Mark Halsey
20/08/09 11:02
BOLTON Premier League referee Mark Halsey is fighting
cancer.
It is the second blow for him and wife, Michelle, who was diagnosed with leukaemia six months ago.
Mr Halsey had surgery to have a tumour removed from his throat on Monday and he faces an anxious wait to see if the cancer has spread.
Mr Halsey, who lives in Little Lever, was told he had a tumour on Thursday and had treatment at the Beaumont Clinic in Chorley New Road, Bolton, two days after he refereed Arsenal’s 6-1 win at Everton on the opening day of the Premier League season on Saturday.
Mrs Halsey yesterday said her husband had been taking painkillers for a sore throat and ear infection for the last three months.
She said: “We went private last week and the doctors found the tumour on Thursday.
“They have removed his tonsil and we now have to wait until Friday to find out what kind of cancer it is.
“It has come as a real shock, especially after I was diagnosed with leukaemia on New Year’s Eve and I don’t think anything can prepare you for it.
“Mark is holding up okay and we have to just nurse each other the best we can.”
The couple’s daughter, Lucy Mia, was born in April, 2006, after two courses of IVF treatment.
Mrs Halsey said: “We are staying strong for Lucy’s sake because you have to when you have a three-year-old daughter.
“The doctors have said it is at the primary stage, so we are just keeping our fingers crossed that it hasn’t spread.”
Mr Halsey, aged 48, was born in Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire. He was appointed to the Football League list of referees in the mid-1990s and was promoted to the Premier League list in 1999.
He has officiated three times at Wembley, taking charge of the 1998/99 League One play-off final between Manchester City and Gillingham, refereeing the 2007 Community Shield between Chelsea and Manchester United and the 2008 Carling Cup Final between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
Mr Halsey and his wife own the Sottovento Italian restaurant in Worsley Road, Farnworth.
It is the second blow for him and wife, Michelle, who was diagnosed with leukaemia six months ago.
Mr Halsey had surgery to have a tumour removed from his throat on Monday and he faces an anxious wait to see if the cancer has spread.
Mr Halsey, who lives in Little Lever, was told he had a tumour on Thursday and had treatment at the Beaumont Clinic in Chorley New Road, Bolton, two days after he refereed Arsenal’s 6-1 win at Everton on the opening day of the Premier League season on Saturday.
Mrs Halsey yesterday said her husband had been taking painkillers for a sore throat and ear infection for the last three months.
She said: “We went private last week and the doctors found the tumour on Thursday.
“They have removed his tonsil and we now have to wait until Friday to find out what kind of cancer it is.
“It has come as a real shock, especially after I was diagnosed with leukaemia on New Year’s Eve and I don’t think anything can prepare you for it.
“Mark is holding up okay and we have to just nurse each other the best we can.”
The couple’s daughter, Lucy Mia, was born in April, 2006, after two courses of IVF treatment.
Mrs Halsey said: “We are staying strong for Lucy’s sake because you have to when you have a three-year-old daughter.
“The doctors have said it is at the primary stage, so we are just keeping our fingers crossed that it hasn’t spread.”
Mr Halsey, aged 48, was born in Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire. He was appointed to the Football League list of referees in the mid-1990s and was promoted to the Premier League list in 1999.
He has officiated three times at Wembley, taking charge of the 1998/99 League One play-off final between Manchester City and Gillingham, refereeing the 2007 Community Shield between Chelsea and Manchester United and the 2008 Carling Cup Final between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
Mr Halsey and his wife own the Sottovento Italian restaurant in Worsley Road, Farnworth.
Useful Documents for This Season
17/08/09 09:19
There are currently over 26,000 active referees officiating in England. In line with The FA's Vision, we aim to recruit 8,000 more referees by 2012, bringing that figure in excess of the 30,000 mark.
Without a referee, there is no game and The FA is doing all we can to assist referees in their development, in order to retain their services in the long-term.
We have produced a number of helpful documents aimed specifically at referees and their assistants, ranging from a Fitness Guide for Referees to a Study Pack for the Basic Referees Course. The following eight documents have all been produced with the referee in mind.
FA Competition Rules and instructions - Season 2009-10 click here
A Guide to Misconduct Report writing click here
A Guide to Assistant Referees click here
Advice on the Application of the Laws of the Game click here
Advice for Newly Qualified Referees click here
Basic Referees Course information Pack click here
Basic Referees Training Course - Pre-Course study pack click here
Fitness for Refereeing click here
Play To The Whistle
17/08/09 09:18
Following the debate surrounding the build up to
Chelsea's second goal at Wembley on Sunday, The FA
has issued the following clarification surrounding
injured players:
An FA spokesman said: “Play should continue until the referee stops the game. Players should play to the whistle. When the referee believes an injury is serious, he can stop play immediately to enable treatment. If the referee believes a player is only slightly injured then he will allow play to continue until the ball is out of play.
“Historically, players have kicked the ball out for opponents or team-mates to receive treatment. The expectation had then been for the ball to be returned to the team which kicked the ball out. However, this approach led to inconsistencies. For clarity, the guidance is for players to let the referee decide when to stop the game.”
An FA spokesman said: “Play should continue until the referee stops the game. Players should play to the whistle. When the referee believes an injury is serious, he can stop play immediately to enable treatment. If the referee believes a player is only slightly injured then he will allow play to continue until the ball is out of play.
“Historically, players have kicked the ball out for opponents or team-mates to receive treatment. The expectation had then been for the ball to be returned to the team which kicked the ball out. However, this approach led to inconsistencies. For clarity, the guidance is for players to let the referee decide when to stop the game.”
Warnock Offered Apology For 'Ghost Goal' Number 2
17/08/09 09:15
Referees' chief Keith Hackett has said sorry to Neil
Warnock after Crystal Palace were denied a valid goal
in Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Bristol City.
Freddie Sears fired home on 30 minutes but referee Rob Shoebridge failed to spot that the ball had crossed the line before bouncing out off a stanchion. After the match, Warnock claimed his side had been "cheated". And Hackett admitted: "You would like to think the match officials would have spotted the ball had crossed the line."
As well as saying sorry to Warnock, Hackett also offered his apologies to the Palace fans who had travelled to Bristol. "They are passionate and I apologise they travelled all that way to see a goal ruled out by an error from the match officials," he said.
Hackett, the general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Board, also confirmed that Shoebridge has been dropped from officiating Tuesday's Championship match between Plymouth and Cardiff as a result of his error. "He was scheduled to do a game in midweek. He won't be doing that. We have been working on that this morning. The ref has been spoken to," said Hackett. "It applies to the referee's assistant as well. Ideally you want the assistant looking from one angle and the ref from another. Therefore between them you want the decision to be right."
As well as being angry with Shoebridge, Warnock insisted that Bristol City boss Gary Johnson and his players "could have shown more sportsmanship because they knew it was a goal". And the Palace boss was unrepentant about his post-match comments when he spoke again on Sunday, insisting he felt City were morally obliged to have allowed his side to score a goal after Shoebridge's blunder. "Nothing has changed," said Warnock. "I feel really hurt and almost cheated out of a result. I felt sorry for the lads after all the work and preparation they put in. "We've already got a transfer embargo upon us and we lost Stern John last week in the first game, a striker, so to score goals is hard enough as it is. "The body language of the Bristol players and the fans should have told the referee it was a goal. If it had been at the other end of the pitch, there would have been a riot. "Refs make mistakes but morally I felt Bristol should have let us score a goal there."
Johnson was quick to hit back at Warnock, though. "Cheating is not a very nice word to use especially when we had nothing to do with it except for being the opposition on this occasion," said the City boss. "We knew the ball had gone into the net, but we got word the ref said there was an infringement so there is nothing more we can do. "It happened to us twice last year and it is very disappointing and you have a little moan and you get on with it. I can understand Neil being disappointed but you have to choose your words these days.
"But nobody has cheated, nobody means to make mistakes and we had a perfectly good goal on the day ruled out for offside.
"That happens. It will happen to us many times and to Palace many times and you are aggrieved and you have got to get on with it."
Warnock, whose side were eventually beaten by an 89th-minute goal from Nicky Maynard, believes that officials need to be given help if they fail to spot such incidents.
"Refs need help if they can't see that is a goal," he said. "If they can't spot these injustices they have got to have help."
Freddie Sears fired home on 30 minutes but referee Rob Shoebridge failed to spot that the ball had crossed the line before bouncing out off a stanchion. After the match, Warnock claimed his side had been "cheated". And Hackett admitted: "You would like to think the match officials would have spotted the ball had crossed the line."
As well as saying sorry to Warnock, Hackett also offered his apologies to the Palace fans who had travelled to Bristol. "They are passionate and I apologise they travelled all that way to see a goal ruled out by an error from the match officials," he said.
Hackett, the general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Board, also confirmed that Shoebridge has been dropped from officiating Tuesday's Championship match between Plymouth and Cardiff as a result of his error. "He was scheduled to do a game in midweek. He won't be doing that. We have been working on that this morning. The ref has been spoken to," said Hackett. "It applies to the referee's assistant as well. Ideally you want the assistant looking from one angle and the ref from another. Therefore between them you want the decision to be right."
As well as being angry with Shoebridge, Warnock insisted that Bristol City boss Gary Johnson and his players "could have shown more sportsmanship because they knew it was a goal". And the Palace boss was unrepentant about his post-match comments when he spoke again on Sunday, insisting he felt City were morally obliged to have allowed his side to score a goal after Shoebridge's blunder. "Nothing has changed," said Warnock. "I feel really hurt and almost cheated out of a result. I felt sorry for the lads after all the work and preparation they put in. "We've already got a transfer embargo upon us and we lost Stern John last week in the first game, a striker, so to score goals is hard enough as it is. "The body language of the Bristol players and the fans should have told the referee it was a goal. If it had been at the other end of the pitch, there would have been a riot. "Refs make mistakes but morally I felt Bristol should have let us score a goal there."
Johnson was quick to hit back at Warnock, though. "Cheating is not a very nice word to use especially when we had nothing to do with it except for being the opposition on this occasion," said the City boss. "We knew the ball had gone into the net, but we got word the ref said there was an infringement so there is nothing more we can do. "It happened to us twice last year and it is very disappointing and you have a little moan and you get on with it. I can understand Neil being disappointed but you have to choose your words these days.
"But nobody has cheated, nobody means to make mistakes and we had a perfectly good goal on the day ruled out for offside.
"That happens. It will happen to us many times and to Palace many times and you are aggrieved and you have got to get on with it."
Warnock, whose side were eventually beaten by an 89th-minute goal from Nicky Maynard, believes that officials need to be given help if they fail to spot such incidents.
"Refs need help if they can't see that is a goal," he said. "If they can't spot these injustices they have got to have help."
September Meeting
14/08/09 13:30
The September RA meeting will take place on Thursday
10th September, commencing at 7:45pm at Lairds Club.
Mike Dean has kindly offered to talk to the group and offer a presentation following him attending a FIFA Referee’s course in Geneva.
This will be an excellent opportunity for all referees. Non Members are very welcome.
Society members are asked to do their bit - while out and about at grounds - spread the word about the Wirral RA and its benefits. The RA is only as strong as its membership and lets strive to get the attendance back up to where it was a few seasons ago at 30+.
Without a strong attendance it is difficult for us to invite guest speakers, such as Select Group officials and other PGMO officials to talk to a dozen referees.
Mike Dean has kindly offered to talk to the group and offer a presentation following him attending a FIFA Referee’s course in Geneva.
This will be an excellent opportunity for all referees. Non Members are very welcome.
Society members are asked to do their bit - while out and about at grounds - spread the word about the Wirral RA and its benefits. The RA is only as strong as its membership and lets strive to get the attendance back up to where it was a few seasons ago at 30+.
Without a strong attendance it is difficult for us to invite guest speakers, such as Select Group officials and other PGMO officials to talk to a dozen referees.
Wirral District FA Cup Appointments Released
14/08/09 08:47
Wirral DFA have released their appointments to the
early rounds of District Cup competitions.
They can be found here
Good luck to all those who have been appointed.
They can be found here
Good luck to all those who have been appointed.
August RA Meeting
14/08/09 08:34
The meeting was held on Thursday 13th August. The
meeting also coincided with the Wirral Sunday League
Referees’ Panel meeting and both groups joined
together for a presentation on Foul & Abusive
language.
Select Group Referee Mike Dean also attended the meeting.
Jack Blakemore and Joe Copeland led the presentation and discussed management techniques regarding the use of Foul & Abusive language at the levels at which we operate.
It was a well received presentation and was an example of how you can develop your skills as a referee by being an active member of the RA.
The Wirral RA meet again on Thursday 10th September at Lairds Club with a 7:45pm start.
Select Group Referee Mike Dean also attended the meeting.
Jack Blakemore and Joe Copeland led the presentation and discussed management techniques regarding the use of Foul & Abusive language at the levels at which we operate.
It was a well received presentation and was an example of how you can develop your skills as a referee by being an active member of the RA.
The Wirral RA meet again on Thursday 10th September at Lairds Club with a 7:45pm start.
Wirral District FA Message
14/08/09 08:33
A
NOTE FROM JOHN DAVIES
Colleagues, Please note that the above meeting will be held tonight at Cammell Lairds Sports & Social Club St Peters Road Rock Ferry for those not familiar with the meeting it is next to Cammell Lairds Football Ground. Some of our senior match officials including Mike Dean from the elite group will be in attendance possibly to answer some of your questions I hope that you ALL CAN ATTEND Please note that those of the newer referees who wish to progress to a higher level it is now an instruction for you to attend these meeting as part of your development and will be taken into consideration if you want to progress through the County academy please try to attend if possible it is probably the best monthly meeting for you all to learn and help your development. Mike and Jack will give you all some helpful advice as will most of the senior members of the society plus it can be fun so long as the miserable assessors stay away!!!
Regards
John H Davies
Wirral District Football Association Referee's Secretary
Cheshire County F.A. Referee Academy Co-ordinator
F.A. Contributory League Match Assessor
Colleagues, Please note that the above meeting will be held tonight at Cammell Lairds Sports & Social Club St Peters Road Rock Ferry for those not familiar with the meeting it is next to Cammell Lairds Football Ground. Some of our senior match officials including Mike Dean from the elite group will be in attendance possibly to answer some of your questions I hope that you ALL CAN ATTEND Please note that those of the newer referees who wish to progress to a higher level it is now an instruction for you to attend these meeting as part of your development and will be taken into consideration if you want to progress through the County academy please try to attend if possible it is probably the best monthly meeting for you all to learn and help your development. Mike and Jack will give you all some helpful advice as will most of the senior members of the society plus it can be fun so long as the miserable assessors stay away!!!
Regards
John H Davies
Wirral District Football Association Referee's Secretary
Cheshire County F.A. Referee Academy Co-ordinator
F.A. Contributory League Match Assessor