Ray Ellingham (red) Pictured With Members The Pembrokeshire Referees’ Society moved venue for their September meeting, when they hosted a fitness training session at Haverfordwest Leisure Centre outdoor track.

  Leading the session was Cardiff based Football Association of Wales Development Officer Ray Ellingham, which saw fourteen members in attendance.

Ray was delighted with the turn out for the evening session ‘especially the distances referees travelled, from Fishguard, Hundleton and Whitland to be present.  I’m also impressed with the level of fitness shown by the referees in the area and the hard work they put in during the session.’

The session started with a low intensity warm up, including stretching before an innovative period of exercise which replicated the role of an assistant referee and their movements during a match.  This developed into a high intensity sprint session with varying distances and speeds including sprinting.  Ray finished the session using the newest technological aides available to the Football Association of Wales, when referees were timed over a distance of 40m through electronic speed gates.  A structured warm down was completed before all retired to the warmth of the inside for the Societies monthly meeting.

Jonathan Twigg, on behalf of the Society thanked Ray for his attendance, highlighting some of his referring achievements since arriving in Wales from Kent in 1992 when he moved to Cardiff with the BBC.  Ray was a Welsh Premier League referee for fourteen years, also serving on the FIFA list in 1996/97.  He officiated at a Home Nations tournament in 2001/02 and also as refereed the Welsh Cup Final in the same year.  On retiring as an official he took up the role of FAW match delegate before becoming a FAW Referee Development Officer in 2009, a position he has expanded this season by becoming a UEFA Referees’ Observer.

President Danny Thomas presented Ray with a small gift from the Society in thanks for his efforts and guidance to members in Pembrokeshire.

The Societies next meeting is on Friday 8th October kicking off at 7.00 pm at Neyland Athletic.  A warm welcome would be made to any prospective referee, where those interested in taking up the whistle should contact PAFL Secretary Brain Hawkins, who hopes to have a new course started in the near future.