Tom’s catching the eye as a football referee

 

Tom Bevan has been chosen to officiate as assistant referee fort the Football Association of Wales Youth Cup Final at the Liberty Stadium, Swansea, where Swansea City Youth take on their counterparts from local rivals West End.

 

 

It is fitting reward for Tom (26) after three years with the whistle after previously playing in goal for Clarbeston Road. He is currently the only referee in the county on the ‘Fast-Track’ system for promising referees and has already been in charge of Welsh League Division One and Two matches, plus games in the Welsh Youth League, Welsh Premier Youth League and the Ladies’ Welsh Premier League. The last game he refereed in the Ladies Welsh Premier League was recently between Swansea City and Wrexham.

 

He is mentored by top Welsh referee Mark Whitby and, Tom says,

“It is brilliant to have someone at the end of a phone to ask advice from – and when he watches me ref is always constructive in his comments. Being a member of the Pembrokeshire Referees’ Society is also a help because there are experienced officials there whose brains I can pick.””

 

 

Ironically, Tom only began refereeing every week after sustaining two head injuries whilst playing in goal for Clarbeston Road.

“They were exactly a year apart,” said Tom, and the first earned me a night in casualty at Withybush Hospital and to be honest the next day I couldn’t remember a thing about the actual game.

“The next one wasn’t quite as serious but I decided to switch to being a referee because I had qualified as a 17 year old and had reffed junior matches whenever I could.”

 

It was a move that Tom hasn’t once regretted in the intervening time, even during odd matches where he has had players who don’t know the way to behave on a pitch.

“I just do what I think is right  and if players step over the boundary they have to be penalised, how badly is in their own hands.”

 

 

He has already officiated at the under 16s final between Carew and West Dragons and last season was on the line for the same teams in the Second Division Cup Final – and admits that he enjoys the local matches because he had played against most of the players.

 

Ask Tom about his family and he would say that he has had great support from them.

“My dad Huw has been involved at Clarbie for as long as I can remember, as a player, manager and coach. He is a bit of a legend at the club and my brother Richard plays up front, whilst sister Adele and brother Jamie play for the Cleddau Warriors. Mum Yvette gets us all organised and is great at looking after our kit – but my girl friend Pippa hasn’t any interest in football!”

 

 

Huw was in attendance at Richmond Park, Carmarthen, when Tom was assistant referee for the Welsh Under 17 Girls’ international against Poland, and was given the job of taking a picture of the official line up for the presentations and playing of national anthems.

But Huw found himself on the wrong side of the pitch and could only manage a snap of Tom and Co from the rear – and from all of 60 yards away!

 

Tom has clearly impressed this recent campaign because he was given control of Welsh League matches at the Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium and at West End, with both teams entertaining Tata Steel.

“The games involving Haverfordwest County and West End were like chalk and cheese in how they had to be handled,” said Tom, “as the latter posed a lot more challenges in dealing with the players and the crowd.”

 

 

PHOTOS:

Tom runs the line for that Wales v Poland match

Tom Bevan

Tom with other officials at the Wales v Poland match