John Lloyd (referee)
Encyclopedia
John Lloyd is a former referee in The Football League
and Premier League and member of the Welsh FIFA List. He is one of only three referees (alongside Steve Baines
and Bob Matthewson
) who have made League appearances as a player.
between 1965 and 1967. That was the end of his League playing career but he stayed in the town and developed a career as a referee. In 1982 he gained a place as a Football League linesman and three years later moved up to the referees list.
In common with all Welsh referees who attained this level Lloyd was also an international official and was soon in action in Europe. His first match in the middle in Iceland
in September 1996 saw visitors Sporting Lisbon achieve an emphatic 9-0 victory over Akranes in a UEFA Cup tie. Domestically he made steady progress. He started to make a bigger impression early in 1993. He was in charge of a League Cup quarter-final between Blackburn Rovers
and Cambridge United
and two months later was one of several officials drafted into the new Premier League. He retained this status for the following season (1993-1994), including a match at runners-up Blackburn (against Ipswich Town
) on the penultimate weekend.
That proved to be his final game at Premier level and he reverted to the Football League for his final two seasons. When he retired in 1996 he was the last referee from North Wales, leaving Keith Burge
from Tonypandy as the sole Welsh National List referee. Since then he has become a Football League assessor and worked as an after-dinner speaker.
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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 Premier League and member of the Welsh FIFA List. He is one of only three referees (alongside Steve Baines
Steve Baines
Stephen John "Steve" Baines is an English former footballer and later a referee in the Football League. Born in Newark, Nottinghamshire, during his refereeing career he resided in Chesterfield, Derbyshire...
and Bob Matthewson
Bob Matthewson
Robert "Bob" Matthewson was an English footballer and FIFA referee. Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Matthewson had a spell playing for the Byker Youth Club's football team before he was signed by Bolton Wanderers...
) who have made League appearances as a player.
Career
Lloyd figured in two matches as an outside-right for WrexhamWrexham A.F.C.
Wrexham Football Club are a professional football team based in Wrexham, north-east Wales, who play in the English football pyramid.Founded in 1872, they are one of the oldest surviving football clubs in Britain and the oldest professional club in Wales...
between 1965 and 1967. That was the end of his League playing career but he stayed in the town and developed a career as a referee. In 1982 he gained a place as a Football League linesman and three years later moved up to the referees list.
In common with all Welsh referees who attained this level Lloyd was also an international official and was soon in action in Europe. His first match in the middle in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
in September 1996 saw visitors Sporting Lisbon achieve an emphatic 9-0 victory over Akranes in a UEFA Cup tie. Domestically he made steady progress. He started to make a bigger impression early in 1993. He was in charge of a League Cup quarter-final between Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
and Cambridge United
Cambridge United F.C.
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League...
and two months later was one of several officials drafted into the new Premier League. He retained this status for the following season (1993-1994), including a match at runners-up Blackburn (against Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
) on the penultimate weekend.
That proved to be his final game at Premier level and he reverted to the Football League for his final two seasons. When he retired in 1996 he was the last referee from North Wales, leaving Keith Burge
Keith Burge
William Keith Burge is a Welsh former football referee. He officiated in the English Football League and Premier League, and for FIFA. He hails from Tonypandy in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, Glamorgan...
from Tonypandy as the sole Welsh National List referee. Since then he has become a Football League assessor and worked as an after-dinner speaker.
- Football League Handbooks, 1982-1984
- Rothmans Football Yearbooks, 1985-1996
- Barry Hugman (1998) The PFA Premier League and Football League Players' Records 1946-1998, Leonard Queen Anne Press.
- Ionescu, Romeo (2004) The Complete Results & Line-Ups of the UEFA Cup 1971-1991, Soccer Books Limited.