Saturday funeral for soccer official

THE funeral of well-known Safa referee examiner and match commissioner instructor, Stan Campher, will take place at St Marks Church in Van der Kemp Street, Parkside, at 11am on Saturday.

A memorial service will be held at the same venue this evening.

The training officer and HR director at Marina Salt died of a heart attack in his sleep on Wednesday last week. He was 62.

In a career spanning nearly 40 years, Campher rose from a referee in the northern areas to one of the most respected administrators in the local referees world.

The highlight of his career was probably being invited to attend a referee’s course in England in 2005 together with Sylvester Ndaba, Phillip Masumula, Stewart Gregory and Steve Goddard.

Long-time friend, colleague and PSL referee Jacob Frolick said Campher had dedicated himself to the game. “Football was his life,” he said. “He was never one for the limelight and always put service before self.

“He often paid out of his own pocket for referees to attend workshops.”

Colleague Chantell Kleinhans, a quality control supervisor at Marina Salt, where Campher was employed for more than 25 years, said: “Stan was a wonderful man whose sole purpose in life was to uplift those around him.

“He had the respect of everyone who came across him at all levels.

“He had a remarkable temperament and never got angry. “Stan will be sorely missed at the company.” Campher was on the PSL panel as an assistant referee and retired from refereeing two years ago.

He remained active in the sport by appointing referees in the various leagues. Campher never married.