The National Course for Referee Instructors was held between the 2nd to 8th August 2003 with 77 instructors and 19 staff at The Staverton Park Conference Centre near Daventry in Northamptonshire for the Annual Football Association National Referee Instructors’ Course.

This year’s Course was one of the largest ever held with the members working in 12 groups to develop their instructional skills in order to deliver quality training to both new and experienced referees. Course members are drawn from almost all The County and Services Football Associations and are divided into two Year Groups. Year One prepared students to deliver basic training to new referees and ends with a Football Association National qualification as a Registered Referee Instructor. Year Two develops these instructors so that they are qualified to work on In Service Courses with active referees, assessors and mentors and, if successful, ends with a Football Association National Qualification as a Licensed Referee Instructor.

Each student had to prepare and deliver a number of lessons and attend all the Course lectures. Second Year students also work in groups on planning a Project which gives them valuable experience in preparing Course materials for target groups of referees.

Course Staff

Course Director: John Baker – Head of Refereeing
Deputy Course Directors: Ray Olivier & Derek Bray
Course Instructor: Joe Guest – Referees’ Officer

Year One Coordinator: Ray Payne
Year Two Coordinator: Vernon Crew
Group Instructors (Year One): Steve Stewart, Jim deRennes, Roger Vaughan, Edward Stone, Dave Young, Chas Morrison
Group Instructors (Year Two): Ian Blanchard, Paul Hardie, Eric Hart, Jim Hill, Craig Cox, Tony Rock
Regional Managers (Referees): Janie Frampton, Keith Hill, Alan Wilkie
Technical Support: Vince Hannon

All the above are either Regional Managers (Referees), Senior Licensed Referee Instructors or highly experienced Referee Instructors drawn from various County Football Associations.

The impressive audio-visual display/equipment was set up by and led by Ian Hargreaves and his team from First Media.

There were several visitors to the Course including Ray Tinkler, Chairman of The Football Association Referees’ Committee and The Referees’ Association.

If you are an experienced referee, you may be interested in becoming a Referee Instructor. Please contact us to discuss the role and the training programme and support we offer in The Refereeing Department.

Please call Louise Abbott on 0207 745 4666 or by e-mail louise.abbott@TheFA.com for further information.