Laid to rest: Match official caught up in a moment of Premier

A FORMER football Premier League match official, who was involved in the infamous “Liverpool beach ball incident”, has died at the age of 47.

Assistant referee Andy Newbold died at home late last month after he contracted a rare germ cell cancer in his chest.

He was part of the officiating team during the infamous 2010 Premier League fixture between Sunderland and Liverpool which saw Sunderland striker Darren Bent’s shot hit the back of the net after it deflected off a beach ball thrown on to the pitch by Liverpool fans.

His wife, Sharron, told the Mercury the cancer he had usually only affects children and young adults.

She said: “He was very sick and was in intensive care on three occasions, the first being for three weeks. Andy suffered three cardiac arrests, one at home, and amazingly he kept fighting back.

“He was desperate to get better for myself and our children and there’s nothing I wouldn’t have done to help him. He began to look like he was winning his battle, his tumour markers returned to normal, but cruelly the cancer had transformed and had been silently progressing.

“He died at home, I was desperate to keep him at home as that was his wish. I brought him back from hospital whenever I could in between treatment, sometimes this would be in the early hours but it was what Andy wanted and the caring staff who became very fond of him would let this happen.”

The two had been married for 18 years and had three children – Millie, 16, Megan, 14 and Louie, 11. As well as being a fully qualified Premier League match official, Andy worked as a self-employed carpet fitter.

He was desperate to get better for myself and our children.

Sharron, the widow of former linesman Andy Newbold, pictured