[Football] First female referee appointed in the EFL

[macbeth]

Congratulations to Rebecca Welch, who will become the first female ref to take change of a game in the EFL, Harrogate Town Vs Port Vale on Monday 5th of April

[tweet] 1376864417795674113 [/tweet]

There have already been a few female assistant referees for years now, however this is the next step in removing the ceiling for female officials imo. Amy Fearn refereed part of a football league game a few years ago when the original ref got injured, but this is the first intentional appointment for a female referee

As much as there will be people out there who say "so what, her gender doesn't matter", fact is that this is a landmark moment in English football. Good luck to her!

 

[SweatyMexican]

Didn’t actually realise there hadn’t been a female ref in the football league before. Some good news.

 

[Insel affe]

Good Luck Rebecca...

Let's see how long before some dinosaur sends this thread into a spiral of misogynistic mayhem and into the bear pit...

 

[Normal Rob]

Have absolutely no problem with female officials. They can **** it up, or get it spot on, just as equally as a man can. Good luck to her.

 

[Eeyore]

If she's good enough, she's good enough. And all the best to her.

Until she has a bad game. Of course. Then doubtless she will get far less slack.

 

[dazzer6666]

Good for her......it’s all about competence, not gender. Interested in the reaction to her first big mistake - no doubt the usual suspects will forget that male refs make horrendous howlers too.......

 

[Ludensian Gull]

The best ref I've seen at Isthmian/ Southern league level wasa female. Can't recall her name at the moment

 

[GT49er]

Good Luck Rebecca...

Let's see how long before some dinosaur sends this thread into a spiral of misogynistic mayhem and into the bear pit...

Just as long as she gets home in time to make her old man's tea ................

 

[Insel affe]

Hang on....

I guess a new ditty is required for the classic "Who's the ba*stard in the...."

 

[studio150]

Hang on....

I guess a new ditty is required for the classic "Who's the ba*stard in the...."

No just a chorus of 'get your ........ for the lads'

 

[Knocky's Nose]

No just a chorus of 'get your ........ for the lads'

and/or lasses... Let's have some equality here.

I'm with everyone else here. If she's good, she's good, and deserves to be there - and to be fair she can't be much worse than some of the clowns we already have.

 

[Gun shot]

She's probably had to work five times as hard as a man in order to fulfil her dream.

I fear that it'll only be a matter of time though before the sexism 'jokes' come out after she makes a mistake - she is still only human after all - and some vile stick on Facebook/Twitter about what women go through or to the Neanderthals, how they are perceived.

Optimistically I'm hoping that the players swear and spit less, give up cheating (sic) and show a lot more respect.

Good luck, Rebecca. Congratulations on all your hard work paying off and I hope you are around for years to come.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Sian Massey-Ellis can't be far off that next step up either. Been a regular fixture at the Amex for a good few years now

 

[Boroseagull]

Seem to remember Wendy Toms progressed some way up the ladder a few years ago.

 

[Chicken Run]

Good Luck Rebecca...

Let's see how long before some dinosaur sends this thread into a spiral of misogynistic mayhem and into the bear pit...

Hang on....

I guess a new ditty is required for the classic "Who's the ba*stard in the...."

Just saying [emoji1745][emoji6]

 

[METALMICKY]

I expect all her kick offs will be 3pm as any later there will be an issue getting the tea ready!

 

[Insel affe]

Just saying [emoji1745][emoji6]

Yeah I know...

I need a

No excuse

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

Sian Massey-Ellis can't be far off that next step up either. Been a regular fixture at the Amex for a good few years now

No. She has chosen to be an AR. When you get to Level 3, you choose to be a referee or an assistant. That won't change for her now.

 

[schmunk]

No. She has chosen to be an AR. When you get to Level 3, you choose to be a referee or an assistant. That won't change for her now.

I recall 'Dre Marriner discussing this on The Peter Crouch Podcast* some time ago, and saying exactly this - people don't switch between the two roles, and they require quite different skills and mindset.









*I think

 

[Guinness Boy]

She's probably had to work five times as hard as a man in order to fulfil her dream.

I fear that it'll only be a matter of time though before the sexism 'jokes' come out after she makes a mistake - she is still only human after all - and some vile stick on Facebook/Twitter about what women go through or to the Neanderthals, how they are perceived.

Optimistically I'm hoping that the players swear and spit less, give up cheating (sic) and show a lot more respect.

Good luck, Rebecca. Congratulations on all your hard work paying off and I hope you are around for years to come.

Sian Massey-Ellis can't be far off that next step up either. Been a regular fixture at the Amex for a good few years now

As just posted above Massey-Ellis has chosen the AR path for now. However, it's useful to mention her as I was about to.

The first time she ran the line at the Amex there were a few jibes (about knowing the rules, home in time for tea etc) and of course her first mistake got pounced on (I think there was one throw in she just couldn't make her mind up on). However, since then she's been one of the best ARs at the ground and rarely makes an error. The jokes soon stopped.

I also noticed she normally works with Chris Kavanagh as a ref in a "ref team". Might be helpful for Rebecca Wech if she gets the same assistant and fourth official regularly? I assume other refs work in an "officiating crew".