Mark Reilly – Telford RA Chair

Secretary,

Where are you from?

Holyhead, Anglesey, North Wales

How old are you?

45 years old

Why did you get into refereeing?

I was a coach at Wellington Amateurs coaching my son’s team. Referees in junior football was not mandatory and trying to employ a referee was difficult. I found I began refereeing all my home fixtures which I started enjoying more than coaching. So took the plunge and did the referee course. Never returned to coaching and remained a referee.

What is your current refereeing level?

Level 4

How many years have you been refereeing?

7 years

What would you like to achieve next season?

To have a full successful season and remain the in Level 4 pool of referees. Promotion as an AR would be perfect.

What has been your most challenging situation in your refereeing career? A match between top of the league and bottom of the league in a game that the top the league needed a win to secure the league win. Making a key match decision to award a penalty in the last minutes of a match resulted in the top of league drawing the match. The abuse from players, benches and chairperson was horrific both on the pitch and to the point I drove away from the ground. I had to remain professional, respectful and calm throughout the whole time but the feeling this left inside me was upset, fear and hurt.

Why should referees become a member of their local RA? Being a member of a local referee association provides new referees with valuable training, mentorship, networking, and access to fixtures that nonmembers may not have. It creates a supportive community and ensures they stay updated with the latest Laws of The Game. They will have access to experienced referees who can answer questions and guide them on their refereeing journey. These benefits contribute to their personal and professional development as referees and can significantly enhance their overall officiating experience.

What is your proudest achievement? Promotion to Level 4 and running as an AR at the deaf England v Germany fixture this year.

What celebrity do people say you look like? Whilst I do not look like a celebrity, I’m told I sound like Robbie Savage, how rude!

Who has helped you to this point in your refereeing career? Wow, so many people! Ross Smart was the first referee I ever went out with as a team. He gave me my first template to work from really. Guidance from Jamie James, Jason Roberts and Matt Scholes as I went through the levels. Yet the biggest help has been from Andy Biggin, Shaun Currall and Rob Lewis who have scrutinised, challenged, pushed and developed me in such a way I cannot thank enough.

A fact some might not know about you? Whilst on holiday in Florida, I was employed for an hour at McDonalds to help with chaotic scenes as the whole staff decided to quit mid-shift. I was given my whole meal (for a family of 8) free for my help!