Premier League referees aren’t perceived as the most thrilling or outgoing bunch.
Aside from dishing out dodgy handball calls and fumbling about with VAR, little else is known about our illuminous top-wearing friends. Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg once described their Christmas parties as “boring as f***,” claiming his colleagues “were tight as anything” and not “guys I would have a drink with”.
But another ex-official, Jeff Winter, who refereed the top flight between 1995 and 2004, has now offered a wholly different perspective. Winter exclusively revealed to Ladbrokes Fanzone how the Christmas parties he organised as the official social secretary were so wild that they wouldn’t have got away with similar antics today.
READ MORE: Turkish Super Lig ref punched to floor by club president and kicked in horrifying scenes
READ MORE: Alan Shearer says 'do me a f***ing favour' as he debates football issue with Gary Lineker
The 68-year-old said: “When Peter Jones – who was an absolute gent – retired from active refereeing, I took over as the Premier League Referee Social Secretary, so I was responsible for organising the Christmas parties, and the other nights out. Let's just say, what goes on tour, stays on tour!
“We had some fantastic times, I can tell you that. But, in a squad of 23 or so people, vastly different characters from different geographical locations, of course you had your cliques, the 'us and them brigade'.
"But basically when we all got together for a social occasion, we all had that one thing in common: we were all referees. And we had some fantastic times together. It all just seems such a long time ago now.
Would you like to attend the Premier League referees' Christmas party? Let us know in the comments section.
Sky Sports is bringing you 500 live football games to watch, as well access to Cricket, Golf, F1, Boxing, NFL, NBA and more across eight dedicated channels. Sky Sports is the only way to watch all the action this year.
£22 a month
“I don't know what it would be like today with the presence of social media… some of the things we could get away with back in the day, or do, on a night out, it was very much between us there and the four walls we were in.
"Nowadays, you can't go to the loo without someone getting a camera out and tweeting it. I do feel for today's refs, and the players, of course. It's a different world, totally and utterly.”
Jones, from Middlesbrough, took charge of some of the biggest Premier League matches during his career. His final game was the 2004 FA Cup final between Manchester United and Millwall, after which he hung up his whistle.
“We had some good times, though, and I wouldn't change anything,” he added. “I loved my career. But when we retired, we retired. You had one option in the game and one option only: go and be an assessor. Or you walked away.
"I chose – and it was chosen for me – because I wouldn't stick to the party guidelines and sit on the fence and do things they wanted me to do. I got out and forged a new career, for which I'm enjoying every part of.
“But the match officials nowadays have got a fantastic package come the end of their careers; thank the magic three-letter word, VAR, because it means there are opportunities there for them after refereeing, and good luck to them, because they're under intense scrutiny.”
Source: Read Full Article