The FA’s annual New Level 3 Referee Conference was hosted recently in Coventry.

The Conference provided an opportunity to formally recognise the achievements of those Referees promoted to Level 3, as well as offering development and training to ensure they are prepared for the future demands of refereeing football at Steps 3, 4 and 5.

The referees were introduced to the new mentoring scheme, completed the Laws of the Game exam and received presentations about positioning and recognising foul challenges from David Elleray, FA Referees’ Committee Chairman and Neale Barry, FA Head of Senior Referee Development.

Elleray said the conference was 'crucial' for those officials who recently made the step up and also explained more about the new Mentoring Scheme.

“The meeting for new Level 3 referees and their Mentors was an excellent start to the Mentoring Scheme as well as being crucial for those who have just been promoted to a key level of English football," he said.

"Throughout the day, an air of determination and professionalism was evident and the mix of formal presentations and discussions allowed people to understand their roles clearly and then refine them to their individual needs.

"The FA’s new Mentoring scheme, which will see all Level 3 referees have a Mentor for their first two seasons at Contributory Leagues level, is a major step forward which will benefit not only the referees but also the leagues on which they officiate.

The attitude of the new Level 3 referees at this meeting suggests they will all perform with confidence and consistency when the season starts”.

Newly-promoted Hampshire referee Sam Ogles felt the National Referee Development Programme played an important role in achieving Level 3 promotion. “I was part of the NRDP which was a big help," he said.

"I learned some good skills from my colleagues also in the programme and it really helped me to be consistent. Being promoted is a fantastic feeling and it has topped off a year of hard work.”

Rob Goodwin Davey believed his promotion was as a result of his change in approach: “I relaxed and enjoyed the football. Not allowing the pressures of promotion to get to me. Players don’t want a stressed out Referee – they want someone relaxed and in control, enjoying the match”.

Once the new Level 3s have completed the pre-season fitness test they will be refereeing Contributory League games as well as running the line on the Conference North and South.

The full list of those promoted is as follows:
Michael Hayden, Stacey Woodley, Tim Donnellan, Darren Flanagan, Jon Panconi, Ian Douglas, Kieran Bailey, Matthew Homer, Kevin Andrews, Robbie Dadley, Ben Cooke, Richard Price, Lisa Rashid, Gareth Hubbard, Jairo Marin, Nigel Phillips, Martyn Holmes, Thomas Kirk, Sam Mulhall, Mike Jones, Joel Ledsham, Ian Pattison, Paul Vardy, David Goard, Andrew Quin, Mark Greenwood, Ben Cobb, Robert Dabbs, Daniel Woodward, Ian Quinn, Gary McLelland, Paul Newhouse, Chris Hitchcock, Darren Whatling, Stephen Moore, Nigel Bond, Thomas Brooks, Garry Maskell, Steve Oakey, Simon Wales, Craig Green, Aaron Moody, Andrew Dine, Samuel Ogles, Antony Foster, Casimir Nzenga, Mark Lucie, Adrian Waters, Paul Yates, Nicholas Dunn, Gareth Davies, Martin Woods, Dean Watson, David Fisher, Richard Holmes, Alan Bennett, Robert Goodwin-Davey, Akil Howson, Tommy Hollidge, Mark Swift, Alistair Wilson, Joshua Smith, Helen Byrne, Carl Trott, Mark Stewart, Paul Johnson, Paul Howard, Jeff Lengthorn, Matthew Donohue, Alexander Guy, Michael Gillespie, Ben Ballantyne, Paul Evans, Ellis Clark, Shaun Barry, Declan Bourne, Robert Townsend, Harry Hawkins, James Bateman, Adam Bayliss, Stephen Dolton, Dean Bradshaw, Alan Sarginson, Jonathon Block, Duncan Foreman, Dave Sheldrake, Shaun Scott, Thomas Ellams, Jason Connolly, Shaun Farrer, Paul Saunders, Elizabeth Simms, Mark Foster, Colin Whitaker, Bernard Law, Adrian Matthews, Robert Lovegrove.