AFA and London Society of Association Referees
ANNUAL DINNER & PRESENTATION EVENING
FRIDAY 20 MAY 2011
Another Great Society Dinner at Balls Brothers
Fantastic Evening Enjoyed By All
Good Food, Excellent Wine, Good Company, Bags of Raffle Prizes
Plus Mike Riley
Trevor Syms Honoured
Society’s Top Referees Receive Awards
1. Over 40 members and their guests plus Society guests-of-honour gathered at Balls
Brothers restaurant in Mincing Lane on Friday 20 May 2011 to celebrate and enjoy
the climax of the Society’s year with our annual dinner and presentation evening.
Following enjoyable pre-dinner drinks during which guests mingled and got into the
party mood, Errol Walker, Society Secretary and the evening’s Master of Ceremonies
directed members and guests to take their seats in the dining room shortly before
Pat Morrissey, Society and AFA Life-Vice President delivered grace to the hushed
assembly, invoking blessings for “our partners, family, friends and guests here with
us tonight. For they are surely the best decisions we ever made”. Then it was knives
and forks into action until the MC was back on his feet urging guests to buy raffle
tickets for which there were nearly 25 prizes. The 100 Club Plus Draw would also
be made later in the evening.
2. The Society’s guests-of-honour and special persons were introduced by the MC and
each was warmly welcomed by the gathering: Mike Riley, General Manager of Professional
Game Match Officials, Danny McConnell, AFA Elected Vice-President, John Wilson, President
of the AFA [and his wife Shirley], Trevor Syms, Life Vice-President of the AFA [and
Vivienne], David Cunningham, Society Vice-Chairman and Social Secretary [who had
master-minded the evening]; David Littler, Editor of ARGUS [the best independent
referees magazine in the UK]; John Cooke, AFA and London Society of Association Referees,
Society Training Officer and AFA Referee's Development Officer [who has done some
much to regenerate recruitment of new referees within AFA football]; John Maskell,
Society Committee Member and AFA Life Vice-President [who works so hard in obtaining
referee marks for their awards]. The Society’s trio of Level 3 referees was saluted:
Chris Evans, Peter Georgiou and Chris Phillips. Congratulations were given to the
referees recently promoted to Level 4: Jason Goldstein and David Lewis.
3. The MC then toasted all the Society’s guests and particularly our long-suffering
partners. Danny McConnell replied on behalf of the guests with a witty and erudite
speech. Removing his AFA Board and AFC Secretary hats he relaxed and amused all
with self-effacing stories about how whilst still playing football past the age of
40, he has been accused of being a goalkeeper, substitute or worst of all a referee!
With the main course a fleeting memory Gordon Kirby, Chairman AFA & London Society
of Association Referees offered thanks to members and their guests for supporting
the Society and to his colleagues on the Executive Committee for their hard work
on the Society’s behalf throughout the year.
4. Then Mike Riley, General Manager, Professional Game Match Officials Limited since
June 2009, and former Premier League and FIFA referee took the roving microphone
and moved slickly around the floor without notes, speaking wittily about his career
giving all concerned an insight into life at the top. He began with an informal,
fascinating, personal history of his introduction into refereeing - with mentoring
from his Society members at age 14 and ended with an of some 10 years on the Premiership
and in FIFA and EUFA matches, including a final official youth tournament in Iceland.
With thunderous applause as an accompaniment Gordon thanked Mike Riley and presented
him with a Society mug.
5. AFA Dennis Whitehall Award: For the second year of this awards’ short history
the Society was again honoured to host the presentation of this award. John Wilson,
President of the Amateur Football Alliance and loyal Society member, presented the
Amateur Football Association Dennis Whitehall Award to Trevor Syms. John spoke of
Trevor’s unselfish devotion over many years to all aspects of grass roots football.
The award was enthusiastically welcomed by all present.
6. Society Referee Awards: John Cooke, AFA RDO and training officer for the Society
then introduced the Society's annual referee awards ceremony and they were presented
by Mike Riley to:
Best Level 5: Grant Mathias;
Best Level 6: Peter Constantine;
Best Level 7: Pasquale Acierno;
Best new Level 7: Jason Kilby.
7. 100 Club Plus Draw: Details of the winners are featured elsewhere in this issue.
8. Raffle: the MC introduced the grand raffle and Mike Naylor and others assisted
in the draw and presentation of nearly 25 prizes.
9. The excellent evening ended at 1045 pm.
