TWO YOUNG Suffolk referees have been selected to join the FA Centre of Refereeing Excellence (CORE) programme.

Twenty-four-year-old Liam Chinery (above) from Bildeston and Alex Shipp, who is 18 and lives at Claydon, will join the FA CORE 1 programme next season.

FA CORE is an emerging and exciting refereeing structure that aims to provide referees at a variety of levels with quality training, education and development opportunities delivered both centrally and across a number of regional locations.

It is for those referees who are demonstrating that they have the clear ‘potential’ and ‘opportunity’ to progress in refereeing regardless of which part of the country they are from, their gender or their age.

Liam, who works within an Accounts team for a Railway Training Provider, passed The FA Referee Course in March 2017, and took up the whistle in open age football at the start of last season. 

The Level 7 official, who has applied for promotion for the upcoming season, cited three reasons for his selection.

He said: “My fitness levels and enjoyment of running have certainly helped, as well as my commitment and availability to officiate over last season because of my passion and understanding of football.

“Finally, all of the assistance I received from Alan Dale, the Senior Referee Development Officer at Suffolk FA, over my first year with the whistle.” 

Asked what he hoped to get from the programme, Liam replied: “The cliche of taking on board advice as well as how to deal with certain match incidents from experienced officials which I can then take into my own game to help me progress as a referee.

“I am most looking forward to the ‘Match Control’ element of officiating with regards to body language and controlling and speaking to players whilst out on the pitch.”

Liam said of becoming a referee: “You meet a variety of people from all backgrounds and opinions along the way, all who enjoy and want to be involved in non-league football.”

Alex, who is currently studying at Suffolk One, has been officiating for four years and is a Level 7 referee who is aiming to be promoted to Level 6.

He said: “The Suffolk FA Youth Referees Academy at Ipswich Town has definitely allowed me to progress as a referee. It’s great to receive advice from our referee coaches because it really helps us develop.

“I hope to improve on the technical side of refereeing such as positioning and man-management while on the programme.”

Alex said to anyone considering taking up the whistle: “The thing I would recommend most about refereeing is the friendship you make with everyone involved in the game from the other referees to the players, managers and club secretaries.”

The selection of Liam and Alex, who have both benefited from the Suffolk referee development programme sponsored by Globex Freight Management Ltd, brings the total number of referees from Suffolk involved in FA CORE for the 2018-19 season to seven.

Existing members Chay Hathway and Emily Heaslip are also joined by Level 3 referees George Laflin, Abi Marriott and Callum Walchester who also join the programme for next season in FA CORE 4.

If you interested in becoming a referee, please contact the Suffolk FA Referees’ Department on 01449 616606 and select option 4 or email referees@suffolkfa.com

To view details of the referee courses run by Suffolk FA click here