Rob Harris (referee)
Encyclopedia
Robert J. Harris is an English
former football
referee who operated in the Football League
and Premier League. He was for a time regarded as the best linesman on the Premier League, but following his promotion to a Premier referee two controversial incidents at West Ham
and Tranmere
disrupted his time as a referee. During his refereeing career he was mainly based in the city of Oxford
.
. After that he got further promotions onto the Football Combination
in 1982 and then the Southern League
in 1985. He became a Football League linesman in 1988. He made progress and in 1992 he became one of the first ever FIFA
assistant referees. A few months later he assisted Philip Don
in the FA Cup Final between Liverpool
and Sunderland. He was one of the first assistants for the new Premier League when that started a few months later.
Two years later came further honours. In May he was appointed to assist Philip Don once more, this time in the 1994 European Cup Final between AC Milan and Barcelona
. This is the only time since 1971 that English officials have controlled the Final. He was also appointed to the National Referees List for the following season (1994-95
).
Over the next four seasons he established himself in the Football League. He took charge of a greater number of games, including play-off matches, and in 1998 he was promoted to the Premier League referees List.
Harris has also refereed two Coppa Italia finals; first in 1999 between Parma and Fiorentina, and then the 2000 final between Internazionale and Roma. Harris served as a Premier referee for three seasons but two incidents marred this period. In May 1999 he sent off three West Ham
players as they lost heavily at home to Leeds United
. David Elleray
was fourth official. After the game Harris narrowly escaped being attacked by home supporters as he waited in his car at traffic lights.† This led to a new policy by the Premier League where all officials are transported to games by people-carrier, to reduce the risk of such an event.
In January 2000 he sent off Clint Hill
of Tranmere
near the end of their home FA Cup
tie with Sunderland. As Hill was leaving the field Tranmere made a substitution but in the confusion no player was actually withdrawn. None of the officials noticed this, and the home team continued to play with eleven men rather than ten in the final minutes. This error of Law is treated very seriously, and as a result Harris was suspended and did not officiate again for another two months.‡
He did carry on at Premier level for the next season, after which he stepped down to the Football League as from the 2001-02
campaign. This coincided with his moving from Oxford to the Isle of Wight
, making him the only League referee ever from this location.¶ He only remained on the Football League for this one season, he then stepped down again for the 2002-03 season to Football Conference Level where he continue to referee until November 2005 when he retired to become a FA Assesser.
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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 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 who operated 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. He was for a time regarded as the best linesman on the Premier League, but following his promotion to a Premier referee two controversial incidents at 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...
and Tranmere
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
disrupted his time as a referee. During his refereeing career he was mainly based in the city of Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
Career
He took up Refereeing in 1975, He quickly progressed through the local Oxford Junior and Senior Leagues onto the Hellenic Football LeagueHellenic Football League
The Hellenic Football League is an English football league covering an area including the English counties of Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, southern Buckinghamshire, southern Herefordshire, western Greater London, and northern Wiltshire. There is also one team from Hampshire.The league...
. After that he got further promotions onto the Football Combination
Football Combination
The Football Combination , is a football competition for the reserve teams of English Football League clubs from Southern England and Wales...
in 1982 and then 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...
in 1985. He became a Football League linesman in 1988. He made progress and in 1992 he became one of the first ever 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...
assistant referees. A few months later he assisted 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...
in the FA Cup Final 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 Sunderland. He was one of the first assistants for the new Premier League when that started a few months later.
Two years later came further honours. In May he was appointed to assist Philip Don once more, this time in the 1994 European Cup Final between AC Milan and Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
. This is the only time since 1971 that English officials have controlled the Final. He was also appointed to the National Referees List for the following season (1994-95
1994-95 in English football
-Premiership:Blackburn Rovers ended their 81-year wait for the league title thanks to the strike partnership of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton which scored a total of more than 50 league goals. Manchester United would have made it three league titles in a row if they had been able to turn a 1-1 draw...
).
Over the next four seasons he established himself in the Football League. He took charge of a greater number of games, including play-off matches, and in 1998 he was promoted to the Premier League referees List.
Harris has also refereed two Coppa Italia finals; first in 1999 between Parma and Fiorentina, and then the 2000 final between Internazionale and Roma. Harris served as a Premier referee for three seasons but two incidents marred this period. In May 1999 he sent off three 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...
players as they lost heavily at home to Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
. David Elleray
David Elleray
David Roland Elleray , is an English former football referee, who officiated in the Football League, the FA Premier League and for FIFA.-Career:...
was fourth official. After the game Harris narrowly escaped being attacked by home supporters as he waited in his car at traffic lights.† This led to a new policy by the Premier League where all officials are transported to games by people-carrier, to reduce the risk of such an event.
In January 2000 he sent off Clint Hill
Clint Hill (footballer)
Clinton Scott "Clint" Hill is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers in the Premier League. His preferred position is at centre-back, although he can also play at left-back as well.-Tranmere Rovers:...
of Tranmere
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
near the end of their home FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
tie with Sunderland. As Hill was leaving the field Tranmere made a substitution but in the confusion no player was actually withdrawn. None of the officials noticed this, and the home team continued to play with eleven men rather than ten in the final minutes. This error of Law is treated very seriously, and as a result Harris was suspended and did not officiate again for another two months.‡
He did carry on at Premier level for the next season, after which he stepped down to the Football League as from the 2001-02
2001-02 in English football
The 2001-02 season was the 122nd season of competitive football in England.-Arsenal cruise to title glory:In what had earlier been one of the most closely fought Premiership title races for years, Arsenal won the championship by seven points. Their crown was won in the penultimate game of the...
campaign. This coincided with his moving from Oxford to the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, making him the only League referee ever from this location.¶ He only remained on the Football League for this one season, he then stepped down again for the 2002-03 season to Football Conference Level where he continue to referee until November 2005 when he retired to become a FA Assesser.
Personal life
He is married to Anne with whom he has two sons. He works for Ford UK, as the warranty director for the UK.- Football League Handbooks, 1988–1993
- Rothmans Football Yearbooks, 1994-2002 (‡2000 edition, p21)
- †David Elleray (2004) The Man In the Middle, Time Warner, p202-204
- ¶Gilbert Upton (2005) Football League and Premiership Referees 1888 to 2005, Soccerdata
External links
- Rob Harris Referee Statistics at soccerbase.com