Phil Dowd

infobox football official


name = Phil Dowd
| fullname = Philip Dowd
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1963|1|26
cityofbirth = Staffordshire
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
otheroccupation =
years = ? - ?
? - ?
1992-1997
1997-2001
2001-
league = Staffordshire Senior League
Midland Football Alliance
Football League
Football League
Premier League
role = Referee
Referee
Assistant referee
Referee
Referee
internationalyears =
–

confederation =
–

internationalrole =
–

Philip Dowd (born 26 January, 1963 [http://www.football-league.premiumtv.co.uk/page/RefereeProfilesDetail/0,,10794~628215,00.html Profile] : The Football League Official website.] ) is an English football referee in the FA Premier League. He is based in Stoke-on-Trent.

Career

He began refereeing in local leagues in 1984, eventually officiating in the Staffordshire Senior League and Midland Football Alliance. He was appointed to the Football League list of assistant referees in 1992, before joining the League's full list of referees in 1997, aged 34.

He was promoted to the Premier League list in 2001, therefore the 2007-08 season is his 7th year refereeing the top flight of English football. The relatively late start to his career seems to have prevented him being nominated to FIFA's list of international referees.

Dowd was the fourth official at the 2006 FA Cup Final, at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

He was heavily criticised by Wigan's then manager, Paul Jewell, and their owner, Dave Whelan, following his performance in the club's Premiership match with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on February 11 2007. Dowd denied Wigan, who were leading 1-0, a penalty kick following a challenge by Mathieu Flamini on Emile Heskey. Wigan were playing with ten men at the time (Josip Skoko had left the field for treatment to an injury), and Dowd then refused to allow Skoko back on to the field of play as Arsenal attacked. Flamini, who might possibly have been sent off had the penalty been given, received the ball in an offside position; however, the assistant referee and Dowd failed to spot the infringement. Flamini's cross was turned into his own net by Fitz Hall, and Arsenal then went on to score a winning goal. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6327211.stm Arsenal v. Wigan] match report: BBC.co.uk website.]

Once again, Jewell criticised Dowd strongly, saying that his decisions could cost Wigan £50 million (should they be relegated) and told reporters that an unnamed Premiership manager had described Dowd as the worst referee in the league. Jewell also claimed that the referee had sworn at his players. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6352493.stm Paul Jewell] attributed comments: BBC.co.uk website.]

Paul Jewell was duly charged with "improper conduct" regarding his behaviour towards the match official, which he admitted at an FA hearing on 22 March 2007. [ [http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/Disciplinary/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/Disciplinary_Jewell.htm Paul Jewell disciplinary hearing] : TheFA.com website.] On 29 March 2007, he then denied a further charge of "improper conduct, and/or bringing the game into disrepute", relating to comments made about Dowd in the media. [ [http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/Disciplinary/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2007/03/JewellDenial.htm Jewell: further charge] : TheFA.com website.] The charge was found "not proven" on May 16 2007. [ [http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/Disciplinary/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/Jewellchargenotproved.htm Verdict] in the Paul Jewell FA disciplinary case: TheFA.com website.]

Coincidentally, Dowd did not officiate in any further Select Group games that season, after refereeing the Football League Championship game between Preston and Norwich on 20 February 2007. Despite this, in a Press release on July 26 2007, it was announced that Dowd was being retained as a Select Group referee for the season 2007-08. [ [http://www.premierleague.com/staticFiles/c6/66/0,,12306~91846,00.pdf Retained] in the Select Group for 2007-08: PDF version of Premier League Press release, July 26 2007.]

On August 19 2007, Dowd was the fourth official for the 1-1 draw between Liverpool and Chelsea, during which Chelsea were awarded a dubious penalty by referee Rob Styles. Later in the match, Michael Essien was seemingly booked twice, but not sent from the field of play. However, Dowd subsequently explained that the first yellow card was in fact shown to John Terry and not Essien. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6941876.stm Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea] : report from the BBC.co.uk website.]

Career statistics

(There are no available records for him prior to 1998/1999)

References

ee also

*List of football referees

External links

* [http://www.soccerbase.com/refs2.sd?refid=239 Phil Dowd Referee Statistics] at soccerbase.com