A TALE OF TWO REFS

David Matthews considers what must be a unique story

Two former International Referees: same school, same year, same class. It may not be unique but, amongst a distinguished array of international players, Cowley School, St.Helens, managed it back in the 1960's. The two to take up the whistle were Fred Howard and your correspondent, not at the same time because Fred took charge of lower St.Helens team games in which the second half of the duo was still playing. As a lead in to joining the Liverpool Referees' Society it provided an experience not easily found today, dealing with 'characters' (I can't think of a better description) who couldn't have taken it more seriously had they been involved in a full international; nor were they any mean players.

Fred's switch to the whistle resulted from dodgy knees, your writer decided that common sense should prevail after refereeing a number of matches at West Park School. Becoming a member of the referees' society was like crossing the great divide, with many who were still playing, suggesting that the society probably had a full book of laws which would enable you to completely ruin a game. No league points at stake and certainly no money involved but somehow the transition into appointments from the Society was quite seamless. It had a sort of official tag attached even if you were in charge of Oldershaw 2nd v Old Parkonians 2nd; the legendary Bill Buckland would probably have been watching as an assessor and, if you happened to glance up at him, would very likely have been shaking his head. No reassurance there and you were wondering why you were doing this level of game in the first place.

Fred started on the ladder a few years ahead of me and there was always an air of expectancy when the list of appointments or gradings  were due to be issued. I vividly remember him being delighted when Liverpool University v New Brighton came up on his card, while some years later I was equally thrilled to get Birchfield v Fylde 2nd. It was therefore what seemed like an eternity before we worked together at senior level. I have any number of little anecdotes on which to reminisce.

Let me say at the outset that Fred was world class. I am trying not to make this sound like extracts from his biography (still to be written!) but one particular aspect of his refereeing set him apart from the others; if ever there was a game coming up with a potential edge, or worse, he was your man; he genuinely relished the prospect of trouble. Big games did not faze him one bit: I once travelled by train with him to Bristol, as touch judge, when he refereed a John Player Cup semi-final against Harlequins. Never mind correct nutrition before the match, we enjoyed what amounted to a full scale Christmas lunch, complete with wine. What happened next? A brilliant, see-saw encounter impeccably refereed.

It would be fair to say that training was not Fred's strong point. On a ten-day refereeing/speaking visit to Italy in 1987 he cut short what seemed like a ten course lunch by announcing to our hosts, around the time of coffee, that we would have to leave to go.......training! We started out, on what looked like, a medium run, but within less than half a mile, he opted to go back to "do some sprints." Forty minutes later I found him fast asleep on the bed.

In 2016 Fred is back involved with the Liverpool Referees' Society and coaching young, up and coming, referees. Invaluable knowledge and experience are being put to good use. Cowley School is no longer producing a conveyer belt of rugby talent and the possibility of producing two international referees is even more remote.

18 Oct16