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.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
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????
Please tell me Clattenberg is not comming back .He was so incompetant.