Albie still allowing extra time (From Gazette Series)

Albie still allowing extra time

ONE of the most familiar faces of the local football scene has refereed his 2,000th match.

Albie Hart, who lives in Norman Hill, Cam, was presented with an engraved tankard for reaching the milestone when officiating Newton Heath and Lydbrook Athletic earlier this month.

His first match was a Stroud League game at Coaley in 1975.

Albie, 66, played as a forward for both Cam Bulldogs and Dursley Town before retiring from playing and picking up a whistle.

He spent 18 seasons refereeing in the Hellenic League at his peak and now takes charge of games in the Northern Senior League.

However, an increasingly hostile attitude to referees, says Albie, means that the job is getting increasingly difficult.

He said: "Referees have got to cut out all the messing around by players, especially bad language.

"Anyone who wants to be a referee must be strong even though it can feel quite daunting at first.

"It was definitely easier when I first started than it is now though."

Albie was born in Pinxton, near the Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire border and grew up in that area.

He arrived in Gloucestershire in the 1960s, initially working in Bristol as a land surveyor before becoming a civil engineer with Stroud District Council.

Having retired in 1998, he stays active by playing bowls to county standard in addition to the refereeing.

Officiating football matches has taken him to many different grounds and he cites Edgar Street, home of Hereford United, as a particular favourite.

Albie added: "Most teams, once they get to know you, make you feel welcome."

He may be more welcome in some places than others though, having shown over 3,000 yellow cards and the best part of 300 red cards in his time in the middle.

"It's strange," said Albie, "Sometimes you can go weeks without giving out one and then you can show seven or eight in one game."

He has no plans to call it a day just yet but says he will know when the right time is.

"I would not keep doing it if I did not enjoy it," he said.

Albie leaves the final word for the real driving force behind him.

"If it wasn't for the wife, I would not have been able to do this for so long. She keeps me looking tidy for the job."