Stuart Attwell

Stuart Attwell is an English Football League referee, from Nuneaton in Warwickshire. [ [http://www.hereford.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=77303 Hereford United - Ref Watch: Stuart Attwell ] ] He was promoted to the Football League at the beginning of the 2007/08 Season, and was quickly rewarded for a number of good performances by being given Football League Championship fixtures including Southampton vs Bristol City , and Barnsley vs Hull City . [ [http://www.football-lineups.com/referee/548/ Stuart Attwell - Football Referee ] ] On May 19th 2008 Attwell was pronounced to be officiating the League Two Play-off Final between Rochdale and Stockport County at Wembley on May 26th 2008. [ [http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/MatchOfficialsAppointments/0,,10794~1315657,00.html MATCH OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS | The Football League | Referees | Appointments ] ] . Attwell did not have the greatest of starts as a Championship referee. Within 6 minutes of the Sheffield United Versus Blackpool game Attwell made a match changing decision. Blackpool's Ian Evatt was adjudged to have committed a professional foul on Sheffield United's Billy Sharp, though replays show that there was no contact and therefore not a penalty, Attwell sent Evatt off and awarded Sheffield United a penalty (Which was saved by Blackpool keeper Paul Rachubka). Blackpool manager Simon Grayson questioned the Football League's decision to put such an inexperienced referee in charge of such a high pressure game. [ [http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sports-news/Grayson-hails-finest-point.3621305.jp Grayson Hails Finest Point | The Blackpool Gazette | 27 December 2007 | Steve Canavan ] ] . Fansites after the match dubbed Attwell a 'buffoon'. [ [http://fansonline.net/blackpool/article.php?id=117 Sheffield United 1-1 Blackpool | AnotherViewFromThe Tower.co.uk| 26 December 2007 | The Editor ] ] . Things did not get much better for Attwell in the following weeks. In the F.A. Cup 3rd Round tie between Swansea City and Havant & Waterlooville Attwell was accused of not being able to control the players by Swansea manager Roberto Martinez [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/swansea_city/7173903.stm Swansea boss rues Referee's role | BBC SPORT | 6 January 2008 | BBC SPORT ] ] .

Stuart Attwell has also been included in the Select Group of referees for the season 2008/09. [ [http://www.refworld.com/filebrowser/Files/Referee-Coaching-Groups-2008-09.pdf PGMOL Coaching Structure 2008/09 Confirming Attwell as a Select Group Referee ] ] This is likely to give him the opportunity to referee on the English Premier League, and he will be employed Full-time by the Professional Game Match Officials Association.On the 25th of June 2008, he was promoted to the list of top flight officials in the Premier League, after just one season in the Football League. This made him the youngest ever Premier League referee at 25 years of age. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7473365.stm BBC Football- Premier League names youngest ref ] ] On Saturday the 23rd of August 2008 he made his Premier League debut when he refereed Blackburn Rovers F.C. V Hull City A.F.C., the game finished 1-1 with goals from Jason Roberts & Richard Garcia and one caution to Ian Ashbee of Hull City A.F.C.. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7565042.stm BBC Football - Premier League Blackburn 1-1 Hull ] ]

On the 20th September 2008, Attwell refereed a game between Watford and Reading at Vicarage Road and allowed a goal to stand which had actually gone four yards wide, much to the bemusement of all players and fans present on the day- despite the fact Attwell was merely following the decision of the linesman. The goal quickly became known as 'the ghost goal'. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/7614022.stm] It was ruled that the game would not be replayed as this would set a dangerous precedent for reversal of refereeing decisions. It reopened the debate for goal line technology, though this looks like being a long way away, as FIFA have cancelled the goal line trials it had in place the beginning of the 2007/08 season.

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