Football: Bill is 'overjoyed' with FA award (From Gazette Series)

Bristol RA member Bill Brombroff receives FA Long Service award

9:00am Saturday 18th February 2012 in Yate and Sodbury Sport

A FORMER top flight referee from Frampton Cotterell has received an FA Long Service award from vice-chairman Roger Burden.

Bristol Referees’ Association (RA) acting secretary Bill Bombroff said he was “overjoyed” after being recognised for 50 years’ service to referees.

Bombroff, a Referees’ Association life member, passed his refereeing course in 1962 and took charge of matches in the Football League, including the Old Division One, between 1970 and 1982.

He once refereed a game between the top two clubs in the country when West Brom played Everton in 1980 and took charge of one European match in Beveren, Belgium .

Bombroff said the thing he enjoyed most about refereeing was the “camaraderie.”

He added: “It’s tremendous. These lads who don’t join wouldn’t understand.

“You’ve always got a friendly shoulder to cry on as well.”

Gloucestershire chairman Burden handed out other awards during the Bristol RA meeting at the Memorial Stadium.

Bristol RA president Gilbert Isom also received an award for 50 years’ service, while vice-president Allan Mills was handed the 40-year award and vice-chairman Tony Monks took the 25-year award.