The former world-class referee raised a red card to Vinnie Jones on hearing the Welsh international captain turned Hollywood hardman threaten to break an opponent’s legs.

He also took charge of the 1997 League Cup Final at Wembley (Leicester v Middlesbrough), two FA Cup Semi Finals and was fourth official at the 1994 European Cup final between AC Milan and Barcelona.

He was one of three international officials to put Sussex on the map in the Eighties and Nineties. Now he is on a mission to find successors to himself, Gary Willard and the late Allan Gunn.

As the county’s first Head of Refereeing, he is using all the experience he picked up in officiating for 20 years in the top flight, with the support of Willard, to ensure it happens. He said: It’s something I’m passionate about. Sussex were fortunate to have three top referees come through so close together.

That is something that never normally happens in any county in the country and my objective is to get as many more as possible through to the higher echelons. Hopefully I will succeed, with the likes of Gary and many others backing me.

We’ve already got success stories like Chris Salt who has gone from a lower league ref to become a Football League linesman. Dave Phillips is another who has become a League linesman."I love the game and want to put something back into it because is has given me so much."

Besides sticking his head above the parapet with the likes of Keane and Jones and controlling football’s big games, Bodenham has never forgotten his roots. He has even donned the black shirt in the Sussex Girls’ League this season.

The 54-year-old from Ferring knows what it takes to be an official from top to bottom and the first bit of advice he offers would-be refs is plucked from personal experience.

He said: "I remember those incidents with Keane, Jones and a lot of others but in every game I have been in charge of I have tried to remain cool, calm and collected. If referees don’t then there would be chaos. They must never lose the plot."

A second piece emphasised perspective. He said: "Nobody has a divine right to referee cup finals. I set myself achievable goals to be a Football League linesman and went way beyond what I expected."

The 800 officials under his charge in Sussex would do well to note the wisdom of Bodenham. The number include the latest to pass exams on the laws of the game, a group of teenagers who take charge of Albion centre of excellence matches and those qualified to referee adult and youth Saturday and Sunday leagues. There’s also County League and Football League whistle-blowers such as Steve Tomlin and Clive Penton among it too.

Bodenham sees his role as a conduit for all of them progress by training, organising, assisting and motivating.

He said: "What I can promise any one of them is full support to try and get to the top. I help develop a structure that has a support mechanism built in, like the provision of mentors."

"You get some who pass exams on the laws but find them difficult to apply in matches. Some don’t even know how to blow a whistle!

"I work closely with Martin Hinshelwood, the director of football at Albion, providing referees for the Seagulls’ centre of excellence matches in a protected environment, with no outside influences, likes parents, so they can concentrate on developing as officials."

"Our mentors are with them all as a shoulder to cry on. When I first started there was little backing. It was sink or swim."

Bodenham has a built-in detector to separate the wheat from the chaff and officials can be sacked. He said: "We need commitment from referees. If they don’t have it they will be replaced. "Referees are constantly assessed at all levels. It’s all about improving standards. If they do things they shouldn’t we stand them down."

Bodenham is on a constant recruitment drive through speeches and literature extolling the virtues of officiating.

But there are down sides like assault of the ears and, occasionally, body. He said: "Physical assault is deplorable but very rare. Yet one is too many. If a referee is pushed or hit we stand them down. Players have a responsibility to not take any frustrations out on the referee."

Bodenham is conscious recruited officials have to be retained rather than be put off by such threats. He said: "It is a major issue and we try to be pro-active rather than re-active so a referee is aware of what to do when it happens."

Bodenham would like to see more females attracted to the game, although the verbal barrage given Wendy Toms by Leeds players when she ran the line during Albion¹s fixture against the Yorkshire club at Withdean this season doesn’t help the cause. He said: "We’ve only picked up about half-a-dozen in Sussex. It’s a shame because it doesn’t reflect the growth of women’s football, which is supposedly the fastest growing sport.

"There are physical and mental problems of women refereeing male adult games and that might put females off. But there are all sorts of levels and besides Wendy has shown you can be a woman and cope and become a top official."

Bodenham sat behind the desk he temporarily borrowed from Sussex County FA chief executive Ken Benham, telling The Argus all about how the county handles its match officials. Refs and linemen are often portrayed as colourless characters, devoid of personality.

Well, Bodenham must be an exception. He exudes character and passion for a role Willard persuaded him to take on two years ago. He, like Willard, works as a Premiership referee’s assessor. But it seems it is the development of refereeing in Sussex that most consumes him.

He said: "I want all the referees to make the grade. But I also want every single match played in Sussex covered. I’d say Saturday games are 98 per cent covered, but it is a different kettle of fish as regards a Sunday.

"We have one of the biggest youth leagues in the country. "But there has been a great improvement overall in the past couple of years."

Bodenham has convinced me he is a man on a mission.