Gary Willard

infobox football official
name = Gary Willard


fullname = Gareth S Willard
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1959|9|3
cityofbirth = Worthing, Sussex
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
otheroccupation = Inland Revenue
years = 1990-1994
1994-2000
league = Football League
Premier League
role = Referee
Referee
internationalyears = 1996-1999
confederation = FIFA listed
internationalrole = Referee

Gareth S. Willard (born September 3 1959 [ [http://www.zerozero.eu/uk/arbitro.php?id=1134 Birthdate confirmation] : "zerozero.eu" website.] ) is an English former football referee who officiated in the Football League and the Premier League, and for FIFA. He comes from Worthing in Sussex. [http://archive.theargus.co.uk/2004/10/5/109112.html Town of residence] and activities after retirement: The Argus (Brighton) website.] He has continued to maintain an involvement in top-class football since retiring in 2000. His other occupation was as an for the Inland Revenue. [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/1999/05/15/sfnref15.html Other occupation] : Daily Telegraph website.]

Career

Willard became a referee for the Football League in 1990, and was promoted to the Premier League list of referees in 1994. He became a FIFA referee in 1996.

On January 27 1998, he was referee for the Football League Cup semi-final first leg between Liverpool and Middlesbrough, which was a 2-1 home win. [ [http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=248362 League Cup semi-final first leg] , Liverpool v. Middlesbrough, 1998: soccerbase.com website.] He also controlled the semi-final second leg the following year in the same competition, when Spurs won 1-0 at Wimbledon on February 16 1999, for an aggregate win by that score. [ [http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=255910 League Cup semi-final second leg] , Wimbledon v. Spurs, 1999: soccerbase.com website.]

On March 28 1998, Willard was involved in "astonishing scenes" at Oakwell Stadium after the end of the Barnsley versus Liverpool match in the Premier League, which finished 2-3. He had occasion to send off three players from the home side - Darren Barnard, Chris Morgan and Martin Bullock - in the second half, causing play to be suspended for five minutes after Willard had been chased by an interloper following the second dismissal. He had to be given a "police safety escort" off the pitch after the game. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/70855.stm Three players sent off] and crowd trouble, Barnsley v. Liverpool, 1998: BBC News website.]

It has been commented that Willard had to withdraw from Premier League appointments after what turned out to be his last ever match in that competition due to fitness problems, [http://archive.theargus.co.uk/2001/8/13/173578.html Fitness problems] in 1999, and activities after retirement: The Argus (Brighton) website.] but he continued to referee for FIFA into the following season, once having the misfortune to mistakenly issue three yellow cards to FC Lausanne-Sport's Eduardo Magnin before sending him off during their home game against Celta Vigo in the UEFA Cup in September 1999. The English referees' chief at the time, Philip Don, stated that Willard had not taken any Premier League appointments due to "personal reasons". [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/1999/09/21/sfnlei21.html Three yellow cards equals one red] , Lausanne Sports v. Celta Vigo, UEFA Cup (also Philip Don's quote): Daily Telegraph website.]

That final Premiership game was West Ham's 4-0 win over Middlesbrough at Upton Park on May 16 1999. [ [http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=258838 Last ever Premier League match] , West Ham v. Middlesbrough, 1999: soccerbase.com website.]

Retirement

Following his official retirement in 2000, Willard served for one season on the FA Advisory Committee's video replay panel, subsequently becoming a match assessor for the Premier League and the Football League. He was also employed by PGMOL as a 'mentor' for referees and assistants progressing through the Football League, and additionally fulfilled the role as a refereeing coach to officials in his home county of Sussex.

References

External links

* [http://www.soccerbase.com/refs2.sd?refid=182 Gary Willard Referee Statistics] at soccerbase.com (incomplete)
* [http://www.markhodkinson.com/pages/excerpts_life_at_the_top.htm Mark Hodkinson's view of the Barnsley match] : excerpt from "Life At The Top", Mark Hodkinson, Queen Anne Press, 1998, ISBN 1-85291-602-8