NMSRFR
North Midlands Society of Rugby Football Referees: Est. 1920
A Legacy of Commitment
The Society is proud to celebrate the achievements, contributions and commitment of its members through our Recognition, Honours & Remembrance page.
Inspired by the honours boards found in many rugby clubs, this section showcases the people who have helped make our Society successful, both on and off the field.
Our Honours section includes:
- Current members with more than 15 years’ service to the Society
- Members who have achieved higher levels within the refereeing pathway
- Historical records that recognise the individuals who have helped shape our Society
We are also researching a complete list of Past Presidents to ensure their contribution and legacy are properly recognised for future generations.
Help Us Keep the Record Accurate
The information on these pages has been gathered from a variety of sources, some of which can be difficult to verify. If you spot an omission or identify any inaccuracies, please let us know so we can ensure our records remain as accurate and complete as possible.
Celebrating Achievement and Service
This section recognises referees who have progressed through the ranks, celebrates significant achievements both within and beyond the Society, highlights members who have gone above and beyond in supporting refereeing across the region, and remembers those colleagues who are no longer with us.
Select any of the links below to learn more about the individuals featured. Each profile opens below the name.
If you know of a member achievement, milestone, honour or obituary that should be included, please contact us at webmaster@northmidsrefs.co.uk.
Recognition
This is a new addition to our website to recognise the referees across the season that have progressed within the Society and to celebrate the wonderful things achieved.
Mike Knight
The Society is recognising Mike Knight for all of his work in viewing and assessing referees. Mike is quietly spoken and very approachable. He came to us from the South West Group, an experienced administrator and assessor, when he moved to live in Oswestry. He has proved to be an invaluable member of the Society. He was so well thought of that he had several invitations to join the Midland Group. Fortunately, he declined those invitations making his self fully available to the Society and the West Midlands Federation.
One of Mike’s many strengths is that he is quite happy to go anywhere and cover any level of referee including new ones. He enjoys helping referees no matter the level of the game. He makes his self available virtually every weekend and is a regular attendee at training meetings. Indeed he even managed to get to a training meeting at Lichfield R.F.C. whilst suffering with a broken hip. Obviously he needed to be driven to and from the venue but it is a measure of the man that he was determined not to miss the meeting.
His reports are always detailed and comprehensive, giving the reader an insight to a very perceptive referee mind. His verbal debriefs are supportive and constructive and quite often he manages to include his own playing and referee experiences as illustrations as to how the referee can develop. His written reports are given full credence by the Midland Group and elsewhere. His contributions to discussions at our meetings are always thoughtful, detailed and well received.
Altogether Mike has completed 340 appointments between September 2008 and February 2019 (that season abbreviated by the Covid 19 pandemic). These appointments were undertaken on behalf of North Midlands Society, West Midlands Federation (including appointments for Staffordshire Society) and Liverpool Society (including a single ‘guest’ appointment for Manchester Society). These appointments have involved a small number of Level 5 fixtures, a large number of fixtures between Level 6 and Level 12, and, some appointments with Young Match Officials. More recently Mike has both led and contributed to Society training sessions as well as being part of the creation of documentation placed on the website for the information and guidance of Society members. He fully deserves to be recognised by the Society where he has given dedicated service over the years.
Mike Vaughan
The Board, Officers and Members of the Society are delighted to take this opportunity to recognise the outstanding contribution of Mike Vaughan. After many years of devoted service Mike has chosen not to stand for re-election for the Board but is staying as an active member of the Society. There is simply not enough space and time to list all his contributions but if we look at his most recent work, he has dealt with all new members applications, organised DBS checks across the region whilst introducing and structuring our well-regarded safeguarding policy.
With new members Mike ensured that the member would be accompanied on their first game(s) and he was usually able to present them with a refereeing shirt.
With very short notice from the powers that be Mike set up a system so that all active referees were DBS checked promptly and when you consider the size of the North Midlands it was not an easy task.
He represented the Society on important Federation matters but the list just goes on. Mike, can we just say thank you for all that you have done.
Roy Mellor – Honorary Life Member
As is tradition with Honorary Life Members, Roy has provided his own story of his time with the Society. In it he briefly mentions his time with the West Midlands Federation. More detail of his work with the Federation is commented at the end by the current chair of the Federation, Steve Bar.
I suppose the story started in 1950, when I first played Rugby at school. I quickly caught the bug, and in 1954, whilst still at school, joined Walsall RFC. I then played at various levels for the next thirty seasons for Walsall, and also for West Midlands Police – all in the dark world in the middle of the front row! In some games, it became the fashion (not possible now) for the opposition to take the scrum down so low that it was impossible to hook the ball with the feet. My solution was to hook with my head! It got to the stage when I thought I really ought to retire from playing. In 1985, I bumped into Jim Pedersen, a Society member, and a very persuasive man, and he talked me into joining the Society and start refereeing. And so I signed up, and that gave me another twenty years running around on the pitch! Fast-forward to 1991. At a monthly Society meeting at Tally-Ho, Eddie Lahive, another very persuasive Society member, twisted my arm up my back, and got me to agree to getting involved with Appointments. He said it would not be a big job – just mid-week and Sundays. Within days, this changed to Re-Appointments – the big job! This was before computers, of course. The process was for the “Committee” to meet once a month, on a Sunday evening at 6 o’clock, to deal with Appointments for the following month. If it was a four Saturday month, it took about four hours, and a five Saturday month, five. Each game to be covered was gone through, and each referee considered, and there were then over 100 games each week, and about the same number of referees. It was tedious, tedious, tedious……….. ! All handwritten in the “register” by John Burgum, and written onto individual cards to be posted to the referees. This was my job for a time. Thank goodness for computers, which enabled the whole process to be streamlined, and the monthly “get-togethers” were no longer necessary. One abiding memory I have is one week-end when I was in London, staying with my son. By means of a BT gadget, I was able to listen to my answerphone messages on my home phone – all 31 of them! Very anti-socially, I then spent the Friday evening and most of Saturday morning sorting that lot out! Very soon after I got involved in Appointments, Mike Spencer joined the team, and since then we have helped and supported each other over the years. We have become good friends, and I have been most grateful to have him around. As Appointments Officer, I was also a member of the Executive Committee, and was Chairman for a number of years. Then, forward to the mid-2000s. This was when the RFU created the Federations – in our case, the West Midlands Federation of North Midlands and Staffordshire, bringing together the working of the two Societies. Yet another persuasive Society member, Colin MacDonald, got Mike Spencer and
I involved – me as Chairman (and responsible for Exchanges) and Mike Spencer for Federation Appointments.
I stepped down as Chairman last year.
I am still around, albeit that I am far less active than I used to be. I now offer support and help to Mike Spencer with Federation matters, and Patrick Hooper with the “watchers”. And so for the past thirty years, I have been involved with Appointments in one form or another. How time flies…………when you are enjoying yourself!
Steve Barr’s comments – The early history of the West Midlands Federation (North Midlands and Staffordshire Societies) was, shall we say, chequered. The Federation, chaired for a year at a time alternately by the Chair of each Society, had little continuity and less direction. Then Roy Meller came on the scene, and with the agreement of both Societies provided distinguished leadership for many years. On his watch, the Federation achieved stability, identified its role, adopted a constitution that was fit for purpose and furthered the career pathway of a wide range of match officials, including at present an International referee, a Championship referee, a Premiership AR and several other National Panel officials in a variety of roles – not least the RFU Match Official Development Manager! Roy also pioneered regular meetings for “watchers” across the Federation – convening the meetings, setting the agenda and writing and circulating the minutes.
However, Roy’s greatest achievements were probably less obvious and less public. Unlike many Federations, West Midlands sings from a single hymn sheet, with no division between the member Societies. The committee has always included strong characters, some with experience at the top end of our game, but there was always agreement on the best way forward, striking a balance between actively promoting and encouraging youth and talent, whilst not overlooking the more experienced, but still competent older hands. Much of this was due to Roy’s skilled chairmanship, his forward thinking and his qualities of honesty and integrity. Many of us have appreciated, and still benefit from, his wise counsel.
Roll of Honour
Our Roll of Honour recognises members who have gone above and beyond in their service to the Society, leaving a lasting legacy through their commitment, leadership and contribution to refereeing.
Damian Hampton, for services to the Society
Damian took on the very difficult task of arranging mid week appointments. In doing so he brought fresh ideas to the job. As an example, he started making appointments a lot earlier than had been done before. He also started using our social media sites to not only appeal for help but also inform members and clubs about ‘last minute’ appointments. This was all accomplished whilst he was working long and difficult hours visiting various NHS sites demonstrating equipment to doctors etc.
Apart from doing mid week appointments, his day job, looking after his family Damian also managed to turn out regularly for the Society on Saturdays, thus maintaining his level 6 position.
Unfortunately a change of employment meant that he was no longer able to spare the time for re-appointments and he had to step down after nearly 3 years in the post.
Damian, thank you for what you did for the Society.
Allan Hughes, Honorary Society Member
Allan’s contribution to the Society over many years has now been recognised by making him an Honorary Member. The picture shows him with former England and British Lions forward Fran Cotton at a Society Dinner.
Below are Allan’s words as he describes the work he has done for the Society.
I was a unique member of the Society in that I was President TWICE. The first time, around 1999 was great. I was invited to numerous dinners and functions throughout the Midlands. The second time was in comparison was very flat.
At every monthly meeting for years we were told the Society was short of referees so as my Presidential Task I offered to recruits more. I and five fellow members trained as RFU Referee Trainers and went to clubs delivering refereeing courses. In three years we had trained more than 500 all of whom paid to join the Society. Then we were sacked as Trainers by the RFU. A month later I was asked to continue as a Trainer unfortunately the others were not reinstated. I continued for a further six years before resigning. My Task was achieved, with more than 1500 newly qualified referees.
My first game as a referee was in 1968. It was at Bournville RFC. The players were all ready, I put my whistle to my mouth and blew. Silence. The players, however, responded to my actions and followed the ball. I ran after them shouting Stop, Stop, Stop. Fortunately they did. My whistle was full of fluff. John Burgam (RIP) was the watcher. He was not amused.
At a Colts game at Worcester I red carded a visiting player whose dad went ballistic and called me some very unpleasant names. Whilst an injured player was being attended to the dad continued shouting at me. I walked across the pitch and told him I would not restart the game until I saw him in the far car park. Eventually he went. In the clubhouse after the game the club president advised me not to drive in the visiting team’s county as the dad I had sent to the car park was the Chief Constable!!.
After almost. forty years with the Society there is much more I could write. But I’m now in my eighties and becoming, to be honest, a bit disillusioned with the modern game. However, I must say it was all good fun and very enjoyable.
Mike Jones, for services to the Society
Mike Jones has given dedicated service to the Society over many years in a large number of roles most notably that of Chair for over nine years as but also as one of our longest serving referees. He has worked tirelessly for the benefit of all involved the rugby community in the North Midlands and England. He was a high class and much respected national referee and many years as an active member of the Board. In all his many roles he is acclaimed to be an outstanding administrator in this increasingly complex game.
We all hope that Mike will continue to serve the Society with distinction for many more years and that he will continue to inspire the next generation of whistlers to follow in his footsteps both on and off the pitch.
Jim Looney, for charitable and rugby work
Jim was successfully nominated by the Society for his ongoing work as a volunteer. Although rewarded for the year 2020 this award really covers years of dedication to the Society as a referee (level 6) at his peak, a watcher, a referee coach and more lately as the contact who looks after referees on match days at Camp Hill RFC.
Jim has battled cancer for many years, his wife died tragically young leaving him a teenage girl to bring up but he just refuses to be beaten. His current plans on the refereeing side are watching on a Saturday and refereeing the occasional game on a Sunday.
Congratulations on the award Jim, fully deserved.
Paul Rogers, for services to the Society
Paul began to undertake appointments at the start of the 2024-2025 season. This was his 60th season as an active referee, starting in the 1965-1966 season. Paul’s own reckoning for that length of service provides a total of 3,390 matches and tournaments. It is a total that was added to at the start of the 2024-2025 season but was ended by injury at a total of 3,403 appointments. That is some contribution to the sport.
During an educational career he brought his razor-sharp mathematical brain to various Varsity pitches as well as Society appointments. Reputedly, he did not suffer fools gladly, which would have made him ideal material to be a rugby official! From the early 1980s, Paul was an active member of the East Midlands Society. He arranged Appointments and Exchanges for some 30 years whilst with East Midlands, valuable service that overlapped with his membership of the North Midlands Society. Active membership for North Midlands has now lasted for 43 years including a stint of 12 years as Mid-week Appointments Secretary. That is some commitment in the service of Community Rugby.
In the 1990s, he enjoyed a friendly rivalry with Mick Fielding to see which of them could cover the most appointments. With quality midweek fixtures on offer the target figure was between 100 and 120 appointments. Even if you multiply 100 by 43 (let alone 120 x 43) that is an awful lot of running about on a wide variety of rugby pitches across the North Midlands region. His aim is still to cover a high number of fixtures each season.
Earlier in his career, Paul had wide experience of top class rugby at national level including being the referee for a London Welsh R.F.C. v. Aberavon R.F.C. fixture when Welsh club rugby was in its heyday. The West Country derby between Gloucester R.F.C. and Bath R.F.C. was another fixture to benefit from his skill levels. The Moseley R.F.C. v. Richmond R.F.C. appointment was an early taste of rugby in the North Midlands area. As a Touch Judge amongst various appointments he covered Premiership fixtures, County Championship fixtures and Twickenham finals. His experience is global with matches controlled in England, Wales, Scotland, Canada, Italy, U.S.A., Denmark, Thailand, South Africa and Belgium. Only a civil war in 1991 kept Russia off the list of appointments!
The North Midlands Society wishes to recognise Paul’s long and valuable service to the game of rugby football.
Dave Thomas, for services to the Society
Dave, as one of our longest serving active referees, has set an outstanding example at national level both in England and Scotland but especially in his beloved North Midlands, of how to be the best.
In addition to this, he is respected at all levels for his brilliance in the development of referee coaching for the RFU. Whilst excelling on the pitch, he has dedicated himself to a vast array of administration roles, including being a Federation Representative, being a hard working member of the Rugby Football Referees Union, serving on many RFU committees and working parties and being at different time the Chair, Society Treasurer and Secretary. This incredibly busy member still finds the time to assist anyone who needs his own brand of reassurance.
We all hope that Dave will continue to serve the Society with distinction for many more years and that he will continue to inspire the new generation of whistlers to follow in his footsteps both on and off the pitch.
World Record Attempt, May 2018
From Friday 4th May 2018 through to late the next day, all those shown in the photograph refereed a rugby match, Scotty’s Little Soldiers v a Firefighters team. The match ended in a victory to the Firefighters 1659 pts to Little Soldiers 1277pts.
The game lasted for 29 hours and 15mins and was declared a Guiness World Record at the time.
In addition to setting a new record, the match raised more than £20,000 for the Firefighters Charity and Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity which supports young people who have lost a parent serving with the armed services.
This was a second attempt after the game the year before broke the record but due to a technology issue it couldn’t be verified. That game raised over £50k for the same 2 charities.
Congratulations to all involved.
Top left to right: Michael Essam, David Watts-Boothby, Hannah Everitt, James Ranford, Paul ‘Stretch’ Owens, Michael Patz, Rob Cross, Fred Wild.
Kneeling left to right: Becky Carter Paul Salisbury, Franco Brown, Jack Doust, Rab Cooper
Young Match Official mentor team
The YMO programme is innovative and has needed those involved to give of their time freely in organising every aspect of it with an emphasis on establishing personal relationships. This has empowered all of the participants to give more than they believed possible. The energy and enthusiasm given has been remarkable for such a new concept and is warmly appreciated by all.
We all hope that these members will continue to serve the Society with distinction for many more years and that they will continue to inspire the new generation of whistlers to follow in their footsteps both on and off the pitch.
Current Active Society Members (over 15 years)
Honouring Over 15 Years of Commitment
Celebrating the members whose dedication, service and support have helped shape North Midlands Referees over many years.
| Lex Allan | Rod Blaine |
| Jagir Uppal Singh | John Silverwood |
| Philip Carman | Sam Slade |
| Mike Spencer | Neil Chivers |
| Tony Chivers | David L.Thomas |
| Dan Daley | David G.Thomas |
| Johann Delport | Damian Webb |
| Nigel Evans | Andy Wigley |
| Mick Fielding | John Holland |
| Damian Hampton | Peter Hunt |
| Simon Higginson | Huw Jenkins |
| Stephen Hindson | Mike Jones |
| Tony Jones | Ray Jones |
| John Kelly | Mike Knight |
| Ian Moreton | Kelvin Roberts |
| Paul Rogers | Paul Scott |
| James Shanahan |
Past Society Presidents
A Legacy of Leadership
Recognising the Past Presidents whose dedication has guided and strengthened the Society across generations.
| Terry Rees | Steve Guy |
| Colin Major | John Terry |
| Alan Hughes | Mike Beaumont |
| Mike Jones | David Howgate |
| Kelvin Roberts | Roger Porter |
| Roy Mellor | Geoff Murch |
| Malcolm Coall | Neil Sharpe |
| Patrick Hooper | Huw Jenkins |
| Dave Pickard | Rod Blaine |
| Philip Carman | John Kelly |
| Ray Jones |
In Remembrance
Paying tribute to Society members who are no longer with us, and recognising the lasting impact they made through their service, friendship and dedication to rugby refereeing.
Simon Barker
Ian Jackson
Dave Howgate
Dave left us at the end of February 2020 when he finally lost the battle with an illness he had been fighting for some time.
Dave was not a rugby player initially. He didn’t play at school but a chance encounter with an old friend who did play started his love of rugby. He began playing for Sheffield Tigers, as a hooker until he was 24 when torn ligaments ended his playing days. He created a Colts side for the Tigers and also joined the Yorkshire Society.
Work brought him to the Midlands in 1977 and that’s when he started his association with the North Midlands Society.
As a watcher he was known for insisting that the ball was put in straight at the scrum, well he was an ex hooker! As a referee you knew if Dave was watching you, ball in a straight often meant a better than average report. He was a member of Veseyans RFC and towards the end of his watching career he much preferred to cast his eye over referees there.
An open and honest gentleman.
Mike Lole
It is with great sadness that we bring news on the death of one of our long standing members, Mike Lole.
Mike sadly passed away on Sunday 21 May 2023, having succumbed to prostate cancer.
Mike has been a member for many years and used to just love his involvement in rugby as a referee and will be sorely missed by many across the Society.
Humorous to the end, when considering his funeral arrangements, his wife told us “He wanted ‘a do’ which involved beer, pies, cheese and no salad!”
Pete Morgan
Geoff Murch
Geoff was a long standing member of the Society before his untimely death. He had been suffering with ill health for some time but throughout this time he kept in touch with the Society and whenever possible he could be found at his beloved club, Veseyans RFC.
Geoff loved his rugby and played in the front row for the now defunct Lucas RFC, before taking up refereeing quite late. His whole demeanour was trying to get two teams to enjoy themselves and if he could possibly avoid blowing the whistle he would do so. Not the tallest of people, Geoff is described in a players summary of a game between Bromsgrove and Stourbridge Lions in 2003 (how rugby has changed!)
………after a lack lustre warm up, with no ‘tip tapping’ due to the absent Babcock and depressingly few references to who was whose bitch, the Lions took to the field to do battle with the lion tamers of Bromsgrove. However, the Lions knew their luck was in when the referee, who not for the first time this season towered beneath the diminutive figure of captain Sponge, insisted that no whip or chains were to be allowed on the field of play…………….
The big man released a stream of obscenities that would have made a sufferer of Tourette’s syndrome blush. The referee brandished a yellow card that was almost as big as he was and Tibbo marched off the pitch only to be sent to the other end…………………“
Geoff’s body then suggested he should he give up refereeing and move on to being a watcher. His friendly and warm personality enabled him to support and encourage experienced and inexperienced referees equally.
In 2020, he was presented with a glass tankard as part of the Society’s centenary celebrations; he was so pleased and his smile said just how much he loved his rugby.
Peter Ogden
Peter was lovely man who supported North Midlands greatly. He became an experienced watcher but at the same time supported North Midlands U19’s even touring Canada with them on one occasion. If pushed he could also be relied upon to run touch as well.
His commitment to the Society and rugby generally was evidenced every time he went to a game. He did not drive and he arrived at the remotest clubs on public transport.
He was fiercely intelligent, studying maths at Cambridge University, whilst also being a real eccentric. He was universally held in high regard and additionally was a fine cricket umpire. His habit of almost yodelling the word “over” meant he was soon known as the singing umpire.
If you wanted totally unvarnished help, Peter was your man. He will be sadly missed on many cricket and rugby pitches across the country but will remain in our memories for a very long time.
John Ross
John left us at the end of September 2022 whilst on holiday in Greece. Most appropriately his funeral took place in his native Ireland preventing many of us paying tribute to a well known and respected member of the Society.
One of his many admirers referred to him as ‘A good man and a good friend’. Greece is fortunate to have witnessed his last days.
The thing with John was that he always seemed to be happy. He could often be seen holding a pint of beer at his favourite club, Birmingham Barbarians, where he was the President, always wearing that welcoming and friendly smile.
John was a Society member for many years and will be sadly missed by all that knew him.
David Winter
The news of David’s Covid-related death, on the 14th February 2021 at just 48 years old, was a great shock and immense sadness to all his friends and colleagues in the Society.
Leading up to the interruption of rugby in 2020 because of the Covid lockdown, David had already refereed nearly 30 games for the Society. Sixty for the season was not out of the question
David was much appreciated by his fellow referees and the comments sent to the Society immediately after his passing showed the esteem in which he was held.
One of his great virtues was his reliability. If David said he would be at a game we knew that he would keep his word and not cry off at the last minute, no matter the struggles he may have had to get to the match.
For a time he was the Society’s Training Officer, a particularly difficult task but one he seemed to relish. In what turned out to be his last year, he arranged a pre-season training day at Old Halesonians RFC. The day was a complete success, even if he did manage to be so busy that he managed to avoid the dreaded fitness test! Of course he completely denied doing that intentionally!
A real rugby man and a great servant to the Society, he will be sadly missed.