On a breezy Friday at the University of Warwick, three match officials stride into the centre of the pitch, ready to take charge of an under-19s fixture.
Running one line today, Liam Trotter has 300-plus Football League outings to his name, the majority in the Championship for Ipswich, Millwall, Bolton and Nottingham Forest. Holding the other assistant referees flag in his hand, Peter Vincenti turned out for Aldershot, Rochdale and Stevenage. Grasping the whistle is ex-Barnsley and Gateshead defender George Smith.
FourFourTwo is in the Midlands to witness the trio take the next step towards what they hope will be a future officiating games at the highest level. No former professional footballer has ever refereed in the Premier League, but these three are among 10 ex-pros hoping to change that, as they embark upon the early stages of a three-year Player To Match Official programme. The cast also contains a one-time top-flight forward and a man who played against England at the World Cup.
Will the Premier League ever see a former player?
The programme is a joint initiative involving the PFA and Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the body responsible for referees across professional football in England. With support from the Premier League, PFA and the FA, each of the former players is paid a �40,000 salary while they train as officials, the aim being to fast-track them to the top should they prove competent enough to progress that far.
On the final day of the latest training camp, the officials are taking it in turns to referee 15 minutes apiece. Retired Premier League whistle-blowers Phil Dowd and Lee Mason observe from the sidelines, analysing ahead of a feedback session. This isnt the most fractious game of football FFT has ever seen, but its still competitive and leads to some challenging decision-making.
Theres debate between spectators as a striker and goalkeeper collide Smith hesitates over his verdict, then points to the penalty spot when assistant ref Vincenti confirms it should be a spot-kick. It looks like the correct call to us, though some seem adamant that the gloveman got the ball. Later on, were all a bit puzzled when Vincenti disallows a headed goal from a corner, for offside. You cant be offside direct from a corner.
Amid it all, former Coventry skipper Carl Baker watches on, attentively but also frustratedly hes among the 10 on the course and was due to be on the pitch, until a minor injury ruled him out.
Ive refereed 14 matches in the past five weeks, he says, explaining how his niggle came from overdoing it, so keen is he to make a success of officiating. I did a game on Tuesday night before coming here, because Id committed to it and didnt want to let them down, but then we did fitness testing and sprinting here the following day.
Injury has forced former Port Vale and 2006 Trinidad and Tobago World Cup midfielder Chris Birchall to sit out todays exploits too, along with Iyseden Christie, who made one top-flight appearance for Coventry in 1995 prior to plying his trade further down the pyramid.
Its obvious how enthusiastic Baker is about his new career.
When I stopped playing, I had a really difficult six to nine months where I was struggling to get out of bed, I didnt know what to do, he tells FFT. I didnt have any purpose or job Id always been told where to be, what time to be there, what kit to wear, what to eat. To go from that to nothing, Id think, What am I going to do now? Baker found not one but two passions first, the 42-year-old became a caddy for professional golfer Robert Rock, even carrying his clubs at last years US Open in North Carolina.
Roberts one of my best friends and I caddied for him six or seven times last year, travelling all around the world, recalls the Merseysider. It was a great experience, being there with the likes of Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau. I was in the gym at the US Open doing tricep pulls and the world number one, Scottie Scheffler, was next to me I was dying to ask him for a picture, but I tried to act cool!
Hell continue to caddy for Rock when time allows, but is prioritising refereeing for now. Baker was one of those who responded when the PFA contacted their members to inform them of the Player To Match Official programme.
We had 120 people showing interest after the initial email was sent out, ex-Sheffield Wednesday star Ritchie Humphreys, who now works for the PFA, discloses to FFT. After a selection process that included Zoom interviews and a taster day, Baker was picked in the final 10 to be handed a place on the three-year scheme. Its given me a new lease of life, he smiles.
The first time I came along, it was with an open mind I thought I might hate it and it wouldnt be for me, but I might actually love it. I walked in and found that I absolutely loved it.
Alongside the programme at Warwick, hes been refereeing as many games as he can to boost his bank of experience, namely West Bromwich Albion Women first-team games and Birmingham City academy fixtures.
I did a game on Saturday, the sun was out, the pitch was lovely and I was in the centre circle thinking, This is brilliant, he says, revealing how he also watches matches at home, specifically to study the referees. Ive probably seen 1,000 games of football in the past month, from the National League to the Premier League, he reflects.
Im a bit obsessed with it, pausing it, rewinding it, taking notes and checking what position the referee is in, what signals theyre giving, as many details as possible. My missus laughs at me with my pen and pad sometimes Ill drift and just start watching the game, then think, No, Im supposed to be watching the referee here!
Being a former pro brings benefits. For one, hes used to hearing criticism about his performances.
Playing for Coventry, we lost a game, I put the radio on while driving home and a fan phoned in hammering me I considered calling in to defend myself, he remembers. But in those situations now, Im mentally stronger. I have no issues with getting a bit of stick, as long as I know my intentions are right.
Weve been in players shoes and understand the frustrations they have over a decision they dont get. You may not give them a free-kick or penalty, but its about saying, For me its not a foul, but I get where youre coming from. The hardest thing for me has been positioning at first, I got sucked to the ball like a magnet. I was getting into pockets where Id go as a player and we have to do the opposite now, to leave those spaces available for players. You dont want to be too close or too far away its important to be in the right position to make the right decision.
Former Walsall midfielder Sam Mantom, who still appeared for sixth-tier Rushall Olympic in 2024/25, also has his quarter of an hour with the referees whistle this morning, as does ex-Port Vale captain Anthony Griffith, plus Jerry Nnamani and Martyn Andrews, once of Crystal Palace and Stockport respectively.
The group head inside to a university classroom, to hear the views of Dowd and another retired ref in Dan Meeson, the PGMOLs development director. The appraisal includes advice to use more assertive body language when making decisions, to prevent a perception that the referee isnt quite sure if theyve got the call right.
Theres healthy debate as Vincentis dubious decisions are dissected, with scepticism when he continues to defend them. See, this is the problem, Peter, youve never played the game comes the quip, to laughter in the room. Soon, an analyst plays the video a delighted Vincenti is vindicated on both calls.
The goalkeeper didnt touch the ball for the penalty, and hed given offside because the header from the corner deflected in off a man stood on the goal-line a man hidden from view for everyone watching from the same position as us.
Theyre still in the early days of this, but theyre doing really well because its not easy, Meeson enthuses to FFT once the feedback session is finished. Itll be good to see where they are in six, nine and 12 months, and how they advance.
Away from the Warwick camps, which have also incorporated visits from 2010 World Cup Final mediator Howard Webb and current Premier League official Sam Allison to offer some of their wisdom, the ex-pros are being granted access to strength and conditioning, sports science and analytical assistance.
A similar scheme was created in 1996. Ten players started it, but within a year I was the only one left, former Bolton striker Tony Philliskirk later explained he eventually gave up himself, believing it would take too long to reach the top.
Since then, very little had been done, laments Meeson, delighted at the recent change. This had been spoken about in football for a long time, and we werent prepared to just keep talking about it. It can take referees 10 or 15 years to climb the ladder. Those on this scheme will be fast-tracked if possible, like the most promising young officials. No one will be promoted before theyre deemed ready, though. That would be unfair on them, us and the game wed be setting ourselves up to fail, says Meeson. They have to be good enough.
Griffiths 15-minute refereeing stint this morning featured a moment in which a forward went down looking for a foul that the former Port Vale skipper waved away, believing the teenager had tripped themselves up instead. You need to sort your feet out there, big man! Griffith bellowed confidently.
In the classroom, it was opined that he had perhaps used a little too much player-to-player banter. You learn as you go along, but the direction was we dont want to turn you into robots if youve got a certain personality, we want to shape it a bit, says Griffith.
In his playing heyday, the 38-year-old was known for amassing more than his fair share of cards. I was pretty sound with referees, it was everyone else I tried to kick! he jokes. I liked a tackle.
Griffiths interest in whistle-blowing began in his late 20s, around the end of his Vale Park tenure. I tested the waters in 2014, he says. Someone suggested I have a go. The first match was nerve-racking I sat in the changing room and wondered what on Earth I was doing.
Griffith continued his playing career, then tried coaching, but felt intrigued to give refereeing another crack when he became aware of the latest programme.
I saw the email and just thought, Why not? he explains. I was working with underprivileged kids then, and now Im a driving instructor. As a ref, I want to go as high as I can. If youre dedicated, aim for the top.
Its a view that Baker agrees with. Id love to get as high as possible, just like when I was a player, says the former Championship midfielder. It would be amazing to referee a professional game one day, but I know its difficult a long process. Weve got loads of work to do.
If the 10 on the current programme show plenty of promise, the hope is for a fresh intake to follow Millwall pair Murray Wallace and Wes Harding both expressed interest but couldnt take part this time due to playing commitments, and others have made enquiries since reading about the schemes progress.
Its been suggested that ex-players would make terrific referees we dont know that yet, but youd think thered be lots of empathy from the guys on the pitch if they know the ref used to play, says the PFAs Humphreys. Theyve still got to be good referees, but it would be great if we could see people from within the game becoming the person in the middle. Getting people into the Football League is the aim.
Meeson shares that ambition. Its a bit like a club academy not all of their scholars will make the first-team, and if we dont steer some of these guys onto the periphery of the professional game, thats no disaster, he says. If they go into the National League system, thatd be good as well.
Its about giving people a chance and exploring the concept. If we help them to reach League One or Two, that would be a significant step.
