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#Post#: 8168--------------------------------------------------
G B Smith
DIR By: JCFC
Date: May 21, 2019, 4:28 am
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HTML https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/former-referee-george-smith-dies-aged-75/?rid=1482
Item discovered several days late - apologies if this is old
news.
#Post#: 8171--------------------------------------------------
Re: G B Smith
DIR By: JCFC
Date: May 21, 2019, 5:04 am
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While even older news dates from November
HTML https://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2018/11/former-top-referee-bill-mullan-dies-aged-90/
#Post#: 8172--------------------------------------------------
Re: G B Smith
DIR By: Hendo
Date: May 21, 2019, 9:09 am
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--- Quote from: JCFC link ---
>
> While even older news dates from November
>
>
HTML https://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2018/11/former-top-referee-bill-mullan-dies-aged-90/
>
--- End Quote ---
I don’t recall him but it’s interesting to see that, although he
was a Grade 1 Ref for 17 years and a FIFA Ref for 10, it doesn’t
seem as if he reffed a Scottish FA Cup Final, just one League
Cup Final. I am sure our Scottish posters such as Tweed will
correct me if I am wrong. When you see modern refs such as
Collum and Thomson getting multiple finals it seems a bit
strange or did they have refs in those days such as Tiny Wharton
who got regular final appointments at the expense of others such
as Mr Mullan?
#Post#: 8174--------------------------------------------------
Re: G B Smith
DIR By: Boris10
Date: May 21, 2019, 2:48 pm
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Interesting point,Hendo.I remember both GB Smith and WJ Mullan
and I thought the former was a similar age to the latter!I never
saw either referee as I have only ever seen 3 matches in
Scotland and one of those involved Hibs and two were in
Fife.Bill Mullan came from Fife for many years,I think,before
Dalkeith.He came from Cardenden,I believe.JCFC /Tweed will no
doubt put me right.
Was there a Glasgow mafia in those days?Eastern Scots not
getting many finals THEN.
#Post#: 8179--------------------------------------------------
Re: G B Smith
DIR By: mande70
Date: May 22, 2019, 3:19 am
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GB Smith was a grade 1 ref from 1971/72 season until 1982/83, in
total he refereed 90 top flight matches [scottish premier] and
he was from edinburgh, he refereed the 1979/80 scottish cup
final between celtic/rangers
in regards the glasgow mafia comment, its funny you should
mention it, because in the time period that smith refereed, the
scottish cup final was only refereed 3 times by a referee
outside the glasgow area, the multitude of the finals were
refereed by brian mcginlay and ian foote.
the other referees outwith the glasgow area to ref the final
were valentine and gordon from dundee and newport on tay.
from what i know mullen was from cardenden and did indeed move
to dalkeith later in life. he reffed from what i know from
1960/61 to 1977/78 and refereed a total of 166 top flight [scot
premier ] matches. im sure he was ref for a cup final somewhere
but off top of my head not sure
#Post#: 8197--------------------------------------------------
Re: G B Smith
DIR By: scottie
Date: May 24, 2019, 4:20 am
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I think Bill Mullan was the top Scottish ref in the early 1970'.
Did a Euro Championship semi in '72 (WG v Belgium) and at least
one Olympic match in '72 (Hungary v Brazil + EG v WG). I think
he also did the unofficial club championship between
Panathinaikos and Nacional in Uruguay.
He was in line for the '74 WC (Bobby Davidson was chosen) but
had a car crash in 72/73 season where the sight in one of his
eyes was jeopardised but he came back the following season but
never returned to the FIFA list, I think.
I think he was a PE teacher
#Post#: 8205--------------------------------------------------
Re: G B Smith
DIR By: mande70
Date: May 24, 2019, 9:07 am
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willie mullens wiki page has him listed as retiring in 1973, but
thats incorrect he retired at end of 77/78 season, his last top
flight match was at love street 29.04.78 [st mirren v celtic]
#Post#: 8277--------------------------------------------------
Re: G B Smith
DIR By: jad
Date: May 27, 2019, 8:08 am
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I seem to remember that at the time the commentator (presumably
Archie McPherson) observed that George Smith was the first
official from Edinburgh to referee a Scottish Cup final.
#Post#: 10829--------------------------------------------------
Re: G B Smith
DIR By: jad
Date: September 9, 2019, 9:21 am
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A belated postscript. A few days ago I was watching an episode
of Taggart from the 1980s. The characteristically convoluted
plot involved an Old Firm game, and for extra verisimilitude STV
showed some footage from an actual game. They showed just
enough to enable this viewer to identify the referee as Mr G.B.
Smith.
#Post#: 105841--------------------------------------------------
Re: G B Smith
DIR By: Law18
Date: May 13, 2026, 6:23 am
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Here's career summaries for George Smith and Bill Mullan:
George Smith
Date of Birth: 14th October 1943
Died: 13th May 2019
Admitted to SFA List: 1966-67
No of seasons at Class 1: 21 (1971-72 to 1991-92)
No of seasons/years as a FIFA Referee: 15 (1974-75, 1978-79 to
1991)
4 A Internationals; 1 British International Championship match;
2 British Amateur Championship matches; 1 British Youth
International Championship match; World University Games (1987)
FIFA: World Cup (1990); 2 World Cup Qualifiers; 2 Olympic Games
Qualifiers
UEFA: 4 U21 Championship Qualifiers; U18 Youth Tournament Finals
(1979); 1 U18 Championship Qualifier; UEFA U16 Championship
Finals (1986); 19 UEFA Club Competition matches (3 ECCC (1 Q-F),
7 ECWC (1 Q-F), 9 UC (1 Q-F)
3 Scottish Cup Finals (1980, 1988 and 1990); 2 League Cup Finals
(1988 and 1989); 7 Old Firm matches
Bill Mullan
Date of Birth: 30th March 1928
Date of Death: 13th November 2018 aged 90
Admitted to SFA List: 1956-57
No. of seasons at Class 1: 18 (1960-61 to 1977-78)
No. of seasons as a FIFA Referee: 10 (1962-63 to 1963-64 and
1965-66 to 1972-73)
3 A Internationals; 2 British International Championship
matches; 1 U23 International; 2 League Internationals
Intercontinental Cup Final 2nd Leg (1971)
FIFA: Olympic Finals (1972); 1 Olympic Qualifier; 2 World Cup
Qualifiers
UEFA: European Championships (1972); 1 European Championship
Qualifier; 13 Club Competition matches (4 ECCC, 3 ECWC, 1 UC, 1
ICFC)
1 League Cup Final (1971); 4 Old Firm matches
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