Select Group

Last updated

The Select Group is a panel of English professional football referees and assistant referees, appointed by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL). The group was first formed in 2001, when England became the first country to use fully professional referees in its top flight. [1]

Contents

Select Group officials

In August 2024, the PGMOL shared updates to the Select Group officiating panels.

Furthermore, in August 2024, the retirement of Rebecca Welch was announced. She will become the manager of the Select Group Women's Professional Game at the PGMOL. In December 2024, David Coote was sacked from the PGMOL, removing him from the Select Group 1 referees list.

There are 20 Select Group 1 referees, 30 Select Group 1 assistant referees, 20 Select Group 2 referees, and 33 Select Group 2 assistant referees. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Select Group 1 referees

Select Group 1 assistant referees

  • Natalie Aspinall
  • Simon Bennett
  • Gary Beswick
  • Stuart Burt
  • Darren Cann
  • Dan Cook
  • Neil Davies
  • Derek Eaton
  • Nick Greenhalgh
  • Constantine Hatzidakis
  • Adrian Holmes
  • Nick Hopton
  • Akil Howson
  • Ian Hussin
  • Scott Ledger
  • Harry Lennard
  • Simon Long
  • James Mainwaring
  • Sian Massey-Ellis
  • Steve Meredith
  • Adam Nunn
  • Marc Parry
  • Dan Robathan
  • Mark Scholes
  • Eddie Smart
  • Wade Smith
  • Craig Taylor
  • Richard West
  • Mat Wilkes
  • Tim Wood

Select Group 2 referees

Select Group 2 assistant referees

  • Blake Antrobus
  • George Byrne
  • Ian Cooper
  • Adam Crysell
  • Andrew Dallison
  • Mark Dwyer
  • Carl Fitch-Jackson
  • Andrew Fox
  • Hugh Gilroy
  • Paul Hodskinson
  • Shaun Hudson
  • Jonathan Hunt
  • Robert Hyde
  • Alex James
  • Matthew Jones
  • Graham Kane
  • Hristo Karaivanov
  • Daniel Leach
  • Sam Lewis
  • Geoffrey Liddle
  • Nigel Lugg
  • Matthew McGrath
  • Greg Read
  • Mark Russell
  • Bhupinder Singh Gill
  • Matthew Smith
  • Rob Smith
  • Mark Stevens
  • Lee Venamore
  • Richard Wild
  • Darren Williams
  • James Wilson
  • Richard Woodward

Women's Select Group officials

In summer 2023 and summer 2024, the PGMOL provided updates on the promotions of match officials.

There are 17 Women's Super League referees, 30 Women's Super League assistant referees, 24 Women's Championship referees, and 34 Women's Championship assistant referees, although some officials hold dual roles. [6] [4]

Women's Super League referees

  • Lisa Benn
  • Mel Burgin
  • Abi Byrne
  • Phoebe Cross
  • Kirsty Dowle
  • Amy Fearn
  • Cheryl Foster
  • Stacey Fullicks
  • Christina Hattersley
  • Emily Heaslip
  • Lauren Impey
  • Lucy May
  • Stacey Pearson
  • Yasmin Saeed
  • Jane Simms
  • Adewunmi Soneye
  • Megan Wilson

Women's Super League assistant referees

  • Natalie Aspinall
  • Georgia Ball
  • Nicoleta Bria
  • Ella Broad
  • Emily Carney
  • Lorraine Catchpole
  • Isabel Chaplin
  • Abby Dearden
  • Sophie Dennington
  • Aaron Ford
  • Hannah Gardner
  • Magdalena Golba
  • Levi Gray
  • Leoni Harland
  • Harley Hetherington
  • Matthew Joyce
  • Aimee Keir
  • Grace Lowe
  • Sian Massey-Ellis
  • Lucy-Anne McCann
  • David Middleton
  • Callum Parke
  • Ali Rahjoo
  • Lisa Rashid
  • Chloe-Ann Small
  • Ruby Sykes
  • Laura Van Lier
  • Anastasiya Voloshchuk
  • Lauren Whiteman
  • Ceri Williams

Women's Championship referees

  • Jon Ashworth-Sears
  • Nicoleta Bria
  • Ella Broad
  • Melissa Cairns
  • Isabel Chaplin
  • Abby Dearden
  • Sophie Dennington
  • Ffion Eade
  • Aaron Ford
  • Hannah Gardner
  • Magda Golba
  • Levi Gray
  • Joanne Horwood
  • Dora Jakab
  • Aimee Keir
  • Grace Lowe
  • David Middleton
  • Callum Parke
  • Ali Rahjoo
  • Chloe-Ann Small
  • Ruby Sykes
  • Laura Van Lier
  • Jade Wardle
  • Lauren Whiteman

Women's Championship assistant referees

  • Folu Aladelusi
  • Zeyad Ahmed
  • Katie Allen
  • Emmanuel Arakopgun
  • Alex Beeley
  • Luke Bowles
  • Josh Brayshaw
  • Adriana Bucur
  • Michael Butcher
  • Josh Dear
  • Gareth Dunn
  • Ralph Frostick
  • Richard Fullicks
  • Hannah Gardner
  • Dasa Griffin
  • Elora Hardstaff
  • Rosie Johns
  • Elle-Louise Kaplicz
  • Joseph Karram
  • Julia Kings
  • Maya Korpal
  • Lee Markwick
  • Darren McCall
  • David Mitchell
  • Amy Purser
  • Charlotte Sparling Haythornthwaite
  • Rhiannon Stevens
  • Daniel Sykes
  • Emma Taylor
  • Soada Tushaj
  • Steven Walsh
  • Lauren Whiteman
  • Peter Wilson
  • Yashar Yekta

FIFA international match officials

There are 16 referees, 18 assistant referees, and 11 video match officials on the 2024 FIFA International List, although some hold dual roles. [7]

Referees

Assistant referees

  • Natalie Aspinall
  • Georgia Ball
  • Simon Bennett
  • Gary Beswick
  • Lee Betts
  • Nicoleta Bria
  • Stuart Burt
  • Emily Carney
  • Dan Cook
  • Neil Davies
  • Sophie Dennington
  • Ian Hussin
  • Harry Lennard
  • James Mainwaring
  • Sian Massey-Ellis
  • Lucy-Anne McCann
  • Adam Nunn
  • Lisa Rashid

Video match officials

Notable international appointments

Some former and current Select Group 1 officials have overseen major international final matches.

Former Select Group 1 assistant referee Phil Sharp was a part of the team for the 2002 FIFA World Cup final. [8]

Howard Webb adjudicated the 2010 UEFA Champions League final and subsequently the 2010 FIFA World Cup final. Webb was supported on both occasions by assistant referees Darren Cann and Mike Mullarkey. [9] [10]

Mark Clattenburg has supervised the 2012 Olympic final, the 2016 UEFA Champions League final, and subsequently the UEFA Euro 2016 final. The assistant referees that supported Clattenburg during these finals, were: Simon Beck, Steve Child, and Jake Collin. [11] [12] [13]

Anthony Taylor has officiated the 2021 UEFA Nations League final, the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup final, and the 2023 UEFA Europa League final. For each final, Taylor was supported by assistant referees Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn. [14] [15] [16]

Michael Oliver refereed the 2022 UEFA Super Cup between Real Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt. He was assisted by Stuart Burt and Simon Bennett. [17]

Rebecca Welch oversaw the 2024 UEFA Women's Champions League final between Barcelona and Lyon. She was assisted by Natalie Aspinall and Emily Carney. [18]

Former Select Group officials

Select Group 1

Referees

Assistant referees

  • Stephen Artis
  • Nigel Bannister
  • Simon Beck
  • Charles Breakspear
  • Dave Bryan
  • Mike Bull
  • Andrew Butler
  • Mike Cairns
  • Stephen Child
  • Jake Collin
  • John Flynn
  • Ron Ganfield
  • Andy Garratt
  • Ian Gosling
  • Andy Halliday
  • Patrick Keane
  • Nick Kinseley
  • Peter Kirkup
  • Rob Lewis
  • Trevor Massey
  • Mo Matadar
  • Mick McDonough
  • Dean Mohareb
  • Mike Mullarkey
  • Michael Murphy
  • Andy Newbold
  • Bob Pollock
  • Shaun Procter-Green
  • Ceri Richards
  • David Richardson
  • Philip Sharp
  • Billy Smallwood
  • John Stokes
  • Gary Stott
  • Paul Thompson
  • Glenn Turner
  • Adam Watts
  • Andy Williams
  • Martin Yerby

Select Group 2

These officials made it to Select Group 2, but not Select Group 1.

Referees

Assistant referees

  • Christopher Akers
  • David Avent
  • Andrew Aylott
  • Darren Blunden
  • Philip Dermott
  • Matthew Foley
  • Mike George
  • Mark Jones
  • Adam Matthews
  • Tony Peart
  • Mark Pottage
  • Geoff Russell
  • Dean Treleaven

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Clattenburg</span> English football referee (born 1975)

Mark Clattenburg is an English former professional football referee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Howard Webb</span> English football referee

Howard Melton Webb MBE is an English former professional football referee who officiated primarily in the Premier League from 2003 to 2014, as well as for FIFA as a FIFA international referee from 2005 to 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Atkinson</span> English professional football referee

Martin Atkinson is an English referee coach and retired professional football referee who officiated primarily in the Premier League. He is a member of the West Riding County Football Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FA Cup Final referees</span>

In English football, the FA Cup Final, the deciding match of the FA Cup competition, is considered the highest domestic honour for referees to be appointed to officiate.

The Brian Clough Trophy is contested whenever East Midlands rivals Derby County and Nottingham Forest play each other. The trophy is named after Brian Clough, who managed both clubs to great success. The trophy is currently held by Nottingham Forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stuart Attwell</span> English football referee (born 1982)

Stuart Steven Attwell is an English referee who currently officiates in the Premier League.

The Football League play-offs for the 2007–08 season were held in May 2008, with the finals taking place at Wembley Stadium in London. The play-off semi-finals were played over two legs and were contested by the teams who finished in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in the Football League Championship and League One tables, and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in League Two. The semi-final winners progressed to the finals, with the winner of each match earning promotion for the following season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sian Massey-Ellis</span> English football referee

Sian Louise Massey-Ellis is an English football match official who officiates generally in the role of assistant referee in the Premier League and the Football League. She has also been appointed to matches in the Football League Trophy, UEFA Women's Champions League, FIFA Women's World Cup qualification rounds, the FIFA Women's World Cup and the UEFA Europa League. Massey-Ellis was appointed to the FIFA list of women assistant referees in 2009 and turned professional in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milorad Mažić</span> Serbian football referee (born 1973)

Milorad Mažić is a former Serbian international association football referee. He became a FIFA referee in 2009. Beside working in the Serbian football league system, Mažić officiated numerous matches in the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League, as well as the 2016 UEFA Super Cup. He refereed matches at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2016, 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. He was selected as a referee for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He was awarded a Silver Medal for Merits of the Republic of Serbia. He was selected the best Serbian referee nine consecutive times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 UEFA Super Cup</span> Football match

The 2014 UEFA Super Cup was the 39th edition of the UEFA Super Cup, an annual football match organised by UEFA and contested by the reigning champions of the two main European club competitions, the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. The match featured two Spanish teams Real Madrid and Sevilla, the winners of the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League and the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League respectively. It was played at the Cardiff City Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, on 12 August 2014. The date was moved from Friday in late August in previous years, to mid-August starting this year, following the removal of the August international friendly date in the new FIFA International Match Calendar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Madley</span> English football referee

Robert Madley is an English professional football referee who was on the list of Select Group Referees who officiate primarily in the Premier League between 2013 and 2018. He officiated in the Football League as a referee from 2010 and was one of the youngest officials to progress to the top-flight of English football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Makkelie</span> Dutch football referee (born 1983)

Danny Desmond Makkelie is a Dutch professional football referee. Besides refereeing he works as a police inspector in Rotterdam and as a referee coach for the Royal Dutch Football Association. He has been a FIFA listed referee since 2011.

Paul Rejer is an English former football referee.

Andrew Madley is an English football referee from Huddersfield, Yorkshire who currently officiates in the Premier League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 English Football League play-offs</span> Football league season

The English Football League play-offs for the 2016–17 season were held in May 2017 with all finals being staged at Wembley Stadium in London.

Chris Kavanagh is an English professional football referee from Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester. He officiates primarily in the Premier League having been promoted to the Select Group of Referees in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 UEFA Nations League final</span> Football match

The 2021 UEFA Nations League final was a football match that determined the winners of the final tournament of the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League. It was the second final of the international football competition involving the men's national teams of the member associations of UEFA. The match was held on 10 October 2021 at the San Siro in Milan, Italy, and was contested by Spain and France.

Darren England is a Premier League football referee, who was promoted in August 2020. In December 2021, the PGMOL announced that England had been added to the 2022 FIFA List of International Match Officials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darren Cann (assistant referee)</span> English football referee

Darren Cann. is a Premier League assistant referee (linesman). In 2010, he officiated both The UEFA Champions League Final and The FIFA World Cup Final. Cann is also the most experienced Premier League official ever, having officiated more than 563 Premier League matches to date.

Robert Jones is an English football referee. He has refereed in the English Football League since 2016 and the Premier League since 2019. He was the referee for the 2016 National League play-off final, the 2018 EFL League One play-off final and the 2020 EFL League One play-off final.

References

  1. Ralston, William (21 March 2023). "The impossible job: inside the world of Premier League referees". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  2. "The full list of referees and assistant referees for the 2024/25 #PL season".
  3. "Here's the full list of our Select Group 2 match officials for the 2024/25 #EFL season".
  4. 1 2 "We are delighted to confirm the list of match officials who will be operating at higher levels across the men's and women's professional game for the 2024/25 season".
  5. "A trailblazing referee".
  6. "The Select Group Women's Professional Game for the 2023/24 #BarclaysWSL & #BarclaysWC season".
  7. "FIFA International list of Match Officials".
  8. "FIFA World Cup".
  9. "Webb gets Madrid assignment". 20 May 2010.
  10. "Howard Webb given honour of refereeing World Cup final". The Guardian. 8 July 2010.
  11. "Mark Clattenburg to referee men's Olympic final".
  12. "Clattenburg to referee Champions League final". 10 May 2016.
  13. "Clattenburg named referee for UEFA EURO 2016 final". 8 July 2016.
  14. "English Ref Anthony Taylor and His Team to Take Charge of Spain V France in Milan".
  15. "English officials get Club World Cup Final call-up".
  16. "Referee teams appointed for 2023 UEFA club competition finals". 22 May 2023.
  17. "Michael Oliver to referee 2022 UEFA Super Cup with Semi-Automated Offside Technology to be introduced". 3 August 2022.
  18. "Referee teams for 2024 UEFA club competition finals announced". 13 May 2024.