English Premier League Referees, Matchweek 3 (August 30 & 31)
Light week this week, and we’re seeing a couple of new referee faces. Or, at least, new to this season’s matches.
It’s great to see Phil Dowd (above) in action again, and with a big one, too: Tottenham v. Liverpool. Dude’s what? 51? He’s the poster boy for eliminating refereeing age limits. (There are rumors that even FIFA plans to do away with the 45-year-old limit.)
He was fourth official at the Sunderland v. Manchester United match this past Sunday, and I must say, he’s looking quite fit for 51.
The other new face is Robert Madley, who will take the cracker between (absolutely awful) QPR and Sunderland on Saturday. I know bugger all about Madley, so will be interested to see how he does.
The Big Man, Mark Clattenburg, has Villa v. Hull on Sunday.
As of today (Tuesday) there’s a strange blank spot for the Swansea v. West Brom center ref. Since the AR1 is Harry Lennard – and his usual center referee Chris Foy has a game at Burnley – I’m guessing this will either be Lee Probert or Andre Marriner (both of whom Lennard also tends to work with).
Both Probert and Marriner have yet to take a game this season due to injuries; PGMOL could be holding the spot to see which of them is match fit. I’ll update this as soon as I hear.
Note: I’ve been informed on Twitter that Premier League is saying Paul Tierney will referee Swansea v. West Brom. Tierney is not a regular PL referee, but neither is Madley, so I’m not sure why they wouldn’t announce him there and not here. It’s possible he’s a placeholder, but we’ll see. If he’s not, I’m hoping Probert and Marriner get fit soon. I miss those guys…
Featured photo: thefa.com
PLAY THE ADVANTAGE 
Have you noticed that some of the refs/4th officials are at matches on both days? the gorgeous clatts is 4th to chris foy at burnley on sat then at villa on sunday in the middle on sun at villa (last time i checked there was only 1 prem ref called mark clattenburg) k. freind is 4th twice once to mike jones and onse to clatts and anthony talor is a 4th at qpr and was in the middle for the arsenal match
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4th Officials are center refs. My guess is the fact that Andre Marriner and Lee Probert haven’t been available caused other refs to have to pull shifts.
As for Clatts, the man is a superhero. He can be two places at once.
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