Eric Jennings
Encyclopedia
Eric T. Jennings is an English
former football
referee, who operated in the Football League
and for FIFA
. He comes from Stourbridge
in the West Midlands
.
By the mid-1960s he was a leading English official and this was marked by his ascendancy to the FIFA List in around 1966. His experience of officiating between nations was limited mainly to friendly match
es, which included East Germany
's 2-0 win against Romania
at the Stadion der Freundschaft
on 21 September 1966, and the 2-2 draw between the Republic of Ireland
and Poland
at Dalymount Park
on 15 May 1968. He also handled games in the Home International
competition of the time, such as Northern Ireland
versus Scotland
at Windsor Park
, Belfast
, on 18 April 1970.
On 13 November 1968 he went to Amsterdam
to referee Ajax versus Fenerbahçe in a European Cup
second round tie, but bettered this later that season on 13 April 1969 with a return to the Dutch club for its semi-final against Spartak Trnava
.
The following season (1969-70
) was his last before retirement, and he was awarded the FA Cup Final between Chelsea
and Leeds
at Wembley on 11 April 1970 as the climax to his long and successful career. This game ended in a draw
, and in those days a replay was required. However, it was remarked in a newspaper article that the replay at Old Trafford on 29 April 1970 was disfigured by "undertones of violence...not helped by inefficient refereeing" and that "Jennings was a figure of bland indifference as players went over the ball, and as others fell before crushingly illegal challenges", booking just one player, Ian Hutchinson. It was to be another seven years until the Final was given to a referee in his retirement season, when Bob Matthewson
handled the Manchester United
versus Liverpool
game.
Jennings' career also overlapped with another top League and FIFA referee from his home town - Ken Burns
.
Print
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 for 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...
. He comes from Stourbridge
Stourbridge
Stourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Historically part of Worcestershire, Stourbridge was a centre of glass making, and today includes the suburbs of Amblecote, Lye, Norton, Oldswinford, Pedmore, Wollaston, Wollescote and Wordsley The...
in the West Midlands
West Midlands conurbation
The West Midlands conurbation is the name given to the large conurbation that includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton and the large towns of Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Solihull, Stourbridge, Halesowen in the English West Midlands....
.
Career
Jennings was promoted to the Football League referees List in 1954, aged only 31.By the mid-1960s he was a leading English official and this was marked by his ascendancy to the FIFA List in around 1966. His experience of officiating between nations was limited mainly to friendly match
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
es, which included East Germany
East Germany national football team
The East Germany national football team was from 1952 to 1990 the football team of East Germany, playing as one of three post-war German teams, along with Saarland and West Germany....
's 2-0 win against Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
at the Stadion der Freundschaft
Stadion der Freundschaft
The Stadion der Freundschaft is a football stadium in Cottbus, Germany. The home ground of FC Energie Cottbus, originally opened in 1930, has a capacity of 22,528.- References :...
on 21 September 1966, and the 2-2 draw between the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
and Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
at Dalymount Park
Dalymount Park
Dalymount Park is an Irish football stadium situated on Dublin's Northside. It is the home of Bohemian F.C., who have played there since the early 20th century. Affectionately known as 'Dalyer' by fans, it was also historically the "home of Irish football" holding Irish internationals and FAI Cup...
on 15 May 1968. He also handled games in the Home International
British Home Championship
The British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
competition of the time, such as Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
versus Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
at Windsor Park
Windsor Park
Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:...
, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, on 18 April 1970.
On 13 November 1968 he went to Amsterdam
Amsterdam ArenA
Amsterdam Arena is a stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is the largest stadium in the nation and it was built from 1993 to 1996 at a cost of €140 million, and was officially opened on 14 August 1996. It has been used for association football, American football, concerts, and other events...
to referee Ajax versus Fenerbahçe in a European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
second round tie, but bettered this later that season on 13 April 1969 with a return to the Dutch club for its semi-final against Spartak Trnava
FC Spartak Trnava
FC Spartak Trnava is a Slovak football club based in Trnava, Slovakia. Historically it is one of the most successful clubs in Slovakia, having won the Czechoslovak First League and the Czechoslovak Cup five times, and reaching semifinal of European Cup once and quarterfinal twice. The club plays...
.
The following season (1969-70
1969-70 in English football
The 1969–70 season was the 90th season of competitive football in England.-First Division:Everton won their seventh title, finishing nine points clear of Leeds United with Chelsea in third and newly promoted Derby County in fourth...
) was his last before retirement, and he was awarded the FA Cup Final between Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
and Leeds
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...
at Wembley on 11 April 1970 as the climax to his long and successful career. This game ended in a draw
Tie (draw)
To tie or draw is to finish a competition with identical or inconclusive results. The word "tie" is usually used in North America for sports such as American football. "Draw" is usually used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations and it is usually used for sports such as...
, and in those days a replay was required. However, it was remarked in a newspaper article that the replay at Old Trafford on 29 April 1970 was disfigured by "undertones of violence...not helped by inefficient refereeing" and that "Jennings was a figure of bland indifference as players went over the ball, and as others fell before crushingly illegal challenges", booking just one player, Ian Hutchinson. It was to be another seven years until the Final was given to a referee in his retirement season, when Bob Matthewson
Bob Matthewson
Robert "Bob" Matthewson was an English footballer and FIFA referee. Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Matthewson had a spell playing for the Byker Youth Club's football team before he was signed by Bolton Wanderers...
handled the Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
versus 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...
game.
Jennings' career also overlapped with another top League and FIFA referee from his home town - Ken Burns
Ken Burns (referee)
Kenneth Burns is an English former football referee who officiated in the English Football League, and on the FIFA list. During his refereeing career he was based in Stourbridge, in the borough of Dudley, West Midlands, and was by profession a legal executive.-Career:He made the Football League...
.
- Football League Handbooks, 1954–1970
- Ionescu, Romeo (2004) The Complete Results & Line-Ups of the European Champions Clubs’ Cup 1955-1991, Soccer Books Limited.
- Gilbert Upton (2005) Football League and Premiership Referees 1888 to 2005, Soccerdata