RateTheRef

End of Season Promotions - May 2025

Promotion to National Group Referees (4)
George Laflin Suffolk FA
Lewis Sandoe Army FA
Matthew Scholes Shropshire FA
Gareth Thomas Sheffield & Hallamshire FA

Promotion to National Group of Assistant Referees ()
Pending a PGMOL assessment day

Promotion to Step 2 Referee (11)

Craig Barnett Essex FA
Dan Blades Kent FA
Jonathan Bolland Surrey FA
Samuel Bragg West Riding FA
Jack Churchill Manchester FA
Jordan Crossley Lancashire FA
Scott Henry Cumberland FA
Charles King Sheffield & Hallamshire FA
Jason Porter Birmingham FA
Brandon Scaife Staffordshire FA
Richard Wharton Hertfordshire FA

Promotion to Step 3/4 Referee & Step 2 Assistant Referee (55)

Robert Alderton Middlesex FA
Wil Annear Cornwall FA
Jon Ashworth-Sears Lancashire FA
Lewis Atkinson Lancashire FA
Thomas Baines Hampshire FA
Dylan Baylis Somerset FA
James Birch-Ford Lancashire FA
James Black Kent FA
Andrew Bower Gloucestershire FA
Ryan Calver Sussex FA
Harrison Clark Kent FA
Ronan Coller-Booth West Riding FA
Alexander Cotterill Nottinghamshire FA
Peter Creagh Berks & Bucks FA
Cameron Davis Hampshire FA
Jack Deschoolmeester RAF FA
Benjamin Duffill Army FA
Mark Fitzpatrick Kent FA
Thomas Fox Essex FA
Liam Giles Amateur Football Alliance
Simon Gudger Worcestershire FA
Henry Harvey Suffolk FA
Luke Hood West Riding FA
Stuart Jessop Norfolk FA
Callum Johnson Birmingham FA
John-Patrick Kane Sussex FA
Aimee Keir Lincolnshire FA
Lee Kendrick Suffolk FA
Thomas Kennedy Cheshire FA
Mark King Cornwall FA
Julia Kings Birmingham FA
Joel Lamping Sussex FA
Tom Lishman North Riding FA
Callum Lockley Leicestershire & Rutland FA
Lewis Marriner Durham FA
Alexander Molloy Middlesex FA
David Morey Royal Navy FA
Joseph Morrell Manchester FA
Ethan Nundy Lincolnshire FA
James Owen Cheshire FA
Shemakay Own Lincolnshire FA
Andrew Park Lincolnshire FA
Nathan Parry Birmingham FA
Thomas Price Sussex FA
Kieron Rogers Staffordshire FA
Adam Shimmin Middlesex FA
Jason Smith West Riding FA
Michael Smith Berks & Bucks FA
Callum Timperley Leicestershire & Rutland FA
Jack Tooth Manchester FA
Matthew Uren Devon FA
Christopher Walton Northamptonshire FA
Harvey Websdale North Riding FA
Danielle Whitworth West Riding FA
Rikki Woolford Hertfordshire FA

Promotion to Step 2 Assistant Referee (9)
Leigh Ballinger Essex FA
Thomas Burns Bedfordshire FA
Duncan Carratt Sheffield & Hallamshire FA
Joshua Cliffe * Cheshire FA
Niall Eaves Lancashire FA
David Johnston * Army FA
Abdul Kadir Northamptonshire FA
Tom Lathey * Berks & Bucks FA
Daniel Smith Amateur Football Alliance FA
*3 Officials promoted through the 4B exceptional performance criteria

Promotion to Step 5/6 Referee & Step 3/4 Assistant Referee (165)
Dylan Adams Derbyshire FA
Samuel Akande Essex FA
Fidelis Akanga Hampshire FA
Laurence Alecock Cambridgeshire FA
Thomas Alexander Norfolk FA
Deivydas Andriuskevicius Norfolk FA
Reece Astle Derbyshire FA
James Atkinson Lancashire FA
Charlie Balcombe Jersey FA
Christopher Barley North Riding FA
Tom Barney Sheffield & Hallamshire FA
Marcus Baxter Bedfordshire FA
Mark Benton North Riding FA
Nazarij Bilanovszkij Essex FA
Dillon Bloomfield Northumberland FA
Cian Bolton Devon FA
Ashley Boon Staffordshire FA
Dan Boulden Essex FA
Anthony Brewerton Wiltshire FA
Liam Campkin Birmingham FA
David Carr Northumberland FA
Francesca Catchpole Norfolk FA
Louie Chaisty Berks & Bucks FA
Rohan Chotai Middlesex FA
Nikola Christov London FA
Michael Clark Norfolk FA
Reuben Clayton Oxfordshire FA
Ben Cole Worcestershire FA
Ryan Collier Dorset FA
Mikey Connor Liverpool FA
Lewis Cook Gloucestershire FA
Ashley Cooper Lincolnshire FA
Andrew Corcoran Berks & Bucks FA
Dylan Costello Lancashire FA
Oscar Cotton Sussex FA
Maximus Court Birmingham FA
Robert Cowen Northumberland FA
David Critchlow Staffordshire FA
Tom Cusworth Birmingham FA
Benjamin Darken Cambridgeshire FA
Timothy Darnes Sheffield & Hallamshire FA
Maurice Davies Army FA
Gareth Davies Royal Navy FA
Jeff Davis Kent FA
Jason Dawson Hertfordshire FA
Richard Diggle Hampshire FA
Tyler Diminieux Kent FA
Chris Dixon Derbyshire FA
Andrew Dorning Hampshire FA
Martin Dunn Durham FA
James Durham Norfolk FA
Maged Elsadek Guernsey FA
Jacob Emanuel Hertfordshire FA
Aaron Etti Suffolk FA
Daniel Eziukwu Dorset FA
Yuen Fai Lam Birmingham FA
Haim Fitterman West Riding FA
Kieran Fitzpatrick Berks & Bucks FA
Tommy Fleming Essex FA
Martin Flynn Manchester FA
Steven Fogden Sussex FA
Harry Foster-Boyd Durham FA
Eros Frangiamore Surrey FA
Jaden Garcia Liverpool FA
Leigh Gell Manchester FA
Paul Gibbons Dorset FA
Marco Goumal London FA
Kendrick Green Birmingham FA
Jack Griffiths Staffordshire FA
Benjamin Gudger Worcestershire FA
George Guilfoyle North Riding FA
Horace Gumba Oxfordshire FA
Finlay Hamilton Dorset FA
Kieron Hawthorn Northamptonshire FA
Gavin Hill Leicestershire & Rutland FA
Kwame Hinson Army FA
Alexander Hollis Sussex FA
Samuel Holloway Army FA
Imogen Hooper Berks & Bucks FA
Nima Hosseinali Middlesex FA
Brett Hovey Nottinghamshire FA
Thomas Hoyland North Riding FA
Daniel Hughes Somerset FA
Elliot Hunt Sheffield & Hallamshire FA
Michal Jasinski Cheshire FA
Lois Jefferies Birmingham FA
Ryan Jones Berks & Bucks FA
Oliver Jones Somerset FA
Ryan Joys Sheffield & Hallamshire FA
Ella Karkoska Suffolk FA
James Kay Sheffield & Hallamshire FA
Amine Khaldi Kent FA
Daniel Killick Surrey FA
Sebastian Lally London FA
Ellis Lander Essex FA
Daniel Leaver Somerset FA
Kieran Longstaff East Riding FA
Aleksandar Lukic-Scott West Riding FA
Daniel Maguire Durham FA
Joey Malone Shropshire FA
Craig Marchant Royal Navy FA
Robbie Maris London FA
Brett Markell Sheffield & Hallamshire FA
Lewis Mason Lancashire FA
David Masters Berks & Bucks FA
Conor McQuillian Gloucestershire FA
Conor McQuillian Royal Navy FA
Furqan Miah Bedfordshire FA
Thomas Milburn Cornwall FA
Dan Nettleton Cheshire FA
Leigh Newby Kent FA
James Newsham Lancashire FA
William Owen Westmorland FA
Stuart Parker Worcestershire FA
Christopher Perkins Suffolk FA
Albert Pitts Durham FA
Lola Pollard Oxfordshire FA
Mungo Prior Essex FA
Matt Purcell Manchester FA
Yiannis Revenikiotis Sheffield & Hallamshire FA
Joe Richards Liverpool FA
Michael Richards Somerset FA
Chad Roberts Birmingham FA
Matthew Roberts Sheffield & Hallamshire FA
Calin Rogojan Suffolk FA
Sam Rose Middlesex FA
Kyle Rowlands Shropshire FA
James Royffe RAF FA
Ian Ryder Liverpool FA
Euan Sadler North Riding FA
James Salt Somerset FA
Jake Sands Lancashire FA
Thomas Sansom Kent FA
Harry Searby East Riding FA
Josh Severn West Riding FA
Mohammed Shahib Shohel Middlesex FA
Kieran Shaw Nottinghamshire FA
Chris Skilton Kent FA
Ben Soll Hertfordshire FA
Max Solovev Kent FA
Joseph Spittle Birmingham FA
David Stappleton Sussex FA
Darren Stock Kent FA
Thomas Strawbridge Guernsey FA
Luke Thomas London FA
James Thompson Oxfordshire FA
Oscar Tinsley Cheshire FA
Matt Topp Berks & Bucks FA
Alex Vacher Gloucestershire FA
Harry Vaux West Riding FA
Oliver Walby Somerset FA
Hadley Warhurst Manchester FA
Mark Watkins Northamptonshire FA
Daniel Wells Hampshire FA
Oliver Westgate Sussex FA
Nigel Whitfield Dorset FA
Joshua Whittall Berks & Bucks FA
Robert Willcocks Essex FA
James Wilson Herefordshire FA
James Wilson RAF FA
Joe Wink-Simmonds West Riding FA
Justin Wiseman Essex FA
Bailey Wood Berks & Bucks FA
Harry Wright Devon FA
William Wright Hampshire FA

Congratulations to all on the list at all the levels. I'm sure all of the promotions are well deserved and best of luck to everyone at their new levels!

I disagree that this is VAR inconsistency, even as a Wolves fan that's a very poor tackle.

Semedo comes in with high force, straight leg and goes studs to high ankle, Kavanagh and team will be very disappointed to have required a second look.

In law the player in an offside position doesn't do anything wrong, they don't interfere with play (no touch on the ball), an opponent (no challenge, or obvious action) or gain an advantage (no touch on the deflected pass).

I would say they'd gained an advantage if they received the ball as the defender made a non-deliberate play under the new guidelines, but they don't and Morata was onside at the initial pass so that doesn't matter.

I do agree that this doesn't feel right, but it's an issue with the way the law is worded and I don't necessarily know if there's an easy solution aside from more tinkering or more guidance (which there is at the elite level to do with proximity, but this instance doesn't fit that).

Level 4 nominations have also been announced for Kent.

The FA have said that they expect reclassifications to be published week of 22nd May, this is through our regional representative.

Quote from: jacksamuel21 on Sat 01 Apr 2023 22:54

Not seen the highlights (we looked awful) and I know in law it’s definitely a goal.

Anyone else think the Man City goal should be called offside, (Yes I know I’m law it’s a goal) I think the law should be amended, De Bruyne is clearly onside but from the pass he receives before scoring. However, he is only in that position having because he was offside from the pass before.

He doesn’t interfere but he gains an advantage?

Rodri is a serial offender but I think a second YC would have been harsh. Poor behaviour from our players to surround the utterly surprised Hooper.

In my opinion no-one really knows what the purpose of the offside law, and indeed the handball law is there for, and that is down to IFAB who seem more  concerned with trivial detail than of stating the fundamental purpose of the law.  For offside that could read something like "The purpose of the law is to prevent teams from gaining an advantage by having a player, or players in an offside position.  This should be the primary consideration of match officials in judging offside decisions.  Some examples of factors that should be considered in coming to these decisions are as follows.   ......"

City had a free kick  just outside the penalty area on Saturday and Liverpool had a wall of four standing players and one lying down behind them.  Had City had, say Gungodan standing on the corner of the six yard box at the far post and Alvarez standing at the corner of the six yard box at the near post (both in offside positions ( but neither at the point the kick was played interfering with play or opponent) then Mahrez could played the ball wide towards the touchline for De Bruyne (in an onside position) to run onto; once De Bruyne and the ball were further forward than Gungodan and Alvarez then De Bruyne would have two targets, now onside, at at the near and far post, to aim for.  The four standing players in the Liverpool wall would be somewhat impeded from getting back to cover by their own player lying down behind them.  So City would have had a clear advantage from the positioning of Gungodan and Alvarez but it wouldn't have contravened the present law.  I look forward to seeing this put into practice next time we play United.

Is the issue there not that Liverpool would've impeded their own players by a player lying on the floor as opposed to the offside players who can't do anything to influence the game until they are literally made onside by the ball passing them? To what extent would players who are in an offside position have to act to make themselves eligible to receive the ball again? Would we return to the days of negative offside traps preventing any attacking passes when a single player hasn't been able to return from an offside position?

Quote from: Readingfan on Wed 08 Mar 2023 13:52

Dale Johnson has queried if VAR should have intervened over encroachment - https://twitter.com/DaleJohnsonESPN/status/1633219953233887232

Is Johnson right with what he says about VAR protocol (I've tried to look it up but not managed to find wording so far) and if so what are people's thoughts on if it applies to this incident?

I was reminded that if an attacking player who had encroached scored a rebound but a defender also encroached then the penalty would also be retaken after VAR intervention rather than an indirect free kick given, which I'm not fully convinced is the fairest approach.

I strongly, strongly disagree with the suggestion that we should ban penalty rebounds altogether!

If Dale Johnson is correct (and the Dortmund defender did not impact a Chelsea attacker from playing the ball) then would Dortmund have grounds to appeal the VAR decision and have the game replayed form that point? UEFA have previously set a precedent with the England U-19 women's team where they replayed a game following the wrong refereeing decision following a missed penalty.

No there is no remit for replaying the game after an incorrect VAR intervention. In section four of the VAR procedures it says

In principle, a match is not invalidated because of: ... review(s) of a non-reviewable situation/decision

The previous replays surrounding penalties have been for a absolute objective wrong application of law, e.g. a scored penalty with encroachment from attacking team seeing an indirect free kick given rather than a retake. This is at worse a review of a non-reviewable situation so there are no grounds for this, as there has been no incorrect law application as once reviewed the correct restart and such took place.

To those who worried that 10 was too many officials to appoint to a single game. FIFA have appointed one more on top of the referee, two assistants, a fourth, a reserve assistant, a video assistant, an assistant video assistant, an offside video assistant, a support video assistant and a stand by assistant video assistant.

The remaining eight games will now have a stand by video assistant referee who is at the stadium and will take over VAR duties if there is a communications problem between the ground and the referees' hub, so that the fourth official does not have to do this and the reserve assistant doesn't have to become the fourth official.