Gary Willard
Encyclopedia
Gareth S. Willard is an English
former football
referee. He officiated in the Football League
and the Premier League, and for FIFA
. He comes from Worthing
in Sussex
. He has continued to maintain an involvement in top-class football since retiring in 2000. His other occupation was as an officer for the Inland Revenue
.
in 1990, and was promoted to the Premier League list of referees in 1994. He became a FIFA
referee in 1996.
On 27 January 1998, he was referee for the Football League Cup
semi-final first leg between Liverpool
and Middlesbrough
, which was a 2-1 home win. He also controlled the semi-final second leg the following year in the same competition, when Spurs
won 1-0 at Wimbledon
on 16 February 1999, for an aggregate win by that score.
On 28 March 1998, Willard was involved in "astonishing scenes" at Oakwell Stadium
after the end of the Barnsley
versus Liverpool match in the Premier League, which finished 2-3. He had occasion to send off three players from the home side - Darren Barnard
, Chris Morgan and Darren Sheridan
- in the second half, causing play to be suspended for five minutes after Willard had been chased by an interloper. He had to be given a "police safety escort" off the pitch after the game.
It has been commented that Willard had to withdraw from Premier League appointments after what turned out to be his last ever match in that competition due to fitness problems, but he continued to referee for FIFA
into the following season, once having the misfortune to mistakenly issue three yellow cards to FC Lausanne-Sport's Eduardo Magnin
before sending him off during their home game against Celta Vigo
in the UEFA Cup
in September 1999. The English referees' chief at the time, Philip Don
, stated that Willard had not taken any Premier League appointments due to "personal reasons".
That final Premiership game was West Ham
's 4-0 win over Middlesbrough at Upton Park
on 16 May 1999.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
referee. He officiated in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
and the Premier League, and for FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
. He comes from Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
. He has continued to maintain an involvement in top-class football since retiring in 2000. His other occupation was as an officer for the Inland Revenue
Inland Revenue
The Inland Revenue was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government responsible for the collection of direct taxation, including income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, corporation tax, petroleum revenue tax and stamp duty...
.
Career
Willard became a referee for the Football LeagueThe Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
in 1990, and was promoted to the Premier League list of referees in 1994. He became a FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
referee in 1996.
On 27 January 1998, he was referee for the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
semi-final first leg between Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
and Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, which was a 2-1 home win. He also controlled the semi-final second leg the following year in the same competition, when Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
won 1-0 at Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
on 16 February 1999, for an aggregate win by that score.
On 28 March 1998, Willard was involved in "astonishing scenes" at Oakwell Stadium
Oakwell Stadium
Oakwell is a multi-purpose sports development in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England used primarily by Barnsley Football Club for playing their home fixtures, and those of their reserves....
after the end of the Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
versus Liverpool match in the Premier League, which finished 2-3. He had occasion to send off three players from the home side - Darren Barnard
Darren Barnard
Darren Sean Barnard ,is a former professional footballer and Welsh international, playing 22 times for Wales between 1998 and 2004. He is currently joint-manager of Camberley Town and is also the club's Director of football and notably played for Chelsea and Barnsley...
, Chris Morgan and Darren Sheridan
Darren Sheridan
Darren Stephen Sheridan is an English footballer.He is currently a player-manager for English non-league club Barrow...
- in the second half, causing play to be suspended for five minutes after Willard had been chased by an interloper. He had to be given a "police safety escort" off the pitch after the game.
It has been commented that Willard had to withdraw from Premier League appointments after what turned out to be his last ever match in that competition due to fitness problems, but he continued to referee for FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
into the following season, once having the misfortune to mistakenly issue three yellow cards to FC Lausanne-Sport's Eduardo Magnin
Eduardo Magnin
Eduardo José Magnin is an Argentine former football defensive player, mostly remembered for being dismissed by the English referee Gary Willard only after the showing of three yellow cards during a European club match.-Career:Magnin started his professional playing career in 1990 with Unión de...
before sending him off during their home game against Celta Vigo
Celta de Vigo
Real Club Celta de Vigo , simply referred to as Celta Vigo, is a Spanish professional football club based in Vigo, Galicia, currently playing in the Segunda División. It was founded on March 28, 1923 following the merger of Real Vigo Sporting and Real Fortuna Foot-ball Club.Nicknamed Los Celestes ,...
in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
in September 1999. The English referees' chief at the time, Philip Don
Philip Don
Philip Don is a former football referee and school headteacher from England. Don was originally from Sheffield but his teaching career took him south to Middlesex...
, stated that Willard had not taken any Premier League appointments due to "personal reasons".
That final Premiership game was West Ham
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
's 4-0 win over Middlesbrough at Upton Park
Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
on 16 May 1999.
External links
- Gary Willard Referee Statistics at soccerbase.com (incomplete)
- Mark Hodkinson's view of the Barnsley match: excerpt from "Life At The Top", Mark Hodkinson, Queen Anne Press, 1998, ISBN 1-85291-602-8