George Mitchell (referee)

Last updated

George Mitchell (born 22 February 1912, date of death unknown) [1] was the first Scotsman to participate in a FIFA World Cup final match when he ran the line to George Reader in the 1950 final group match between Brazil and Uruguay.

Mitchell had been a class 1 referee from 1946 and had been appointed to only one match of note (the 1949 Scottish Cup semi-final between Rangers and East Fife) when he was selected to represent his country at the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. There he formed part of the first group of British referees ever to appear in a World Cup Finals tournament*, including Arthur Edward Ellis, Mervyn Griffiths, Reg Leafe and George Reader. Mitchell appeared in four matches during the finals: the opening game, a match from Pool C and two games in the final pool, including Brazil's victory over Spain.

After the finals Mitchell returned to Scotland, maintained his status as a FIFA referee until 1954–55 season (taking charge of the England v Scotland clash of 1951); as a class 1 referee until the 1961–62 season; then served as the SFA Referee Supervisor from the following season until 1988–89 season. He was also brought in to take charge of the Falkirk v Scotland XI friendly in 1955 Archived 2004-11-26 at the Wayback Machine .

*There is some doubt as to nationality of Thomas Balway who represented France in 1930.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1950 FIFA World Cup</span> Association football tournament in Brazil

The 1950 FIFA World Cup was the fourth edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football championship for senior men's national teams. it was held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July 1950. It was the first World Cup tournament in over twelve years, as the 1942 and 1946 World Cups were cancelled due to World War II. Italy, the two-time defending champions, were eliminated in the first round for the first time in history. Uruguay, who had won the inaugural competition in 1930, defeated the host nation, Brazil, in the deciding match of the four-team group of the final round. This was the only tournament not decided by a one-match final. It was also the inaugural tournament where the trophy was referred to as the Jules Rimet Cup, to mark the 25th anniversary of Jules Rimet's presidency of FIFA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1954 FIFA World Cup</span> Association football tournament in Switzerland

The 1954 FIFA World Cup was the fifth edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football tournament for senior men's national teams of the nations affiliated to FIFA. It was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. Switzerland was selected as the host country in July 1946. At the tournament, several all-time records for goal-scoring were set, including the highest average number of goals scored per game. The tournament was won by West Germany, who defeated tournament favourites Hungary 3–2 in the final for their first World Cup title. Uruguay the defending champions were eliminated by Hungary and would lose to Austria in the third-place match.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1958 FIFA World Cup</span> Association football tournament in Sweden

The 1958 FIFA World Cup was the sixth FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial football tournament for men's senior national teams. It was played in Sweden from 8 to 29 June 1958. It was the first FIFA World Cup to be played in a Nordic country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uruguay v Brazil (1950 FIFA World Cup)</span> World Cup final, held in Brazil

The match between Uruguay and Brazil was the decisive match of the final stage at the 1950 FIFA World Cup. It was played at the Maracanã Stadium in the then-capital of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, on 16 July 1950.

George Lewis Young was a Scottish footballer who played as a defender. He is best remembered for his 16-year association with Rangers and for being the first player to receive more than 50 caps for the Scotland national team.

<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">Horacio Elizondo</span> Argentine football referee (born 1963)

Horacio Marcelo Elizondo is an Argentine former international football referee best known for his officiation throughout the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Having achieved all his goals in refereeing, Elizondo retired after the December 2006 match between Boca Juniors and Lanús, 2 years before the compulsory retirement age of 45.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank De Bleeckere</span> Belgian football referee

Frank De Bleeckere is a Belgian former football referee. He had been a referee since 1984, and an international (FIFA) official since 1998. De Bleeckere refereed in his first World Cup finals in Germany, and had to pass a late fitness test following injury. He had been appointed by UEFA as one of twelve referees to officiate UEFA Euro 2008 matches, and was in charge of the semi-final between Spain and Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Reader</span>

George Reader was the fourth man to referee a FIFA World Cup Final, the first Englishman to do so, and the oldest match official at any World Cup in history. He hailed from Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

The 1950–51 British Home Championship football tournament was the Home Nations follow-up to England's disastrous appearance at their first World Cup, the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. There the much vaunted English had been beaten by the USA and Spain. The Scots had refused to go, and the Welsh and the Irish had failed to qualify. The Scots went on to capitalise on the demoralised English by taking the Home Championship away from them too.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craig Thomson (referee)</span> Scottish football referee

Craig Alexander Thomson is a Scottish former football referee, who was a match official between 1988 and 2019. Thomson originates from Paisley, Renfrewshire.

Viktor Kassai is a Hungarian football official and a former referee who is the current head of refereeing department of the Bulgarian Football Union. He participated in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and refereed the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final. He has been a full international referee for FIFA since 2003. He retired as a referee on 30 December 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Davidson</span> Scottish football referee

Robert Holley "Bobby" Davidson was a Scottish football referee who also operated for FIFA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alireza Faghani</span> Iranian international football referee

Alireza Faghani is an Iranian-Australian international football referee and former player, who has been on the international referees list for FIFA since 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Björn Kuipers</span> Dutch football referee (born 1973)

Björn Kuipers is a former Dutch football referee. He has been a FIFA listed referee from 2006 to 2021 and an UEFA Elite group referee from 2009 to 2021. He was assisted during international matches by Sander van Roekel and Erwin Zeinstra. A supermarket owner by occupation, Kuipers has officiated at two World Cups and three European Championship tournaments. It was announced on 29 July 2021 that Kuipers would be retiring from refereeing, officiating his final match between Ajax and PSV on 7 August in the 2021 Johan Cruyff Shield.

Kurt Waldemar Tschenscher was a German football referee.

James McCluskey was a football referee from Scotland, who officiated in the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup and the final of UEFA Women's Euro 1991.

John Alexander Mowat, was a Scottish football referee who also operated for FIFA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prudencio Garcia</span> American soccer referee

Prudencio “Pete” Garcia was the first American referee to participate in a FIFA World Cup. Garcia, who served as a linesman in four games at the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, is a member of the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame. A photo of Garcia holding an American flag as a child is the poster for the exhibition called “Invisible Emigrants: Spaniards in the United States, 1868-1945”, at the Conde Duque in Madrid, Spain, running January 23 - April 12, 2020 Garcia was profiled in the Sunday magazine Cronica El Mundo in an article by reporter Dario Prieto titled "Prudencio, el Primer Arbitro Yanqui Era Asturiano," published in Madrid on January 12, 2020.

References