Pembrokeshire Referees’ Centenary Dinner:

 

 
Pembrokeshire’s footballing referees celebrated 100 years of involvement in the game, since they first officiated matches in the county, with a celebratory centenary dinner at the Cleddau Bridge Hotel.
 
Special guest of honour at a packed venue was top referee Mike Dean, who has so far reffed at over Premiership matches and visited every ground, and travelled to over 30 countries since he stepped up to being an elite official.
 
Originally from the Wirral, Cheshire, he and his wife Corram, who accompanied him, now lives in Connah’s Quay, North Wales, and he provided a fascinating insight into the work of a paid official and a typical match day in the Premiership.
 
Did you know, for example, that the main Premiership matches televised live have 42 cameras at every game, covering every angle, and placing the ref and his assistants under huge pressure as they have to make instant decisions without recourse to a single action replay?!
 
Below are parts of Mike Dean’s CV to show how experienced he is:
· Started refereeing in 1985 and progressed to the referees list in 1997.
· 3 seasons as a football league referee and refereed the play off final in 2000 at the old Wembley between Darlington v Peterborough.
· Promoted to the Premier League Panel in season 2000.
· After one season the Select Group Referees panel was formed and he was one of the referees to be taken onto the list and paid a salary.
· Since 2000 refereed over 350 premier league games.
· Refereed the Championship final in 2006 at the Millennium Stadium between Leeds and Watford; also in 2009 at Wembley between Sheffield Utd and Burnley.
· Refereed Community Shield: Manchester United v Arsenal.
· FA Cup Final 2008 Cardiff v Portsmouth.
· International Panel from 2003 to 2013; with a full 11 years where he officiated in over 100 games abroad.
· Refereed Australia v Argentina in Melbourne in 2007 which was a first for an English referee.
· Refereed many games in Europa League and also acted as 4^th official and Additional Assistant in Champions League which includes Champions League semi-finals.
· Officiated in over 30 countries all over the world including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Barbados
 
Mike also answered questions with great honesty and a nice touch of humour, and had time to chat to everyone after, including the ladies who were eager for a ‘selfie’ photograph with Mr Dean.
 
His final duty was present the 'Referees' Referee' award to a clearly-delighted Angus Scourfield and his entourage from Whitland.

Sean O’Connor, the vice-chairman of the Pembrokeshire Referees’ Society, read Grace and Pedr McMullen, the fomer long-serving Hon Secretary, proposed a toast to the Referees Association of Wales, which was responded to by Gareth Keenor, the Secretary of the RAW.
 
Following Mike Keen’s innovative speech and excellent question and answer session, which was conducted by MC Bill Carne, an Hon Vice President of the Pembrokeshire Referees’ Society, the response was given by Jonathan Twigg, the chairman of the PRS.
 
Thanks were given in his inimitable style by Danny Thomas, the president, who presented a bottle of Welsh Whisky to the special guest, and a Port Meirion vase to Mrs Dean before the entertaining evening ended to the lively music supplied by the Steve Briers’ Disco.

PHOTOS:
Mike Dean with Angus Scourfield.
Mike Dean joins old timers Pedr McMullen, Bill Carne and Danny Thomas.