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I Spy Old Refs! / Re: The Big Match Revisited
« Last post by Whistleblower on Mon 16 Mar 2026 11:56 »Returning from my Sunday morning Miner's Benedict I caught the second one of this morning's repeats. Three thoughts occurred to me, one from each match featured.
1) I would not have recognised the much younger Allan Gunn.
2) The smart referee of the second match was referred to as Mr Dowling. Was this actually Colin Downey?
R) Having always believed that referees' attire used to be much smarter, I have to admit the Derek Civil, with open plunging V-neck and low-cut white vest looked an absolute mess.
I remember the name Derek Civil, ( Birmingham from memory, I haven't got Upton to hand ) but don't remember the person. As to the scruffiest referee, I always thought R A Banks, Allan with two Ls I think, from Manchester came top of that rather undesirable cohort.

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