbury, Wallingford
Derrick (sic) Thomas "Thomas" RICHARDSON
born Lincoln Q1 1933, died 23 Mch 2015 Lincoln
married Gladys M. Woolhouse Q1 1954 Lincoln (son Clive 1958, dau
Marie 1960)
FL Line 1969, FL Supp 1973, FL Full 1975, Retired 1981
Not to be confused with his contempories
David (born 1937) Clayton Le Dale, Blackburn
Peter J (born 1934) also of Lincoln but NOT related as he moved
there from Wellingborough
Ronald Charles "Ron" CHALLIS
born Wokingham 1 Spt 1932, died 11 Jan 2001 Tonbridge
married Freda C. Cooper Q3 1956 Uckfield (two sons Shaun 1961,
Adrian 1963)
FL Ref 1968, Sr Line F.A.Cup Final 1975, Referee F.A.Cup Final
1979 (Arsenal 3, Man. U. 2), Retired 1981
Lester Courtenay SHAPTER
born Totnes October 1939, now living in Torquay aged 86
Police Officer
played for Barnstaple Town
married Caroline Whitehall Q4 1964 Barnstaple (one son, two
dau's Tracey 1965, Lee 1968, Gail 1970)
divorced, re-married Janet E. Creber Q4 1980 Torquay
South-Western League 1956, Western League 1964, Supp FL 1973,
Full FL 1974-92
Linesman Charity Shield 1981, Referee F.L. Cup Final 1987
#Post#: 102639--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Match Revisited
By: robbieg Date: March 10, 2026, 12:13 pm
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[quote author=John Treleven link=topic=7794.msg102586#msg102586
date=1773086281]
Thomas George Owen Patrick "Tom" BUNE
born Reading Q4 1936 and now aged 89 living in Wallingford
Computer Salesman
married Ann M. Jones Q1 1959 Wokingham (two sons, Mark 1960,
Duncan 1963)
Reading & District, Spartan, Isthmian, FL line 1968, FL Supp
1973, FL Full 1974, Retired 1985
Lived in Reading, Billingshurst, Cranleigh, Newbury, Wallingford
Derrick (sic) Thomas "Thomas" RICHARDSON
born Lincoln Q1 1933, died 23 Mch 2015 Lincoln
married Gladys M. Woolhouse Q1 1954 Lincoln (son Clive 1958, dau
Marie 1960)
FL Line 1969, FL Supp 1973, FL Full 1975, Retired 1981
Not to be confused with his contempories
David (born 1937) Clayton Le Dale, Blackburn
Peter J (born 1934) also of Lincoln but NOT related as he moved
there from Wellingborough
Ronald Charles "Ron" CHALLIS
born Wokingham 1 Spt 1932, died 11 Jan 2001 Tonbridge
married Freda C. Cooper Q3 1956 Uckfield (two sons Shaun 1961,
Adrian 1963)
FL Ref 1968, Sr Line F.A.Cup Final 1975, Referee F.A.Cup Final
1979 (Arsenal 3, Man. U. 2), Retired 1981
Lester Courtenay SHAPTER
born Totnes October 1939, now living in Torquay aged 86
Police Officer
played for Barnstaple Town
married Caroline Whitehall Q4 1964 Barnstaple (one son, two
dau's Tracey 1965, Lee 1968, Gail 1970)
divorced, re-married Janet E. Creber Q4 1980 Torquay
South-Western League 1956, Western League 1964, Supp FL 1973,
Full FL 1974-92
Linesman Charity Shield 1981, Referee F.L. Cup Final 1987
[/quote]
WOW !!!!!
That is wonderful information.
Glad to see both Mr Bune and Mr Shapter are still with us and
hopefully are both in good health.I wonder if they still watch
football either live or on TV and think about how modern day
referees are under so much scrutiny and have each major decision
scrutinised to the minutest detail.
Of course Mr Richardson and Mr Challis are no longer with us
and my they both Rest in Eternal Peace.
#Post#: 102842--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Match Revisited
By: JCFC Date: March 15, 2026, 11:32 am
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Returning from my Sunday morning Miner's Benedict I caught the
second one of this morning's repeats. Three thoughts occurred to
me, one from each match featured.
1) I would not have recognised the much younger Allan Gunn.
2) The smart referee of the second match was referred to as Mr
Dowling. Was this actually Colin Downey?
R) Having always believed that referees' attire used to be much
smarter, I have to admit the Derek Civil, with open plunging
V-neck and low-cut white vest looked an absolute mess.
#Post#: 102866--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Match Revisited
By: Acme Thunderer Date: March 15, 2026, 3:45 pm
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[quote author=JCFC link=topic=7794.msg102842#msg102842
date=1773592354]
Returning from my Sunday morning Miner's Benedict I caught the
second one of this morning's repeats. Three thoughts occurred to
me, one from each match featured.
1) I would not have recognised the much younger Allan Gunn.
2) The smart referee of the second match was referred to as Mr
Dowling. Was this actually Colin Downey?
R) Having always believed that referees' attire used to be much
smarter, I have to admit the Derek Civil, with open plunging
V-neck and low-cut white vest looked an absolute mess.
[/quote]
I assume it has to be Colin Downey, Upton's cerrtainly doesn't
list a Mr Dowling.
Attire - we have to remember that referees chose their own
outfits and there was no standardisation as there is now. Thus
we used to see 50s/60s outfits into the 1970s with detachable
white collars and roll-up sleeves (Ken Baker), shorty shorts
(Clive Thomas), shirts worn outside the shorts (Midgley, Hackett
and others) and, as for Gordon Hill and his unique all purple
outfit which he wore at Selhurst Park before it was banned....
Having said that, most of the referees I saw were smart and
maybe Derek Civil was just having a bad hair day.
#Post#: 102883--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Match Revisited
By: Whistleblower Date: March 16, 2026, 6:56 am
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[quote author=JCFC link=topic=7794.msg102842#msg102842
date=1773592354]
Returning from my Sunday morning Miner's Benedict I caught the
second one of this morning's repeats. Three thoughts occurred to
me, one from each match featured.
1) I would not have recognised the much younger Allan Gunn.
2) The smart referee of the second match was referred to as Mr
Dowling. Was this actually Colin Downey?
R) Having always believed that referees' attire used to be much
smarter, I have to admit the Derek Civil, with open plunging
V-neck and low-cut white vest looked an absolute mess.
[/quote]
I remember the name Derek Civil, ( Birmingham from memory, I
haven't got Upton to hand ) but don't remember the person. As to
the scruffiest referee, I always thought R A Banks, Allan with
two Ls I think, from Manchester came top of that rather
undesirable cohort.
#Post#: 102884--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Match Revisited
By: Whistleblower Date: March 16, 2026, 6:57 am
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As to shorty shorts, Clive Thomas's looked quite long compared
to his fellow Welshman Tom Reynolds.
#Post#: 102885--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Match Revisited
By: JCFC Date: March 16, 2026, 7:09 am
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[quote author=Whistleblower link=topic=7794.msg102884#msg102884
date=1773662261]
As to shorty shorts, Clive Thomas's looked quite long compared
to his fellow Welshman Tom Reynolds.
[/quote]
Perhaps it's a Welsh thing. My memory of the referee with the
shortest of shorts is of H D Davies of Wenvoe, (a place only
known from old TV signals.
.
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