Jeff Winter

Jeff Winter (born 18 April 1955 [ [http://www.zerozero.pt/uk/arbitro.php?id=76 Birthdate confirmation] : "zerozero.pt" website.] ) is a former FA Premier League referee from Middlesbrough in the north-east of England.

Career

Winter took charge of the 2004 FA Cup Final between Manchester United and Millwall, his final game as a professional referee before retirement. Winter also appeared as an official on the BBC TV programme "Superstars".

His 2006 autobiography, "Who's The B*****d In The Black?" was notable for Winter's sense of self-importance, particularly in his treatment of his final game as referee of a professional league match, where he suggests that the crowd's warm reaction at the end might have been reserved for him.cite news | date=2006-02-04 | url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8304-2024014,00.html | title=Winter's tale: a lot of p*ges, a lot of m*mories. And a lot of b******s | publisher=The Times | accessdate=2006-11-12 | author=Giles Smith] :

In the end I played a little bit extra, waiting until play was at the Kop end, before sounding the final shrill blast - a bit like the Last Post. The fans behind the goal burst into spontaneous applause. It was longer and louder than normal, even for a big home win. Did they know it was my final visit? Was the applause for me? They are such knowledgeable football people, that it would not surprise me.

A critical "Times" review of the book suggested a more plausible explanation for the extra applause was that the game saw Liverpool take the advantage in the race with Newcastle United for 4th and final UEFA Champions League place for the next season with their 4-0 defeat of Blackburn Rovers.

Since the year 2006, he has officiated in the annual series of national six-a-side tournaments called Masters Football, referees for which are FA endorsed. This competition features ex-professional footballers chosen by the PFA, and is televised on Sky TV. [ [http://www.mastersfootball.com/refs_jeffwinter.htm Masters Football Profile] ] He worked for TFM Radio on Teesside until June 2008 [ [http://www.hartlepool.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=111557 Jeff Winter Leaves TFM] . Vital Hartlepool article.] and currently writes a weekly column for Vital Hartlepool. [ [http://www.hartlepool.vitalfootball.co.uk/sitepage.asp?a=89209 Jeff Winter's page at Vital Hartlepool] .]

Since then Jeff has switched teams and signed to present a Football phone-in on Darlington station Alpha 103.2 in July 2008, Sats at 6pm for the new season.

"MQ Magazine" stated in 2005 that Winter is one of five freemasons to referee the FA Cup Final. [cite web
publisher="MQ Magazine"
month=January | year=2005
url=http://www.mqmagazine.co.uk/issue-12/p-41.php
page=41
author=John Jackson
title=Man in the Middle
accessdate=2007-08-13]

References

Print

*"Who's The B*****d In The Black? Confessions of a Premiership Referee", Jeff Winter, Ebury Press, 2006 (ISBN 0091909178)

Internet