8 Jan 2010Youngest referee prepares for top-flight debut

Football Referees, Players, Managers and Media

Michael Oliver is set to become the youngest referee in the English Premier League history tomorrow (January 9th).

At just 24 years old, the match official from Ashington in Northumberland will take charge of the game between Fulham and Portsmouth at Craven Cottage, weather permitting.

Oliver may be wary of the criticism that other youthful referees such as Stuart Atwell have received from managers, but he has a habit of making history.

Before becoming the youngest referee in the Football League, he was the youngest match official in the Conference and is also the youngest person to take charge of a game at Wembley.

Looking forward to his first top-flight game earlier this week, Oliver told the News Post Leader: "It's a dream come true because the Premier League is the best league in the world and to referee in it is just fantastic."

Meanwhile, former referee Graham Poll has backed Oliver to succeed at the highest domestic level.

He wrote in the Daily Mail that the young official is "not afraid to make big calls and has already had his share of controversy to prepare him for the Match of the Day cameras".

Written by Paul Roberts

© Copyright