From being released as a player by her local club Sheffield United Women when she was 15, to leading the teams out at the Adobe Women’s FA Cup Final at Wembley, referee Mel Burgin has turned that early disappointment into a career she’s relishing.
“Fortunately, I’d already taken part in a little bit of refereeing a couple of years prior to getting released,” explains Mel, who played as a centre back. “So it all just fell into place nicely. And I definitely don't look back; it's kind of the best thing that's ever happened to me really.”
Mel, 29, got her first refereeing qualification when she was 14 but she admits: “I've got to say when I first started off, I didn't really see it as a career opportunity. I obviously love football, and I just saw it as another opportunity to earn a little pocket money alongside playing.
“But I really, really enjoyed it, probably a lot more than I expected, I just got that buzz from refereeing. And I started to see the potential career opportunities.”
She refereed at youth football level until she was 16, when she had a decision to make: “When you’re 16, there's an opportunity if you want to, to pursue refereeing into open age adult football, which is the path that I did take. So I think at 16 years old, I refereed my first men's game as such at grassroots football.”
So, what is it about being a referee that she loves so much? “It's a tough job, of course,” she says, “but we have the best seat in the house – pitch side – and we’re sort of live in the action. And it’s just the adrenaline and the enjoyment that comes from the challenges that we face during the game.”
One of the challenges is the physical requirements: “The demands of the game are changing, and it's important that we maintain our fitness levels in line with that. We've got support from our sports science team who provide a training programme for us. They monitor our training data, our GPS and training load and work with us alongside that. We also have regional training centres that we go to twice a week, as part of that programme. And we have nutrition support because it’s obviously important that we're fuelling right, not only to perform, but to recover as well.”
Mel joined the FIFA International Referee List last year and her ultimate hope is to become an elite category referee which would give her the chance to officiate at a major international tournament.
She’s twice been an assistant referee at the Women’s FA Cup Final – in 2019 (when Manchester City beat West Ham United 3-0) and again in 2021 (Chelsea 3 Arsenal 0). This will be her first time refereeing the final: “It's a huge honour and definitely the highlight of my career to date. The atmosphere at Wembley is always fantastic, I’m really looking forward to that buzz and that feeling, the adrenaline that comes with officiating there.
“And to lead the teams out Wembley, in front of my family and friends that have supported me throughout my refereeing journey, it’s going to be super, super special.”
You can read the full interview in the official Adobe Women's FA Cup Final match programme.
