Paul Danson
Encyclopedia
Paul S. Danson is an English
former association football referee in the Football League
and Premier League. During his time on the List he was based in Leicester
.
and the Southern League
. He became a Football League linesman in 1984, graduating to the Football League referees list three years later, at the age of only twenty nine.
His major breakthrough came in 1994. He was one of three new referees appointed to the Premier List along with fellow Leicestershire
official Peter Jones
and Gary Willard
from Sussex
. Over the next three seasons all his league games were at Premiership level (as was standard for Premiership referees at the time). However, his performances did not always find favour - most notably a game at Highbury
between Arsenal
and Sunderland on September 28, 1996,† when two away players were sent off before half-time. At the end of the 1996-97
season he was dropped from the Premier List and reverted to Football League level.
For the next few years he was one of its senior officials, often receiving key appointments such as an old First Division
play-off semi-final on May 17, 2001 at Deepdale
, where Preston
beat Birmingham
after extra-time and penalties
(Preston had already missed a spot-kick
during the regulation 90 minutes). The then Birmingham manager Trevor Francis
was said to be "visibly furious" after Danson moved the location of the penalty shootout from the empty end of the ground to the goal behind which the Preston fans were situated (on police advice), and he removed his players from the field in protest for a short while.
Following a Football League Championship
match between Crystal Palace
and West Bromwich Albion
at Selhurst Park
on September 20, 2003, he had to attend hospital in Croydon
(Surrey
) for treatment, due to being hit in the mouth and rendered unconscious whilst dealing with a three-man altercation on the pitch during the match, which ended 2–2 and generated eight cautions.
Matters took a very different turn in the 2004-05
season. He refereed only three games in the top division of the Football League and was largely on lower division duty. At the end of that season he lost his place on the League List after a tenure of eighteen years. Potentially he could have had another two years before retirement and had that happened he would have completed twenty years and become the longest-serving referee since the 1920s.‡ However, he did gain experience in Europe as a fourth official and assistant referee.
He returned to the assistants' list for the first time since 1987, retiring immediately from the Football League referees' list, although he did handle three games in the Football Conference North in season 2005-06
before finishing his top-class career completely.
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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 association football referee 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 Premier League. During his time on the List he was based in Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
.
Career
In 1972 he qualified as a referee, progressing through the Leicestershire Senior LeagueLeicestershire Senior League
The Leicestershire Senior League is a football competition based in Leicestershire, England.-History:...
and the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
. He became a Football League linesman in 1984, graduating to the Football League referees list three years later, at the age of only twenty nine.
His major breakthrough came in 1994. He was one of three new referees appointed to the Premier List along with fellow Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
official Peter Jones
Peter Jones (referee)
Peter Jones ) is an English football referee, who retired from officiating at the end of the 2001-02 season. He lives in Quorn, near Loughborough, Leicestershire, and works as a referee assessor.-Career:...
and Gary Willard
Gary Willard
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...
from 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...
. Over the next three seasons all his league games were at Premiership level (as was standard for Premiership referees at the time). However, his performances did not always find favour - most notably a game at Highbury
Arsenal Stadium
Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
between Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and Sunderland on September 28, 1996,† when two away players were sent off before half-time. At the end of the 1996-97
1996-97 in English football
The 1996–1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England.Arrival into the league and exit out of the league returns in the fourth tier for the first time after its 3 season absence with only 1 relegation spot.- Premier League :...
season he was dropped from the Premier List and reverted to Football League level.
For the next few years he was one of its senior officials, often receiving key appointments such as an old First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
play-off semi-final on May 17, 2001 at Deepdale
Deepdale
Deepdale is a stadium in the Deepdale area of Preston, England, the home of Preston North End F.C. and, up to 2010, England's National Football Museum. Preston North End are one of the founder members of the Football League.- History :...
, where Preston
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
beat Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
after extra-time and penalties
Penalty shootout (football)
A penalty shoot-out, referred to as kicks from the penalty mark in the Laws of the Game, is the FIFA official term for a method used in association football to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied game...
(Preston had already missed a spot-kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
during the regulation 90 minutes). The then Birmingham manager Trevor Francis
Trevor Francis
Trevor John Francis , is a former footballer who won the European Cup with Nottingham Forest and played for England 52 times. He was England's first £1 million player...
was said to be "visibly furious" after Danson moved the location of the penalty shootout from the empty end of the ground to the goal behind which the Preston fans were situated (on police advice), and he removed his players from the field in protest for a short while.
Following a Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
match between Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
and West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
at Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park is an English football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood in the Borough of Croydon. It is the current home ground of Crystal Palace Football Club. Its present capacity is 26,309.-History:...
on September 20, 2003, he had to attend hospital in Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
(Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
) for treatment, due to being hit in the mouth and rendered unconscious whilst dealing with a three-man altercation on the pitch during the match, which ended 2–2 and generated eight cautions.
Matters took a very different turn in the 2004-05
2004-05 in English football
The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...
season. He refereed only three games in the top division of the Football League and was largely on lower division duty. At the end of that season he lost his place on the League List after a tenure of eighteen years. Potentially he could have had another two years before retirement and had that happened he would have completed twenty years and become the longest-serving referee since the 1920s.‡ However, he did gain experience in Europe as a fourth official and assistant referee.
He returned to the assistants' list for the first time since 1987, retiring immediately from the Football League referees' list, although he did handle three games in the Football Conference North in season 2005-06
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
before finishing his top-class career completely.
- Football League Handbooks 1984-1987
- Rothmans / Sky Sports Football Yearbooks 1987-2006
- Rothmans Football Yearbook (1997), Headline, (†p14)
- ‡ Gilbert Upton (2005) Football League and Premiership Referees 1888 to 2005, Soccerdata, p20.
External links
- Paul Danson Referee Statistics at Soccerbase.com