Keith Hackett is a former international referee and now General Manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) – the referee’s governing body and is the Referee Ambassador for the FA, Premier League, and UEFA. 1. What is the most controversial refereeing decision of all-time? There have of course been many controversial decisions over the years. Clive Thomas blowing the whistle for full time whilst the ball was entering the penalty area and a Brazil player scoring a goal that was disallowed. Thomas never
Paul Trevillion is a world-renowned sports artist, famous for the legendary comic strip character Roy of the Rovers and his cult classic “You are the Ref” column in The Observer. Trevillion is the artist behind the latest soccer title from Bloomsbury Publishing, the brilliant You are the Ref. 1. Why do you think “You are the Ref” became a cult classic? It was in 1957 when “You Are The Ref” first appeared in a UK national newspaper the Sunday People. It was
The referee is the most unappreciated person on the pitch, but often times the most important. The referee has to manage the game, the players, the managers, and even the expectations of the fans. Referees do change games and sometimes history. What would have happened if Ali Bin Nasser had seen Maradona’s “Hand of God” at the 1986 World Cup? What would have happened if Martin Hansson made a call on Thierry Henry’s handball that left the Irish out of the 2010