Herbie retires after training a thousand referees

From the archive, first published Friday 28th Oct 2005.

RETIRED referee Herbie Magri-Overend was rewarded by the Wiltshire FA's referee association after training up 1,000 new recruits.

Magri-Overend, 66, has been training referees since 1971, and began refereeing himself five years earlier, and was presented with the award at Melksham House last week.

Since then the former Queen's Park Rangers trialist has taught a thousand youngsters.

He has also set up a link between the referee's association and Swindon Town's Centre of Excellence where up-and-coming referees officiate junior matches.

He said he had no idea he was to be presented with the award at the county's presentation evening.

Magri-Overend, from Mills Road, Melksham, said: "I was surprised. Delighted but surprised. It came out of the blue and I think everyone must have signed the Official Secrets Act."

Magri-Overend, who decided at 26 he was too old to play as he had a career in the RAF, said the game had changed since he began refereeing.

He said: "In the past it was much more gentlemanly. You accepted the referee's decision and got on with it.

"If someone was injured he was injured. Now they go down and they point fingers.

"Refereeing is very much harder now but we still have so many people who want to give something back to the game and they do all enjoy it.

"We always want more referees and I would urge anyone considering it to contact their local society."

President of the Wiltshire FA Ken Mulraney said: "There is continuing problems in recruiting and qualifying referees and there is a shortage, particularly in the youth leagues.

"People like Herbie are invaluable working tirelessly in the background and if our wonderful sport of football is to continue we must ensure that we continue to generate new referees."

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