They’re the men in black that you love to hate, but someone has to do the job. Here’s EPL Talk’s guide to the Premier League referees for the 2008/2009 season (click on the referee’s name to view his photograph):
Martin Atkinson. Premier League ref since 2005. Age 37. On August 13, 2006 he took charge of the FA Community Shield match at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, between Liverpool and Chelsea.
Stuart Attwell. Premier League ref since 2008/2009 season. Youngest ever Premier League referee at 25 years of age.
Steve Bennett. Premier League referee since 1999. Age 47. Bennett was involved in some controversy when he refereed the Manchester United versus Liverpool Premier League encounter on March 23, 2008. He sent off Liverpool’s Argentine Midfielder Javier Mascherano for a second bookable offence.
Mark Clattenburg. Premier League ref since 2004. Age 33. He became a FIFA referee in 2006, at the age of only thirty, reaching this distinction earlier than any English referee in living memory.
Michael Dean. Premier League ref since 2000. Age 40. He was originally appointed to referee the 2006 FA Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium on May 13, 2006, but the Football Association took the unusual step of replacing him with Alan Wiley after concerns were raised about his ability to be impartial towards Liverpool, who are based near Dean’s home town in the Wirral.
Phil Dowd. Premier League ref since 2001. Age 45. He was heavily criticised by Wigan’s then manager, Paul Jewell, and their owner, Dave Whelan, following his performance in the club’s Premiership match with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on February 11, 2007.
Chris Foy. Premier League ref since 2001. Age 45. On February 3, 2008, Foy removed the Fulham mascot, Billy the Badger, from the playing area for breakdancing on it during their 2-1 home win over Aston Villa.
Mark Halsey. Premier League referee since 1999. Age 47. His first match in the EPL was the 1-1 draw between Wimbledon and Coventry City on August 14, 1999.
Michael Jones. Premier League ref since 2008/2009 season. Age 40.
Andre Marriner. Premier League ref since 2005. Age 37. He was given his first Premiership match on 13 November 2004 – the 4-0 home win by Charlton Athletic over Norwich City.
Lee Mason. Premier League ref since 2006. Age 36. His first ever match in that league as man-in-the-middle came on 4 February 2006, when Middlesbrough lost 4-0 at home to Aston Villa,
Mike Riley. Premier League ref since 1996. Age 43. During the first half of the home match against Newcastle on 30 April 2007 Kingsley Royal, the Reading club mascot, was sent from the field by the referee for standing too close to the pitch.
Keith Stroud. Premier League ref since 2007. Age 38. He was ‘trialed’ for the Premier League, being given the match on March 17, 2007 between Middlesbrough and Manchester City at the Riverside Stadium.
Rob Styles. Premier League ref since 2000. Age 44. On August 19, 2007, Styles refereed the Premier League game between Liverpool and Chelsea, where a controversial penalty was awarded by him to Chelsea Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez was quoted as saying that the decision was ‘unbelievable’. “That decision is impossible
to explain, it was the invisible penalty” said Benítez after the 1–1 draw.
Steve Tanner. Premier League referee since 2007. Age 37. On January 1 2008 he was added to the FIFA list of referees, replacing Graham Poll, allowing him to referee in international and continental competitions.
Peter Walton. Premier League ref since 2003. Age 48. His first ever Premiership match in charge was the 4-3 home win by Wolverhampton Wanderers over Leicester City at Molineux on 25 October 2003.
Howard Webb. Premier League referee since 2003. Age 37. Refereed at Euro 2008 but was not selected to referee the knock-out stages.
Alan Wiley. Premier League since 1999. Age 48. He took charge of the FA Cup Final on May 13, 2006 when Liverpool played West Ham United at Wembley.
One thing that would be interesting is to list their occupations. A lot of these guys are dentists and piano teachers, etc.
This was one of the most useful posts.
where can one get if at all possible, 08/09 refs match schedule ?
Great info. Thanx. BTW my fav is Howard Webb!
When are you lot going to start fining your referees for awful decisions and bad matches? You are all professional now yet you still run the whole show pretty amateurishly with the attitude of “the referees never wrong”. Hello fellas actually the referee is wrong more often than not and wayyy to many “poor decisions” are having very far reaching consequences. I am amazed that people like Mike Riley who is without a doubt the worst referee I have ever witnessed in 40 years watching our game is allowed to referee at any standars at all. England/Britian used to boast the finest and most honest referees in the world game but sadly that is no longer so. Even if afterwards you were to apologise when you made some glaring error but you lot are so bloody arrogant you wont even admit it when you are wrong. Ok so you get that split second to make your decision and sometimes it will be incorrect BUT at least be man enough afterwards to admit when you are wrong and proven to be but so many of you issue your red/yellow cards then see quite clearly that you were wrong but then to not overturn it is outrageous. The match at Old Trafford at the weekend was one of the worst reffed most biased showing by a refereee in the history of football yet there will be NO sanctions against that “referee” for what in my opinion amounts to grosss negligence if not worse. How that man is ever allowed near a football field again is beyond me. He should be sacked but you bunch of self serving idiots will wave it away like the arrogant people you are.
Just to say….for does ho just coment and say bad things about referees
WHY DONT YOU DO THE REFEREES COURSE AND DO IT BETTER THAN THEM????
thanks mate…vital info this is
Please tell me Clattenberg is not comming back .He was so incompetant.
Man Utd V Arsenal was a great game until dare I say the Ref got it wrong. From his error he onlone changed the out come of the game and caused the other incidents which followed. People pay big money to watch these games so as a football supporters we expect right decsions to be made. I know you men in the middle are only human and on the whole they do a good job but Technology is here which can prevent these guys from making detrimental decsions. Most other codes of football throughout the world use some technology so why isn’t the world game conforming?
The biggest problem with the Premier league refs is Keith Hackett,he should never been given the top job ,Half the refs on the premier league would not got above the southern leage 25 years ago ,Bring back .a Jack Taylor,Clive Thomas they would sort the Players out ,For a matter of interest i did ref for 24 years
After today’s game between Man U and Man C – I’m thinking of where the 6 minutes came from and how the ref gave United every chance of a late, late winner – why not just hand United the Premier League trophy here and now and save all the hassle? Yes, United deserved to win on their second half performance, yet one again, we saw unbelievable bias.
Referees have instituted a ‘Respect’ program. Respect cuts both ways. On Saturday Wylie (the fourth official0 brushed off the Manchester City manager’s dignified protest about the excessive time beimg played in the rudest possible manager.
Thirty seconds later after Manchester United scored He was practically performing a jig with the Unuted manager on the touchline.
Besides showing disgraceful bad manners this also showed his obvious United bias and was provacative towards City supporters who responded with commendable restraint.
He should (A) Be charged with conduct calculated to bring the game into disrepute and (B) never allowed to officiate at another game.
I agree with you Bob on item A, but not B. B seems a bit extreme to me.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
Why oh why do we supporters have to put up with incompetent and biased referees in the Premier League. I have just witnessed a performance by an incompetant who was determined that Manchester United were going to get something from their game against Sunderland this evening. He sent off Richardson for an innocuous challenge and then added 4 minutes extra time. Where did that time come from??? This guy ought to be relegated to referee girls game on a Saturday morning. Absolutely disgraceful, this guy shoiuld be sacked now. He is a cheat
what ever people said just forget it and do your game as normal , it and of the day they are loser the referee will winer.
cool.
Come on football fans all over,unite in wishing referee Mark Halsey and his wife, good luck after their recent terrible news about their health. He is a family man, with a young daughter, doesn,t he deserve some support. GOOD LUCK MR AND MRS. HALSEY, EVERYBODY SENDS BEST WISHES TO YOU ALL.
What the fuck are your refs all about who ever the ref was that was in the game with man utd and Liverpool needs his head stamped on because the referee was a pile of dog shit what a mess the refs have become and this is why you are letting English football down you wankers
referee should upgrade they vision skill. just i watch M.u vs Liverpool, i thinks the referee is sleep or something else, once i can tell is nothing with this referee. double standard for game, so if the rating i give to referee is 3( 1- 10).
angry with the performance .
Another horrible performance from the referee officiating the Man Utd vs Chelsea matches. All the big decisions are against Man Utd when it should not be the case.
1) Wayne Rooney was “caught” off-side when he is put through one-on-one when clearly he is onside
2) Valencia was tugged down by John Terry and no penalty was given.
3) Darren Fletcher was judged to have fouled resulting in a free-kick when in fact he got the ball and no contact was made
4) Wes Brown was fouled in penalty area while free-kick which led to the goal. No foul was given by referee.
Please EPL referees, go and brush up your refereeing skills. Dont make a mockery out of soccer and of us. We dont like to watch you make mistakes after mistakes.
Mate you are a wanker. Obviously Man Utd supporter.
It’s to bad theres no addresses so we can get even on the men in black after a game changing call haha. Footy is the only sport without a video review and I think that needs to change because the referees are all to full of themselves to be making the right call all the time. They get to into their role and abuse their power giving a whole new meaning to the word “free” in free kick, i.e. there has to be an infraction to award one no just because he’s jealous of the players ability. Just now Torres was elbowed in the head behind the play, ref claimed to see nothing even though he immediately spoke with Ben Haim, the player who commited the infraction. Moments after a rash challenge by Mascherano in which he got the worst of it possibly being injured, Ben Haim, the player who has fouled immediately rose to his feet to curse at the injured, splawling mascherano who evetually got a red while he was being escorted to his bench for treatment. Ben Haim was the more dangerous player in this tackle as he closed his legs and spun to the ground, twisting the ankle of Mascherano. Appreciate the information of the refs.
I’m finished venting and I don’t prefer one team over the other, I love the sport.