MY very first game as a referee was the only game I have ever had to abandon. It was Wellingborough Old Grammarians 3rds and Northampton Casuals 3rds and a 30-man brawl erupted and because I hadn’t seen who the perpetrator was, I couldn’t send anyone off – so they all walked off the pitch.
From there, I worked my way up through the ranks and joined the National Panel at the start of the 1990s and refereed at all levels through to the Championship – where I did over 100 games – and beyond. My development was aided by some brilliant coaching, from the likes of Rob Binham in the early days and the late Steve Savage, both of whom were always available for the chat, banter and support on the frequent long drive home.