RateTheRef

Quote from: Acme Thunderer on Thu 25 Apr 2019 10:44

I always understood that Philip Don bowed out after refereeing Palace v Spurs in April 1995 but World Football shows that he refereed two further matches including Blackburn v Newcastle in May 1995 as his last

I remember that Philip Don finished his domestic career at Blackburn because it was a Monday Night Football match and they interviewed him before or after the match.  He had an international appointment following that to end his FIFA career.

Also I’m sure that Graham Poll’s final match was a Championship play off final at Wembley ?

Thanks Suffolkref and well spotted. Graham Poll did indeed referee the Championship Playoff Final on 28th May 2007 when Derby beat WBA 1-0. I have amended the database. Poll was one of a few refs to have refereed more than one Championship Playoff Final. He was also in charge in 2003/4 at Cardiff when Palace beat West Ham 1-0, a game at which I was present. Following the end of his PL career at Portsmouth, Graham also refereed a L1 semi-final when Yeovil won 5-2 at Nottingham Forest. How fortunes have changed!

Tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of George McCabe's final game at Wembley. 

Update: I Hemley, Brighton v York, May 1996. This was played on a Thursday morning in front of an 'all-ticket' crowd of just over 2,000 after the previous game, also refereed by Ian, had to be abandoned due to a crowd invasion. A sad end to Ian's career on the FL.