Sian Louise Massey is an English football and women's football referee who officiates generally in the role of assistant referee

Assistant referee (association football)

In association football, an assistant referee is one of several officials who assist the referee in controlling a match. Two officials, traditionally known as linesmen , stand on the touchlines, while a fourth official assists administrative or other match related tasks as directed by the referee...

 – primarily 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...

 – but she has also had appointments to Premier League, Football League Trophy

Football League Trophy

The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...

, UEFA Women's Champions League and FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying

2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification

Qualification for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup determines which 15 teams join , the hosts of the 2011 tournament, to play for the Women's World Cup. Europe has 5.5 qualifying berths , Asia 3 berths, North and Central America 2.5 berths, Africa 2 berths, South America 2 berths and Oceania 1 berth...

 matches, having turned professional and appointed to 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...

 list of women assistant referees in 2010. She is based in Coventry

Coventry

Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...

, West Midlands

West Midlands (county)

The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...

.

Domestic career

In May 2009 Massey was appointed fourth official for the year's FA Women's Cup

FA Women's Cup

The Football Association Women’s Challenge Cup Competition, commonly referred to as the FA Women's Cup, is the top cup competition for women's football clubs in England – designed as an exact equivalent to the FA Cup created 99 years earlier...

 final at Derby County

Derby County F.C.

Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...

's Pride Park Stadium

Pride Park Stadium

Pride Park Stadium is an all-seater football stadium located on the Pride Park business park on the outskirts of Derby, England. It is the current home of Football League Championship club Derby County, who moved to the stadium from the Baseball Ground upon its opening in 1997...

, a game which saw two injury-time goals and Arsenal

Arsenal L.F.C.

Arsenal Ladies Football Club are an English women's association football club affiliated with Arsenal F.C.. Founded in 1987, they are the most successful club in English women's football having won 34 major trophies to date; which are 12 FA Women's Premier League titles, 11 FA Women's Cups, ten...

 defeat Sunderland

Sunderland A.F.C. Women

Sunderland AFC Women is a women's football club based in Sunderland, North East England. They play their home games at The Hetton Centre in Hetton-le-Hole, Tyne and Wear.-History:...

 2–1. In the 2009–10 men's season

2009–10 in English football

The 2009–10 season was the 130th season of competitive football in England.The season began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League One and League Two and 15 August 2009 for the Premier League...

 Massey was fourth official in five matches and assistant referee in 11 matches. Her first appointment as an assistant referee was on 29 August 2009, a 2–2 draw between Hereford United

Hereford United F.C.

Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...

 and Port Vale

Port Vale F.C.

Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...

.

On 11 February 2010, Massey refereed the season's FA Women's Premier League Cup final between Leeds Carnegie

Leeds United L.F.C.

Leeds United Ladies Football Club are an English women's football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. They compete in the FA Women's Premier League National Division for the 2009–10 season and are one of two Yorkshire teams in the FA Women's Premier League National Division, along with...

 and Everton

Everton L.F.C.

Everton Ladies Football Club are a semi-professional women's association football team from the city of Liverpool, who compete in the FA WSL. They were runners-up to Arsenal in the 2009–10 Premier League National Division season. They have won the title once in 1998 and the FA Women's Cup on...

 at Rochdale

Rochdale A.F.C.

Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...

's Spotland Stadium

Spotland Stadium

Spotland Stadium is a sports venue located at Willbutts Lane in the Spotland area of Rochdale, Greater Manchester. It is currently home to Rochdale AFC and Rochdale Hornets RLFC...

. Massey was required to interpret two notable incidents; she disallowed a third first-half goal for Leeds for a foul on Everton's goalkeeper and disregarded Everton's late first-half appeal for a penalty kick. Leeds won the match 3–1, winning the cup for the first time since its inaugural 1991–92 season.

Massey turned professional in March 2010, joining the Professional Game Match Officials Board

Professional Game Match Officials Board

The Professional Game Match Officials Board , and since made a Limited Liability Company , was formed when English association football referees turned professional in 2001, specifically to provide match officials for all games played in the Premier League in England...

 (PGMOB), who provide the officials for men's Premier League matches, the highest level of professional football in England. Her first Premier League appointment was on 28 December 2010, as an assistant in Blackpool

Blackpool F.C.

Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...

's 2–0 away win at Sunderland

Sunderland A.F.C.

Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...

.

In August 2011 Massey was appointed to the Select Group of match officials.

Sexism controversy

After her second Premier League game, as an assistant in 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...

's 3–0 away win at Wolverhampton Wanderers

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...

 on 22 January 2011, a sexism

Sexism

Sexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas...

 controversy erupted over remarks made about Massey by staff of the Premier League broadcaster Sky Sports, which led to commentator Andy Gray being sacked, the presenter Richard Keys

Richard Keys

Richard Keys is an English radio presenter best known for his time with British sports channel Sky Sports from 1991 until 2011. In February 2011, Keys along with fellow Sky presenter, Andy Gray signed with talkSPORT....

 resigning and reporter Andy Burton

Andy Burton (TV presenter)

Andy Burton is a sports presenter and commentator, currently best known as a touchline reporter for Sky Sports. He has worked for Capital Radio and Bravo. He hit the headlines after punching presenter Richard Bacon in the face in 2007. He was the main commentator on Bravo's Football Challenge...

 being suspended. Massey was withdrawn by the PGMOB from her next appointment, a League 2

Football League Two

Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....

 game between Crewe Alexandra

Crewe Alexandra F.C.

Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...

 and Bradford City on 25 January, as they believed the added attention Massey may receive could detract from the match itself. The PGMOB also withdrew her for a second time, from a Conference North

Conference North

The Conference North also known as Blue Square Bet North for sponsorship reasons, is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of...

 game between Corby Town

Corby Town F.C.

Corby Town F.C. is an English football club based in Corby, Northamptonshire. They will be members of the Conference North for the 2011–12 season. The Steelmen play their home games at the newly built Steel Park, adjacent to their previous ground, Rockingham Triangle Sports Stadium, which is...

 and Eastwood Town

Eastwood Town F.C.

Eastwood Town F.C. is a football club from Eastwood, Nottinghamshire formed in 1953, currently playing in the Conference North.-History:Although there was a football club named Eastwood Town operating in the Nottinghamshire Alliance in 1921, its was only in existence for two years. It was not until...

 on 29 January, with Corby stating there had been huge demand for television access when it was announced Massey was to referee the game. Massey returned to the line on 5 February for a League 2 match between Chesterfield

Chesterfield F.C.

Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...

 and Aldershot Town

Aldershot Town F.C.

Aldershot Town Football Club is an association football club based in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, founded in the spring of 1992 just after the closure of debt-ridden Fourth Division club Aldershot Football Club...

, and was then appointed to her third Premier League fixture on 12 February between Blackpool

Blackpool F.C.

Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...

 and Aston Villa

Aston Villa F.C.

Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...

, as an assistant to 2010 World Cup final

2010 FIFA World Cup Final

The 2010 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 with a goal from Andrés Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra time...

  referee Howard Webb

Howard Webb

Howard Melton Webb, MBE, is an English professional football referee who officiates primarily in the Premier League and has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2005....

.

International career

Massey's early international career has included involvement in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup by taking up the role of fourth official for England

England women's national football team

The England women's national football team represents England in international women's football. The side has been quite successful of late, qualifying for three World Cups, 1995, 2007 and 2011...

's 4–0 qualification stage win over Austria

Austria women's national football team

The Austria women's national football team represents Austria in international women's football.The team is made up mainly of players from the Austrian and German Women's Bundesligas. As yet the team has never qualified for any major tournament .-World Cup record:-Current squad:- External links :*...

 on 20 April 2006. In September 2007 Massey was assistant referee at England Women's 2–1 international friendly defeat by Denmark Women

Denmark women's national football team

The Denmark women's national football team represents Denmark in international women's football. The team is controlled by the Danish Football Association .-World Cup:*1970 : Winner *1971 : Winner...

. She was also an assistant referee for the qualification stage of UEFA Women's Euro 2009.

Her involvement in the qualification stage for the Women's World Cup increased for the 2011 edition of the competition, taking up the role of assistant referee for Norway

Norway women's national football team

The Norway women's national football team represents Norway in international women's football. The team, controlled by the Football Association of Norway, are former European, World and Olympic champions and thus one of the most successful national teams...

's 2–0 win over Ukraine

Ukraine women's national football team

The Ukraine women's national football team represents Ukraine in international women's football. The team is administered by the Football Federation of Ukraine....

, Sweden

Sweden women's national football team

Sweden women's national football team are a football team officially representing Sweden in women's football. They won the unofficial European Championships in 1984, a success the team has not managed to repeat, it has however won one World Cup-silver as well as three European Cup-silvers...

's 1–0 away victory over the Czech Republic

Czech Republic women's national football team

The Czech Republic women's national football team are the official football women's team for the Czech Republic, they are currently ranked 26th in the world . At the moment, the captain of the team is Eva Šmeralová, who plays for Sparta Prague....

 in Prague and Belgium

Belgium women's national football team

The Belgium women's national football team represents Belgium in international women's football. They are currently 33rd at the FIFA Women's World Rankings.-World Cup record:- UEFA Women's Championship Record :*1984 : did not qualify...

's 11–0 home win over Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan women's national football team

The Azerbaijan women's national football team represents Azerbaijan in international women's football. They are currently 70th at the FIFA Women's World Rankings. Azerbaijan has never qualified for any international tournament.-World Cup record:...

.

See also

• List of football referees
• Amy Rayner
  Amy Rayner
  Amy Fearn is an English football referee from Loughborough, Leicestershire, who in 2010 became the first woman to referee in The Football League...
  
  , first female Football League referee
• Wendy Toms
  Wendy Toms
  Wendy Toms is an English football referee from Broadstone, Poole, Dorset, who has officiated in the Football League and then the Premier League, both as assistant referee. She was the first female ever to fulfil such roles at those levels. She also served for FIFA on the women's international list...
  
  , first female Football League and Premier League assistant referee