Full name | Clive Thomas | ||
---|---|---|---|
Born | Treorchy, Wales | 27 June 1936||
Domestic | |||
Years | League | Role | |
?–1984 | The Football League | Referee | |
International | |||
Years | League | Role | |
1971–1980 | FIFA listed | Referee |
Clive Thomas (born 27 June 1936) [1] is a Welsh former football referee, who operated in the English Football League and for FIFA during his career. He came from Treorchy in the Rhondda Valley. [2]
Thomas's original ambition was to be a professional footballer. He achieved a place on the ground staff at Norwich City, playing as an inside forward. However an ankle injury forced him to give up playing. [3] He was then persuaded to take up refereeing at the age of sixteen. He made rapid progress, reaching the Welsh League and in 1964 became a Football League linesman. Two years later aged only thirty he became a Football League referee, one of the youngest referees of the time.[ citation needed ]
In February 1973, Thomas became the first and only referee to send off the notorious Liverpool hard man Tommy Smith, although this was for speaking out of turn rather than foul play. [4]
During a long and sometimes controversial career as a referee in the old English First Division, he was known as "The Book" due to his strict interpretation of the laws of the game. [5] [6] His biggest occasion in domestic football came in 1976 when he took charge of the FA Cup final between Southampton and Manchester United. Thomas later admitted that he thought the only goal of the game scored by Bobby Stokes was "offside at the time" but was behind play and had to rely upon the linesman who deemed Stokes to be onside. [7]
Thomas was involved in another controversy when refereeing the semi-final of the FA Cup in 1977 between local rivals Liverpool and Everton. With the game locked at 2–2 in the closing stages, Thomas disallowed what appeared to be a winning goal from Everton's Bryan Hamilton for handball. [8] Liverpool went on to win the replay. Coincidentally, Thomas had also refereed the replay of a semi-final of the FA Cup in 1975 in which he had disallowed efforts by the same player while playing for Ipswich Town against West Ham United, West Ham winning the tie.
Thomas refereed the 1981 Football League Cup final between Liverpool and West Ham United and was labelled a "cheat" by West Ham manager John Lyall after allowing a late goal from Alan Kennedy to stand, despite the prone Sammy Lee lying on the grass in an offside position. [9] Thomas declared that Lee was "not interfering with play". This incident occurred just two minutes before the end of extra time and looked likely to give Liverpool a 1–0 win, only for West Ham to equalise with a penalty in the final minute. Thomas also refereed the replay, which Liverpool won 2–1.
In the same season, he officiated an FA Cup semi-final between Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves and gave a controversial late penalty to Wolves, which was scored by Willie Carr and took the game to a replay. [10] Wolves manager John Barnwell later admitted it was a tactical move as the game neared its end for Wolves players to drive into the box with the ball and fall at the merest touch, in case Thomas was "in one his moods".[ citation needed ]
Thomas retired as a referee in 1984. [8]
Thomas officiated in both the 1974 and 1978 World Cups, and in the 1976 European Championship.
During the 1976 European Championships in Yugoslavia, Thomas was the referee of the semi-final between Czechoslovakia and the Netherlands. In the extra time of that match, he missed a rough foul by Antonín Panenka on Johan Cruyff, after which Zdenek Nehoda was able to counter and score to give Czechoslovakia the lead. [11] Willem van Hanegem received a red card after the incident for dissent. [11] [12] In a 2008 documentary by the Dutch TV program Andere Tijden Sport, Thomas admitted he made a mistake by not noticing the foul. He apologised to Cruyff and to the Dutch national team. [13]
At the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, he officiated the Round 1 match between Brazil and Sweden, in which he infamously blew the whistle for full-time during a play from a corner kick, so that a potential late goal by Zico, which would have given Brazil a 2–1 win, could not be scored. [8]
In 1984, he published his autobiography, By the Book. [14]
In 2004, he was elected to the largely ceremonial position of High Sheriff of Mid Glamorgan for 2005. [15] He lives in Porthcawl, Wales.[ citation needed ]
The 1984–85 season was the 105th season of competitive football in England.
The 1983–84 season was the 104th season of competitive football in England.
The 1975–76 season was the 96th season of competitive football in England.
The 1971–72 season was the 92nd season of competitive football in England.
David Roland Elleray,, is an English former football referee who officiated in the Football League, Premier League and for FIFA. As of September 2021 he held the position of Technical Director at the IFAB.
Alan G. Wiley is a former English football referee in the FA Premier League, who is based in Burntwood, Staffordshire.
The 1896 FA Cup final was the 25th. edition of the FA Cup finals, belonging to the 1895–96 FA Cup. It was won by The Wednesday at the Crystal Palace, in a victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Keith Stuart Hackett is an English former football referee, who began refereeing in local leagues in the Sheffield, South Yorkshire area in 1960. He is counted amongst the top 100 referees of all time in a list maintained by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).
Peter Jones ) is a former English football referee, who retired from officiating at the end of the 2001–02 season. He lives in Quorn, near Loughborough, Leicestershire, and works as a referee assessor.
Patrick Partridge BEM was an English football referee, and former President of the Association of Football League Referees and Linesmen. His occupation outside football was as a farmer.
Alfred Grey is an English former football referee in the English Football League and at FIFA level. During his time on the List he was based in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
Rodger Gifford is a Welsh former football referee in the English Football League, Premier League, and member of the Welsh FIFA List. During his time on the List he was based in Llanbradach in Mid Glamorgan. He currently works for the Football Association of Wales.
The 1981 Football League Cup Final was a football match between Liverpool and West Ham United on 14 March 1981 at Wembley Stadium, London. It was the final match of the 1980–81 Football League Cup, the 21st staging of the Football League Cup, a competition for the 92 teams in The Football League. Both teams were appearing in their second final, and had both lost their first finals in 1966 and 1978 respectively.
Joannes Julianus "John" Langenus was a Belgian football referee, who officiated for FIFA in three World Cup competitions, including the first ever Final match in 1930.
The 1971–72 FA Cup was the 91st season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. Leeds United won the competition for the first time, beating holders Arsenal 1–0 in the final at Wembley, London.
The 1974–75 FA Cup was the 94th season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. West Ham United won the competition, beating Second Division side Fulham 2–0 in the final at Wembley, London.
The 1980–81 FA Cup was the 100th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition, The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short. The final saw Tottenham Hotspur defeat Manchester City in the first Wembley replay. The final saw a memorable solo goal from Ricky Villa that was voted the greatest goal scored at Wembley.
The 1975–76 FA Cup was the 95th staging of the world's oldest football knockout competition, The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup. The final saw 2nd tier Southampton beat Manchester United 1–0, with the only goal coming from Bobby Stokes in the 83rd minute of the game.
Robert Matthewson was an English footballer and FIFA referee. Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Matthewson had a spell playing for the Byker Youth Club's football team before he was signed by Bolton Wanderers. After six appearances for Bolton in six seasons, including three appearances in the Football League, Matthewson was allowed to leave the club on a free transfer by manager Bill Ridding. He then joined Lincoln City but never played a league game for them. He then entered National Service. Upon his return an engineering colleague persuaded him to take up refereeing back in Bolton in 1958–1959, progressing through local leagues to the Lancashire Combination and Northern Premier League.
The 1980–81 season was Liverpool Football Club's 89th season in existence and their 19th consecutive season in the First Division. It was a season of contrasts for Liverpool as they won the European Cup for the third time by defeating Real Madrid 1–0 in Paris, and winning the Football League Cup for the first time by defeating that season's Second Division champions West Ham United after a replay at Villa Park. They also beat West Ham in the Charity Shield.