Referee Madley quits in shock setback to the Premier League
Sudden decision ‘linked to video on social media’ Premier League left with just 17 elite officials
Bobby Madley, one of the rising stars among the Premier League’s referees, who took charge of last year’s Community Shield, has abruptly quit and ended his career in English football.
The 32-year-old was on the Fifa list and one of those whom the Premier League had hoped go on to be one of Europe’s leading referees and the circumstances around his departure are still unclear. It is understood that it could be linked to a video on social media, although that could not be confirmed.
His departure, revealed by Telegraph Sport online yesterday afternoon, had not been disclosed to Madley’s fellow select group referees by their organisation Professional Game Match Officials. He had been left off the match list for the first rounds of Premier League and Football League fixtures, which is unusual but not unprecedented in an organisation in which referees can come in and out of favour.
In a statement, PGMOL, said: “Bobby Madley is no longer employed by PGMOL. We understand that he has decided to relocate due to a change in his personal circumstances.”
He was not present at the mandatory pre-season meeting of all select group officials at St George’s Park where they are briefed. His sudden departure leaves the select group of 18 referees down to 17.
Mike Riley, the managing director of PGMOL, is expected to address his referees on the details of Madley’s departure this week. The select group will gather at St George’s Park for the first of this season’s regular meetings in which they review performances.
Madley, from West Yorkshire, had been a Fifa list referee since last January, making him eligible to take charge of international fixtures and European games. He was well-regarded at the Premier League, for which he had been taking charge of games for more than three years and was one of the youngest senior referees. His older brother, Andrew, 34, is a Football League referee in the select group two and took charge of his first Premier League game last season.
Bobby Madley was trusted with high-profile fixtures in recent seasons including Manchester United home games against Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, and Liverpool v Arsenal. He had refereed the Community Shield between Arsenal and Chelsea in August last year.
PGMOL is under pressure to develop a new generation of referees and especially from next year, with the introduction of VAR, given the increased number of officials that will require for every game.
Riley and his PGMOL deputy Adam Gale-watts, a former assistant referee, are in charge of assigning referees and assistants to games. The loss of Madley will come as a blow. The select group lost Mark Clattenburg, who quit in the 20162017 season to become the head of refereeing for the Saudi Arabian football federation.
Martin Atkinson stepped down from refereeing Uefa competitions last season. PGMOL has 18 select group referees from whom it makes its appointments.
Referees can fall off the list if they get injured or if they fail the annual fitness tests. Last season, the Telegraph columnist Keith Hackett, a former referee and Riley’s predecessor at PGMOL, criticised Madley for his performance
in Bournemouth’s 3-3 draw with West Ham United.
Madley was widely regarded to have made a mistake in not sending off Bournemouth’s Simon Francis for a reckless challenge on Cheikhou Kouyate. He later overruled his assistant, who had flagged for offside during Bournemouth’s late equaliser.