George Courtney
Encyclopedia
George Courtney is an English
former football
referee based in Spennymoor
, County Durham
.
He is said to be a freemason. His vocational career was spent as a primary school headteacher
.
staged a dramatic recovery to beat Wolves
and overtake QPR
.
In 1977 he made the FIFA
panel of referees. He had achieved this feat in only three seasons which was, until the case of Martin Atkinson
in 2006, the quickest in modern times. In 1979 he took charge of the Charity Shield
and was back at Wembley the following May for the ultimate honour of the FA Cup Final between West Ham
and Arsenal
.
's retirement in 1981 followed by the unexpected early departure of another World Cup
referee, Clive White
the following year led to Courtney becoming the dominant refereeing figure of the 1980s. He took charge of the 1983 League Cup
Final, thus completing the hat trick of major Wembley matches. He went on to referee numerous FA Cup
semi-finals as well as many top division games. He was due to retire in 1989 but in common with a number of other senior and respected officials at that time was granted an extension. He went on to serve three extra years on the list.
competitions and handled finals such as the 1989 Cup Winners Cup
Final. He was England's representative at the 1984 European Championships
, followed by the FIFA World Cup
s of 1986 and 1990. His appointment for the third place play-off in 1986 was the furthest any English referee has reached at the World Cup since Jack Taylor
controlled the Final in 1974
, until Howard Webb officiated the 2010 World Cup Final. The only competition he missed was the 1988 European Championships
when Keith Hackett
was selected.
list at the end of 1991 at the age of fifty. He was one of the last referees to have that privilege, as they reduced the maximum age for their officials to forty five at that point. He served out the rest of that season in England
. He took charge of an unprecedented second League Cup Final in 1992. The final match of his eventful career was the play-off game between Blackburn
and Leicester
for a place in the new Premier League
. Although extensions were still possible for over-age referees he had decided to retire from League refereeing, a few weeks short of his fifty-first birthday.
Courtney is a past student of Chester University College. He later became Director of Community Projects at Middlesbrough F.C.
He is now a UEFA delegate, charged with reporting on stadium and crowd control issues at UEFA matches, such as during the 1–0 UEFA Champions League
win by F.C. Shakhtar Donetsk
at S.L. Benfica on 3 October 2007.
Courtney did however on the 23rd March 2011, run the line in the second half of the Bishop Auckland v Billingham Synthonia Northern league match at Heritage Park. In unforeseen circumstances, the original referee sustained a groin injury whilst his replacement injured an ankle. Although tempted to run the match after the first injury, Courtney was beaten to the task but succeeded in running the line to great effect and rapturous applause at the ripe old age of 69.
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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 based in Spennymoor
Spennymoor
Spennymoor is a town in County Durham, England. It stands above the Wear Valley approximately seven miles south of Durham. The town was founded over 160 years ago...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
.
He is said to be a freemason. His vocational career was spent as a primary school headteacher
Head teacher
A head teacher or school principal is the most senior teacher, leader and manager of a school....
.
Ascent through English refereeing
Courtney started refereeing in 1961, he firstly started refereeing school games in and around his area of Spennymoor. He later carried out both linesman and refereeing duties for the Northern League before becoming a Football League linesman in 1971. Just two years later he was appointed to the supplementary panel of referees and one year after that was included in the full list of referees at the age of only thirty three. In 1976, despite only being in his second year as a Football League referee, he was appointed to the decisive match for the League title in which LiverpoolLiverpool 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...
staged a dramatic recovery to beat Wolves
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
and overtake QPR
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
.
In 1977 he made the 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...
panel of referees. He had achieved this feat in only three seasons which was, until the case of Martin Atkinson
Martin Atkinson
-Europe and international:On 13 October 2007, Atkinson refereed a group C qualifier for Euro 2008 between Moldova and Turkey. The game in the Moldovan capital Chişinău ended a 1–1 draw, with the referee showing two yellow cards....
in 2006, the quickest in modern times. In 1979 he took charge of the Charity Shield
FA Community Shield
The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
and was back at Wembley the following May for the ultimate honour of the FA Cup Final between 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 Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
.
Years at the top
Pat PartridgePat Partridge
Patrick "Pat" Partridge is a retired English football referee, and former President of the Association of Football League Referees and Linesmen. His occupation outside football was as a farmer. He originates from Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees, and took the name of his father, Patrick Partridge,...
's retirement in 1981 followed by the unexpected early departure of another World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
referee, Clive White
Clive White
Clive Bradley White is a retired English football referee from Harrow, Middlesex.-Career:White made the Football League referees list at the age of thirty three in 1973, after four years as a linesman. He made rapid progress and reached the FIFA Panel around 1978...
the following year led to Courtney becoming the dominant refereeing figure of the 1980s. He took charge of the 1983 League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
Final, thus completing the hat trick of major Wembley matches. He went on to referee numerous 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...
semi-finals as well as many top division games. He was due to retire in 1989 but in common with a number of other senior and respected officials at that time was granted an extension. He went on to serve three extra years on the list.
International experience
Courtney was a frequent figure in UEFAUEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
competitions and handled finals such as the 1989 Cup Winners Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1988-89
The season 1988-89 of the European Cup Winners' Cup was won for the third time by Barcelona in the final against Italian entrants Sampdoria. The same two sides reached the final of the European Cup 1991–92, which Barcelona also won. Wimbledon F.C...
Final. He was England's representative at the 1984 European Championships
1984 UEFA European Football Championship
The 1984 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in France. West Germany also bid for the hosting of this event. It was the seventh European Football Championship, held every four years and endorsed by UEFA...
, followed by the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
s of 1986 and 1990. His appointment for the third place play-off in 1986 was the furthest any English referee has reached at the World Cup since Jack Taylor
Jack Taylor (referee)
John Keith "Jack" Taylor is an English former football referee, famous for officiating in the 1974 FIFA World Cup Final where he awarded two penalties during the first 30 minutes.-Refereeing career:...
controlled the Final in 1974
1974 FIFA World Cup
The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded...
, until Howard Webb officiated the 2010 World Cup Final. The only competition he missed was the 1988 European Championships
1988 UEFA European Football Championship
The 1988 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in West Germany. West Germany won the right to host the tournament with five votes ahead of a joint bid from Norway, Sweden and Denmark, who gained 1 vote, and a bid from England. It was the eighth European Football...
when Keith Hackett
Keith Hackett
Keith Stuart Hackett is an English former football referee, who began refereeing in local leagues in the Sheffield, Yorkshire, area in 1960...
was selected.
Retirement
Courtney retired from the FIFAFIFA
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...
list at the end of 1991 at the age of fifty. He was one of the last referees to have that privilege, as they reduced the maximum age for their officials to forty five at that point. He served out the rest of that season in England
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...
. He took charge of an unprecedented second League Cup Final in 1992. The final match of his eventful career was the play-off game between Blackburn
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
and Leicester
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
for a place in the new Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
. Although extensions were still possible for over-age referees he had decided to retire from League refereeing, a few weeks short of his fifty-first birthday.
Courtney is a past student of Chester University College. He later became Director of Community Projects at Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
He is now a UEFA delegate, charged with reporting on stadium and crowd control issues at UEFA matches, such as during the 1–0 UEFA Champions League
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...
win by F.C. Shakhtar Donetsk
FC Shakhtar Donetsk
FC Shakhtar Donetsk is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Donetsk. Shakhtar has appeared in several European competitions and currently is often a participant of the UEFA Champions League. The club became the first Ukrainian club to win the UEFA Cup in 2009, the last year...
at S.L. Benfica on 3 October 2007.
Courtney did however on the 23rd March 2011, run the line in the second half of the Bishop Auckland v Billingham Synthonia Northern league match at Heritage Park. In unforeseen circumstances, the original referee sustained a groin injury whilst his replacement injured an ankle. Although tempted to run the match after the first injury, Courtney was beaten to the task but succeeded in running the line to great effect and rapturous applause at the ripe old age of 69.
- Freddi, Cris (1998) The complete Book Of the World Cup, Collins Willow.
- Football League handbooks
- Rothmans Football Yearbooks