Select Group
The Select Group is a panel of English professional football referees and assistant referees, appointed by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL). The group was first formed in 2001, when England became the first country to use fully professional referees in its top flight.[1]
Select Group officials
[edit]In summer 2023 and summer 2024, the PGMOL provided updates on the promotions of match officials.
There are 21 Select Group 1 referees, 31 Select Group 1 assistant referees, 21 Select Group 2 referees, and 35 Select Group 2 assistant referees.[2][3][4]
Select Group 1 referees
[edit]Select Group 1 assistant referees
[edit]- Natalie Aspinall
- Simon Bennett
- Gary Beswick
- Lee Betts
- Stuart Burt
- Darren Cann
- Dan Cook
- Neil Davies
- Derek Eaton
- Nick Greenhalgh
- Constantine Hatzidakis
- Adrian Holmes
- Nick Hopton
- Akil Howson
- Ian Hussin
- Scott Ledger
- Harry Lennard
- Simon Long
- James Mainwaring
- Sian Massey-Ellis
- Steve Meredith
- Adam Nunn
- Marc Perry
- Dan Robathan
- Mark Scholes
- Eddie Smart
- Wade Smith
- Craig Taylor
- Richard West
- Mat Wilkes
- Tim Wood
Select Group 2 referees
[edit]- Sam Allison
- Anthony Backhouse
- James Bell
- John Busby
- Andy Davies
- Matt Donohue
- Leigh Doughty
- Geoff Eltringham
- Andrew Kitchen
- Oli Langford
- James Linington
- Bobby Madley
- Steve Martin
- Tom Nield
- Jeremy Simpson
- Josh Smith
- Keith Stroud
- Gavin Ward
- David Webb
- Rebecca Welch
- Dean Whitestone
Select Group 2 assistant referees
[edit]- Blake Antrobus
- George Byrne
- Ian Cooper
- Adam Crysell
- Andrew Dallison
- Mark Dwyer
- Carl Fitch-Jackson
- Andrew Fox
- Hugh Gilroy
- Paul Hodskinson
- Shaun Hudson
- Jonny Hunt
- Rob Hyde
- Alex James
- Matthew Jones
- Graham Kane
- Hristo Karaivanov
- Dan Leach
- Sam Lewis
- Geoff Liddle
- Nigel Lugg
- Matthew McGrath
- Greg Read
- Mark Russell
- Bhupinder Singh Gill
- Matt Smith
- Rob Smith
- Mark Stevens
- Lee Venamore
- Richard Wild
- Darren Williams
- James Wilson
- Richard Woodward
Women's Select Group officials
[edit]In summer 2023 and summer 2024, the PGMOL provided updates on the promotions of match officials.
There are 18 Women's Super League referees, 35 Women's Super League assistant referees, 24 Women's Championship referees, and 32 Women's Championship assistant referees, although some officials hold dual roles.[5][4]
Women's Super League referees
[edit]- Lisa Benn
- Mel Burgin
- Abi Byrne
- Phoebe Cross
- Kirsty Dowle
- Amy Fearn
- Cheryl Foster
- Stacey Fullicks
- Cristiana Hattersley
- Emily Heaslip
- Lauren Impey
- Lucy May
- Stacey Pearson
- Yasmin Saeed
- Jane Simms
- Ade Soneye
- Rebecca Welch
- Megan Wilson
Women's Super League assistant referees
[edit]- Jon Ashworth-Sears
- Natalie Aspinall
- Georgia Ball
- Nicoleta Bria
- Ella Broad
- Melissa Cairns
- Emily Carney
- Lorraine Catchpole
- Isabel Chaplin
- Abby Dearden
- Sophie Dennington
- Ffion Eade
- Aaron Ford
- Hannah Gardner
- Magda Golba
- Levi Gray
- Leoni Harland
- Harley Hetherington
- Dora Jakab
- Matt Joyce
- Aimee Keir
- Grace Lowe
- Sian Massey-Ellis
- Lucy-Anne McCann
- David Middleton
- Callum Parke
- Ali Rahjoo
- Lisa Rashid
- Chloe-Ann Small
- Ruby Sykes
- Laura van Lier
- Anastasiya Voloshchuk
- Jade Wardle
- Lauren Whiteman
- Ceri Williams
Women's Championship referees
[edit]- Jon Ashworth-Sears
- Nicoleta Bria
- Ella Broad
- Melissa Cairns
- Isabel Chaplin
- Abby Dearden
- Sophie Dennington
- Ffion Eade
- Aaron Ford
- Hannah Gardner
- Magda Golba
- Levi Gray
- Joanne Horwood
- Dora Jakab
- Aimee Keir
- Grace Lowe
- David Middleton
- Callum Parke
- Ali Rahjoo
- Chloe-Ann Small
- Ruby Sykes
- Laura van Lier
- Jade Wardle
- Lauren Whiteman
Women's Championship assistant referees
[edit]- Folu Aladelusi
- Zeyad Ahmed
- Katie Allen
- Emmanuel Arakpogun
- Alex Beeley
- Luke Bowles
- Josh Brayshaw
- Adriana Bucur
- Michael Butcher
- Josh Dear
- Gareth Dunn
- Ralph Frostick
- Richard Fullicks
- Dasa Griffin
- Elora Hardstaff
- Rosie Johns
- Elle-Louise Kaplicz
- Joseph Karram
- Julia Kings
- Maya Korpal
- Lee Markwick
- Darren McCall
- David Mitchell
- Amy Purser
- Charlotte Sparling Haythornthwaite
- Rhiannon Stevens
- Daniel Sykes
- Emma Taylor
- Soada Tushaj
- Steven Walsh
- Peter Wilson
- Yashar Yekta
FIFA international match officials
[edit]There are 16 referees, 19 assistant referees, and 11 video match officials on the 2024 FIFA International List, although some hold dual roles.[6]
Referees
[edit]- Stuart Attwell
- John Brooks
- Abigail Byrne
- Kirsty Dowle
- Darren England
- Cheryl Foster
- Jarred Gillett
- Emily Heaslip
- Robert Jones
- Chris Kavanagh
- Andy Madley
- Michael Oliver
- Craig Pawson
- Stacey Pearson
- Anthony Taylor
- Rebecca Welch
Assistant referees
[edit]- Natalie Aspinall
- Georgia Ball
- Simon Bennett
- Gary Beswick
- Lee Betts
- Nicoleta Bria
- Stuart Burt
- Emily Carney
- Dan Cook
- Neil Davies
- Sophie Dennington
- Ian Hussin
- Harry Lennard
- James Mainwaring
- Sian Massey-Ellis
- Lucy-Anne McCann
- Adam Nunn
- Lisa Rashid
- Ceri Williams
Video match officials
[edit]- Stuart Attwell
- Peter Bankes
- Lee Betts
- David Coote
- Darren England
- Jarred Gillett
- Chris Kavanagh
- Andy Madley
- Sian Massey-Ellis
- Craig Pawson
- Michael Salisbury
Notable international appointments
[edit]Some former and current Select Group 1 officials have overseen major international final matches.
Former Select Group 1 assistant referee Phil Sharp was a part of the team for the 2002 FIFA World Cup final.[7]
Howard Webb adjudicated the 2010 UEFA Champions League final and subsequently the 2010 FIFA World Cup final. Webb was supported on both occasions by assistant referees Darren Cann and Mike Mullarkey.[8][9]
Mark Clattenburg has supervised the 2012 Olympic final, the 2016 UEFA Champions League final, and subsequently the UEFA Euro 2016 final. The assistant referees that supported Clattenburg during these finals, were: Simon Beck, Steve Child, and Jake Collin.[10][11][12]
Anthony Taylor has officiated the 2021 UEFA Nations League final, the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup final, and the 2023 UEFA Europa League final. For each final, Taylor was supported by assistant referees Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn.[13][14][15]
Michael Oliver refereed the 2022 UEFA Super Cup between Real Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt. He was assisted by Stuart Burt and Simon Bennett.[16]
Rebecca Welch oversaw the 2024 UEFA Women's Champions League final between Barcelona and Lyon. She was assisted by Natalie Aspinall and Emily Carney.[17]
Former Select Group officials
[edit]Select Group 1
[edit]Referees
[edit]- Martin Atkinson
- Graham Barber
- Neale Barry
- Steve Bennett
- Mark Clattenburg
- Mike Dean
- Phil Dowd
- Steve Dunn
- Paul Durkin
- Andy D'Urso
- Roger East
- David Elleray
- Chris Foy
- Kevin Friend
- Dermot Gallagher
- Mark Halsey
- Mike Jones
- Peter Jones
- Barry Knight
- Andre Marriner
- Lee Mason
- Matt Messias
- Jon Moss
- Graham Poll
- Lee Probert
- David Pugh
- Uriah Rennie
- Mike Riley
- Keith Stroud
- Rob Styles
- Neil Swarbrick
- Steve Tanner
- Peter Walton
- Howard Webb
- Alan Wiley
- Clive Wilkes
- Jeff Winter
- Eddie Wolstenholme
Assistant referees
[edit]- Stephen Artis
- Nigel Bannister
- Simon Beck
- Charles Breakspear
- Dave Bryan
- Andrew Butler
- Mike Cairns
- Steve Child
- Jake Collin
- John Flynn
- Ron Ganfield
- Andy Garratt
- Andy Halliday
- Patrick Keane
- Peter Kirkup
- Rob Lewis
- Trevor Massey
- Mo Matadar
- Mick McDonough
- Dean Mohareb
- Mike Mullarkey
- Michael Murphy
- Andy Newbold
- Bob Pollock
- Shaun Procter-Green
- Ceri Richards
- David Richardson
- Phil Sharp
- Billy Smallwood
- John Stokes
- Gary Stott
- Paul Thompson
- Mike Tingey
- Glenn Turner
- Adam Watts
- Andy Williams
- Martin Yerby
Select Group 2
[edit]These officials made it to Select Group 2, but not Select Group 1.
Referees
[edit]- James Adcock
- Scott Duncan
- Andy Woolmer
Assistant referees
[edit]- Chris Akers
- David Avent
- Andrew Aylott
- Nik Barnard
- Darren Blunden
- John Flynn
- Matt Foley
- Mike George
- Adam Matthews
- Rob Merchant
- Mark Jones
- Tony Peart
- Mark Pottage
- Geoff Russell
- Billy Smallwood
- Dean Treleaven
- Adrian Waters
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Ralston, William (21 March 2023). "The impossible job: inside the world of Premier League referees". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "The full list of referees and assistant referees for the 2023/24 #PL season".
- ^ "The full list of Select Group 2 referees and assistant referees for the 2023/24 #EFL season".
- ^ a b "We are delighted to confirm the list of match officials who will be operating at higher levels across the men's and women's professional game for the 2024/25 season".
- ^ "The Select Group Women's Professional Game for the 2023/24 #BarclaysWSL & #BarclaysWC season".
- ^ "FIFA International list of Match Officials".
- ^ "FIFA World Cup".
- ^ "Webb gets Madrid assignment". 20 May 2010.
- ^ "Howard Webb given honour of refereeing World Cup final". The Guardian. 8 July 2010.
- ^ "Mark Clattenburg to referee men's Olympic final".
- ^ "Clattenburg to referee Champions League final". 10 May 2016.
- ^ "Clattenburg named referee for UEFA EURO 2016 final". 8 July 2016.
- ^ "English Ref Anthony Taylor and His Team to Take Charge of Spain V France in Milan".
- ^ "English officials get Club World Cup Final call-up".
- ^ "Referee teams appointed for 2023 UEFA club competition finals". 22 May 2023.
- ^ "Michael Oliver to referee 2022 UEFA Super Cup with Semi-Automated Offside Technology to be introduced". 3 August 2022.
- ^ "Referee teams for 2024 UEFA club competition finals announced". 13 May 2024.
Promotion and retirement links
[edit]- "Attwell and Tierney promoted to Select Group".
- "Chris Kavanagh called upon to officiate in the 2017/18 Premier League".
- "Jones and Swarbrick to call time on careers".
- "Four fresh faces, including two referees, will officiate in 2018/19 after being promoted to Select Group 1".
- "Child and Halliday to retire as assistant referees".
- "East blows full-time on career as referee".
- "Bankes and Madley promoted for new season".
- "Probert calls time on refereeing career".
- "Referees England and Jones promoted to Select Group 1".
- "Mason to call time on 15-year career".
- "EFL Match Officials confirmed for 2021/22 season".
- "Four new referees for 2021/22 Premier League".
- "The men, the cards, the ire: Farewell Mike Dean, Martin Atkinson, and Jon Moss". Daily Mirror. 20 May 2022.
- Wallace, Sam (21 June 2022). "Premier League facing shortfall of experienced referees as Kevin Friend steps down". The Telegraph.
- "Four new officials for 2022/23 Premier League".
- "Referee Marriner announces retirement".
- "What's new for 2023/24: Match officials".
