Micky's Pembrokeshire
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Helmut loves Pembrokeshire Football!
Helmut Reinhardt is currently one of the better-known referees in the Manderwood Pembrokeshire Football League as his distinctive accent is combined with a willingness to officiate local football matches at any time and in any place.
Helmut originally hails from Tus-Happendas- Cherhoff, with Homburg as the nearest big city, which is close to the French/Luxemburg border, and readily admits that football has always been his first sporting love since he started out as a 10 year old sweeper before switching to striker and scoring his share of goals. He laughingly says he was a lot fitter and lighter in weight in those days and his best memory of playing football in Germany came when he played in the Saarland equivalent of the Senior Cup and scored the winning goal in a penalty shoot-out!
Pembrokeshire-bound
He came to the UK with the German Army and whilst here met his wife Heidi, a Johnston girl, and they eventually moved back to Germany for seven years before returning to Pembrokeshire to settle. Helmut started playing football for Herbrandston after meeting up with Gary Davies, Julio Galdo, Nick Skudder and Billy West (Heidi’s Uncle).
He carried on playing for the second team there until, after 35 years in the game, he decided it was time to give up, turning out in his final match, against Milford Athletic at Pill Lane. He actually played that match in goal, his only ever appearance in that position, and although he conceded five goals, Herbie still won by the odd goal in 11!
Trained by Pedr
Helmut had already decided he would try his hand at reffing and decided he had to put something back into the game he so he spoke to local ref Jonathan Twigg, who put him in touch with League sec Brian Hawkins. In no time at all, Helmut was meeting with Referee’s Training Officer Pedr McMullen, who took him through the referees’ course.
“Pedr is a walking football law book and was a great help,” says Helmut with a chuckle, “and he also relates to the game because he was a very good ref himself.”
After six weekly sessions he received his free set of kit and was into his first game, which was between the second strings of Fishguard and Manorbier.
“I enjoyed it,” says Helmut, “but I had to give a red card for being stupidly sworn at by one player, when he should have just walked away.”
Six smashing seasons
There has followed six seasons of real enjoyment and Helmut would encourage other players close to retirement to take up the whistle.
“It is the next best thing to playing and most players are fine off the pitch, and regularly use my taxi service if they are in Haverfordwest.”
His only sadness is that local players now mimic the top players with their antics.
“I have always believed that football is a man’s game,” he said, “with fair physical contact as a basic part of the game. But now we have a lot of prima donnas who mourn if anyone touches them – and so-called supporters who try to wind the opposition up to get them sent off – it is very sad.”
“I readily admit that refs make mistakes but so do players – so they just need to get on with the game. Calling us cheats is childish and unnecessary. They need to look at players like Fraser Watson, who plays for Solva when there is no rugby at Whitland. He plays a hard game but never questions a decision – perhaps that is where rugby refs have an easier ride than we do!”
Reffing highlights
Ask Helmut about highlights so far as a referee and he would say it was great to officiate at the fifth division cup final and every age group in junior cup finals. But above all else was the fact that he joined another local referee in Adrian Harries as the assistant referees for the Welsh ladies’ Cup Final between Swansea City and Caernarvon in Aberystwyth last April.
“It was a great day,” says Helmut, “with some really good football. We were treated really well and the match appeared on ‘Sgorio’, which was nice.”
He is now a Level Six official, which allows him to ref in the Welsh League Division Three, and he has also officiated in the second division and the Welsh Ladies’ Premier League. He doesn’t mind the travel but, like all refs, his main ambition would be to one day be honoured with responsibility for the Senior Cup Final back here in Pembrokeshire!
Family support – and a sense of humour!
Helmut is very lucky to receive the full support of his better half Heidi in his refereeing and his son Ben (13) looks like following in the family’s footballing tradition as a goalkeeper with Camrose Under 14s – whilst daughter Jessica (16) is a very useful netball player.
“They are all brilliant with regard to my football and I couldn’t have better support,” admits Helmut.
Talk to Helmut Reinhardt for a short while and it is easy to see his love for football in Pembrokeshire and he is always ready to talk about it. He can laugh at himself in the process, like the time we featured a little story about him officiating in Stebonheath and stubbing his big toe as he tried to take his boots off.
“You guys were very naughty but we had a good laugh about it in the Reinhardt family,” he says with a chuckle.
And finally . . .
He is also amused by cricket, having played once with the referees at Whitland and trying his hand as a wicket-keeper – and watched a rugby match between Pembroke Dock Quins and Haverfordwest.
“I didn’t really understand the rules but I thought the respect shown to the referee by players was superb.”
And that is the message that Helmut would like to get across to footballers because he firmly believes that if that mutual respect came back into local football then there would be far more ex-players ready to pick up the whistle and put something back into a great sport! We at PembrokeshireSport.Co.Uk can only agree with this likeable and modest man in black!
PHOTOS:
Helmut Reinhardt
Helmut with son Ben at the Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium
Helmut as a cup final referee with assistants Chris Stapleton & Keith McNiffe
Helmut (sitting, far right) clearly enjoying himself at a referees' society meeting
