Mick
Life President
Prior to this season there were four categories of referee covering the top 5 levels of English football. The Select Group did Premier League matches, the Select Group Two did the Championship matches, the National List did League One and League Two and the Class 2A referees did the National League. This season the National List has been combined with the Class 2A referees to create one large group of 87 referees who will between them take charge of League One, League Two and National League matches allowing more flexibility and fluidity in the appointments. Anything that brings the National League closer to the Football League is probably good.
League matches against York started when the Divisions Three North and South were disbanded and since then we’ve played them 48 times. We’ve won 19 of those to York’s 17 with 12 draws. Among the more memorable of the scorelines was the 4-4 draw at Roots Hall some 26 years ago. The year before last we did the double over them by a 4-0 margin. Last year they did the double over us by a 4-0 margin. Our turn !!
The referee for our curtain raiser is Farai Hallam from Redbridge. He has a top role as Premier League Academy Manager having previously worked for the FA for 8 years in various senior roles leading up to National Referee Manager. A promising footballer, who aspired to represent Zimbabwe, he was at Stevenage as an academy player and turned out at Boots and Laces in a 0-1 victory for them. Injuries ended his playing career before it got going.
Last season he took charge of 15 National League matches (39 yellows and just one red) and 6 Football League/Football League Trophy games (24 yellows, no reds) so certainly at National League level his card count was way below average.
That will not surprise anyone who saw him referee the Boreham Wood Trophy match at Roots Hall the previous season. We won with just one yellow card apiece (Scott-Morriss got ours) and Maher was also shown a yellow. There could easily have been more.
Prior to that, he lined at Roots Hall for the Maidenhead game and also for the away match at Aldershot, both 2021/22.
Assisting will be Shaun Farrer from Reigate, making his Roots Hall debut unlike the other Assistant, Londoner, James Hurst who makes his 9th appearance and second consecutive Roots Hall home match, having lined in the Rochdale game. Jack Willmore from Clacton-on-Sea is Fourth Official just as he was for that Boreham Wood match and it will be his 6th time at Roots Hall in that role.
League matches against York started when the Divisions Three North and South were disbanded and since then we’ve played them 48 times. We’ve won 19 of those to York’s 17 with 12 draws. Among the more memorable of the scorelines was the 4-4 draw at Roots Hall some 26 years ago. The year before last we did the double over them by a 4-0 margin. Last year they did the double over us by a 4-0 margin. Our turn !!
The referee for our curtain raiser is Farai Hallam from Redbridge. He has a top role as Premier League Academy Manager having previously worked for the FA for 8 years in various senior roles leading up to National Referee Manager. A promising footballer, who aspired to represent Zimbabwe, he was at Stevenage as an academy player and turned out at Boots and Laces in a 0-1 victory for them. Injuries ended his playing career before it got going.
Last season he took charge of 15 National League matches (39 yellows and just one red) and 6 Football League/Football League Trophy games (24 yellows, no reds) so certainly at National League level his card count was way below average.
That will not surprise anyone who saw him referee the Boreham Wood Trophy match at Roots Hall the previous season. We won with just one yellow card apiece (Scott-Morriss got ours) and Maher was also shown a yellow. There could easily have been more.
Prior to that, he lined at Roots Hall for the Maidenhead game and also for the away match at Aldershot, both 2021/22.
Assisting will be Shaun Farrer from Reigate, making his Roots Hall debut unlike the other Assistant, Londoner, James Hurst who makes his 9th appearance and second consecutive Roots Hall home match, having lined in the Rochdale game. Jack Willmore from Clacton-on-Sea is Fourth Official just as he was for that Boreham Wood match and it will be his 6th time at Roots Hall in that role.
boom
