Mark Halsey - Mistreated

Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey has exclusively revealed how his boss Mike Riley and Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore ‘mistreated’ the match official following his battle back from cancer.

Halsey was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2009, and sounded out Mike Riley, the general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials or PGMO, likening his treatment after being given the all clear to ‘bullying’.

Halsey met with Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore privately to discuss the potential mismanagement of the PGMO, a body that is tasked with the responsibility of providing excellence in officiating in English football at professional level:

‘I told him my feelings, 2 years ago toward the current management team and the structure and he agreed with me, on a lot of things, but he turned round and said he’d deny ever having this conversation.’

Halsey has since hung up his whistle at the end of the 2012/13 season and was offered £50,000 as an exit package on retirement. This agreement would extinguish any subsequent publication of a Mark Halsey autobiography; Halsey refused, and claims he was never motivated by financial gain:

‘No, because, I’ve been given a 2^nd chance in life, theirs more to life than money, life’s precious, you don’t need money.’

Following a successful but nevertheless gruelling course of both radio and chemotherapy, all the former referee could think about was getting his life and career, back on track, Halsey claims his employers weren’t convinced:

‘I remember being given the all clear, I said to the general manager – I’m going to try do a fitness test by the end of the month, he said no, I want a second opinion, because I want to see what the Christie hospital and your doctor is saying is the truth.’

The all clear came in December, and took two months for the recovered Halsey to hear back from his general manager.

The next phase involved fitness tests, the PGMO exercises a three strikes and you’re out policy on failed fitness tests, the general manager, Halsey claims, gave the cancer survivor no special dispensation, insisting that should he fail this fitness test it ‘will count’ and that Riley had ‘to be fair to all the other referees.’

This followed months of intense cardiovascular training Halsey put himself through to forge a comeback and officiate the beautiful game.

‘I went through January, went through February, took the fitness test, failed it miserably, I’ve never ever in all my career, failed a fitness test.’

Halsey recalls the moments after: I remember just sitting on the steps, and just let all my emotions out, put my head in me hands and just burst into tears, because, I couldn’t see myself coming back.’

Following the further trauma of failing his first fitness test of his career, the powers that be were apparently nowhere to be seen for support.

‘I got a fitness programme from Bolton wanderers where I was training because the new PGMO manager told the fitness guru at the Premier League he wasn’t allowed to talk to me, wasn’t allowed to give me any training whatsoever – the reason being if I dropped down dead or something.’

Halsey proved his fitness and return to officiating at the top level of the game in 2010, retiring from refereeing at Manchester City’s Premier League game at home to Norwich City at the end of last season.

FEATURE: Lack of funding hits local Cricket club

It’s no secret that the country and everyone in it are feeling the pinch. In sport at local level, it is hitting the hardest.

Kirkburton Cricket Club in Huddersfield, have fallen victim to cut backs and investment going to other sporting disciplines, as club secretary Kathryn Smith explains:

‘2013 and prior, huge amounts of funding went into the Olympics, our funding comes from a lot of hard work by the volunteer committee – raffles, sponsorship, social events, and very occasionally we might be successful with a bid for funding from the local parish council. Lottery grant and ECB funding- we are not successful.’

But surely with the successes of the England international test side in recent times, particularly the Ashes triumphs, has helped the profile and uptake of the sport by youngsters? Not as meteoric as you might think, so says Smith:

‘No, the opposite. After 2005 yes a large intake of juniors was noticeable, now Golf Clubs and newer sports are taking not only the young players, but also the funding.’

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, Kirkburton is fighting back in an attempt to adapt to the tighter funding constraints.

KCC won the Drakes Huddersfield Cricket League Premiership last season, with half of the squad coming through the junior teams.

With teams ranging from under 9’s to under 17’s before reaching the 1^st and 2^nd XI, youth development is an important facet at the club:

‘Its very important, at KCC we have a five year plan – so the current under 11s are the future of this club in 5 years time, with the under 9’s coming into this realm in the next two years. Already we have players from under 13 and under 15 who have played for the second team this season, taking an active role in the field. The leading wicket taker in the second team is Matthew Crookes, at just 16 years old.’

Crookes himself came through the youth set up at KCC following time on the books at Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday football academies.

With the focus on youth, numerous initiatives including the ‘Chance to Shine’ scheme, of which Graeme Swann is a supporter, are in place, which aims at linking cricket clubs to local primary and secondary schools, making qualified cricket coaches available to deliver cricket sessions and matches in schools, to train teachers and encourage children to come and play at cricket clubs.

Smith continues:

‘Over the years we have actively supported the Chance to Shine scheme and have regularly loaned the use of the field for the local schools to play inter school matches.

We run under 9, 11, 13 and 15 teams, and next year will have under 17’s again. We offer a good standard of coaching at all levels and encourage the youngsters where possible. Sadly we lose players from the age of 13 when they want to go play with their mates at another club, move to golf or another sport, or leave the area. The government / school / authorities need to put more funding into local grass roots sports to encourage the youngsters at an early age – 9 – and again at 13, 14.’

The message is clear; more funding at grass roots level is required to sustain sporting excellence at the top level.

Hull Choke as Warriors Win

If the 1985 Challenge Cup final between Hull and Wigan is considered a Wembley classic, with all the drama and theatre you’d expect from a successful Hollywood blockbuster, this fixture some 28 years on is the poorly imagined remake.

On a damp and dull August afternoon, it was Wigan Warriors with a 0-16 scoreline, who clinched Rugby’s oldest competition for a dominating 19^th time.

A second triumph under the Wembley arch in 3 years, and the first ‘nilling’ since Wigan beat St Helens 27-0 way back in 1989.

Hull’s last triumph in the final came in 2005 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff against Leeds. However the black and whites have in their last seven outings at Wembley never mustered a victory.

Poor handling and inconsistent territorial and possession play marred the game itself. Warriors Iain Thornley on 21 minutes and Sam Tomkins late on with the only tries of a forgettable contest.

Hull Captain Gareth Ellis coming off early into the game and missing the majority after picking up a rib injury.

In his absence his side were guilty of not getting the basics right in key areas, too often the ball was treated like a bar of soap.

Through Hull’s errors, Wigan would capitalise, 21 minutes in former Sale Sharks and Leeds Carnegie player Thornley picked up a loose ball 20 yards out, a swift dummy and charge for the line allowed the Wigan born winger to touch down in the left corner. Richards converted the kick.

After the break, the game was much like the weather, dull.

However it was sparked into life through an individual piece of brilliance, 10 minutes into the second half.

Full back Jamie Shaul, evaded three Wigan players, and darted for the left corner from his own 22.

However, Wigan winger Josh Charnley chased down Shaul in full flight, to deny Hull a memorable Wembley try.

Wigan’s cherry and white brick wall would remain unbreached.

Talisman Sam Tomkins with a touch of class at the death, matching brother Joel’s try in the 2011 final.

Richards added the extras, taking his tally for the competition to 100.A superb contribution as the Aussie winger returns home at the end of the season.

In contrast, the future of Tomkins remains shrouded in mystery, rumours rife he may switch codes or trade in sunny Wigan for sunnier Australia in the NRL.