Senior Cup Final Officials 2019

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	Tom Bevan - Aged 32 Electrician Tom is the referee given the honour of refereeing the 2018-19 Senior Cup Final at The Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium, where Carew take on Merlins Bridge in front of what is expected to be a big crowd. These days Tom officiates at relatively few matches in the Manderwood Pembrokeshire League but that is because his skills in the middle have seen him progress to Level Two, which sees him taking on to the role of fourth official in the Welsh Premier League and the referee in Welsh League Division One and Two matches. Tom played in goal for Clarbeston Road but two nasty head injuries sustained as he dived at opponents’ feet saw him forced to stand down and so he took up refereeing – and he hasn’t looked back since! He quickly caught the eye with his quiet but firm authority and one of the undoubted highlights came when he was chosen to take charge of the West Wales Cup Final at The Liberty Stadium when Team Swansea beat CRC Rangers by 1-0. Another ‘big moment’ came when he was referee of an international match between Wales Girls under 17s and their counterparts from Poland at Carmarthen, although his hopes of a pre-match picture of both teams and officials was damaged when dad Huw, a great Clarbie man, proved he was no photographer by being on the wrong side of the Richmond Park pitch and only able to snap backsides aplenty! Tom was also fourth official at the FAW Trophy Final between Pontardawe Town and Cefn Albion at Aberystwyth but now he’s focussed on being the man in charge of the 2019 Senior Cup Final – and we wish him every success!
	Sean O’Connor - Aged 61 Store Worker Sean is one of the senior officials in the Manderwood Pembrokeshire League after being a terrific midfield player for Fishguard Sports and Goodwick United when both were in fine fettle – and has shown the same commitment to his refereeing over the past 12 years. He is renowned for his calm and unfussy approach to his refereeing and during that time he has officiated at every divisional cup final, other than Division Four, and been in charge of most of the junior competition finals. He ran the line for Dai Badger in the 2010-11 final but the undoubted highlight came when he reffed the 2012-13 Senior Cup Final where Johnston beat the now-defunct West Dragons by 3-2 in a tense clash where he used all his quiet but firm skills to keep a tight control. As a player he played in Senior and West Wales Cup Finals with Fishguard and the senior cup with Goodwick, picking up league winners in the process. Not content with that little lot, Sean then started out on a management career which saw him take his Goodwick squad to more success in reaching cup finals before deciding it was time to put something back into the game as he took up the whistle and adapted to his new role straight away. Sean was delighted to be asked to support Tom Bevan for this season’s final and as usual will be heavily involved in the planning of the now-traditional pre-match referees’ lunch which allows other referees to meet and show their support for the man in the middle!
	Helmut Reinhardt - Aged 53 Builder Helmut Reinhardt is delighted to be asked to be an assistant referee at Pembrokeshire Football’s ‘big day’ – although it will sadly be his final match after 12 years because of persistent knee trouble. Originally from Germany, Helmut played in defence for Herbrandston, until it was time he stepped down and put something back into the game he loves by qualifying as a referee at the age of 41. Now he is well-known amongst players across the county but at one time he felt forced to step down after receiving racist comments on Twitter – but decided to return and in his time he has officiated at the second and fifth division finals, as well as the under 12 and under 16s at junior level. Another undoubted highlight when he was chosen to act as an official at the Welsh Ladies’ Cup Final at Aberystwyth, where Swansea Ladies won 3-0 against their counterparts from Caernarvon. Understandably he is looking forward to working with Tom Bevan, Sean O’Connor and James Olyott when Carew meet The Bridge and we hope it will be a fitting finale for Helmut as well before he finally puts his whistle away for good!
	James Olyott - Aged 41 Teacher James’ selection as fourth official continues the long-standing tradition that the match official year takes on the role to help provide support for the current match official on his big day. Like the other three officials, James is appreciated by the players for his no-nonsense approach alongside, like the others, the ability to communicate well with the players and nip any nonsense in the bud. As a player at Pembroke Borough for about 18 years as a no nonsense centre half he readily admits that he was stronger in the air than on the ground but enjoyed his involvement, eventually refereeing them when there was no official referee. It was there that Referees’ President Danny Thomas saw him and quickly recruited him to go on a course with Pedr McMullen – and James has been reffing ever since, other than a frustrating gap when he broke his foot in a West Wales Cup match between Loughor Rovers and FC Carmarthen. He called the captain’s together and explained that he was injured and this trio agreed that he would carry on as long as he could stand in the centre circle and whistle from there – and he says that both teams were brilliant in accepting his decisions rather than having their game abandoned! James thoroughly enjoyed last year’s ‘big day’, and is looking forward to helping in any way he can when Carew and Merlins Bridge clash having already officiated at several junior finals, as well as the division Five final in 2014/5 and the Division Two Final in 2016/7.

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