Information

Annual Report

2006/2007 ANNUAL REPORT

The yearly update from the PGMOL

Eighteen Select Group Referees operate on a Professional basis within the PGMOL the body responsible for providing match Officials to the Premier League.

Select Group Match Officials 2006/2007

Martin Atkinson, Steve Bennett, Mark Clattenburg, Mike Dean, Phil Dowd, Chris Foy, Dermot Gallagher, Mark Halsey, Barry Knight , Andre Marriner, Lee Mason, Graham Poll, Uriah Rennie, Mike Riley, Rob Styles, Peter Walton, Howard Webb, Alan Wiley

Technical Data

The number of fouls awarded in Premier League games is at its lowest level for four years.

During the 05/06 season this number peaked at 30 fouls per Premier League game.
This season the number has gone down to 26 fouls, on average, awarded per game.
The average number of cautions that are administered during a Premier League game has not changed.
It remains on average 3 cautions per game.
Therefore in a typical Premier League fixture we can expect a caution roughly after 8 fouls have been committed.
Clearly this will be specific to severity of challenges but it indicates the level of disciplinary action the referees are taking.
The distance to fouls awarded continues to decrease.
It is at its lowest level for four years.
This is indicative of the improving fitness levels coupled with an improvement in there cognitive skills and reading of the game.
The majority of referees’ distance from fouls was just above 14m.

De Vere Staverton training

It was also recorded that out of an average 7 free kicks that are taken inside the attacking final third per game, on only one occasion is their encroachment by the defensive wall. This indicates a good percentage of referees correctly administering free kick management.

	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07
Number of Fouls (per game)	27	27	30	26
Distance From Fouls	14.9	14.4	14.4	14.3
Distance From Ball	19.3	19.2	19.0	19.4

Through the work of our Sports Scientist Matt Weston we are able with the aid of ProZone and the use of Polar Heart Monitors able to track the work rate of our officials during their games.

The average distance covered by Select Group Referees officiating in the Premier League was 11.387m
The highest distance covered by a Select Group Referee officiating in the Premier League was 13.100m
The Referees meet every two weeks in order to discuss incidents in games and to work towards consistency of decision making.
With the aid of Sports Psychologists areas of improving the management of players and improved communication on the field of play are examined.
The PGMOL work closely with the League Managers Association and the Professional Footballers Association in order to improve on field discipline.
The work of the Match Delegates ( Former Managers and Players) appointed by the Premier League is also having a positive effect on the training and development of our match officials One of the major successes in the year was the support that the Board of Directors of the PGMOL and the Chief Executives of both the LMA and PFA took in an attempt to eradicate acts of simulation on the field of play.
I am pleased to report that we have seen a reduction of this type of offence and referees will continue to punish this type of offence in line with the laws of association football.
In the year several of our Referees attended Supporters club meetings in order to raise the awareness of how match officials prepare for games and this type of activity will continue. The implementation of a new Website will enable fans to make contact with us on a direct basis and I hope that the section on “Ask the Referee” will be used in order to answer those difficult law application questions.

Enjoy the new season ahead!

Keith Hackett General Manager

Professional Game Match Officials Limited