Our History:
Liverpool Association of Match Officials (L.A.M.O) was launched in September 2016. Our history however, stretches as far back as 1949 and for many years we were known as the Liverpool Sunday Referee Society (L.S.F.R.S). Please continue reading to find out more about our history.
Part 1- Creation + Early Days (1949-1977)
Liverpool Sunday Football Referee Society (L.S.F.R.S) was officially formed in 1949 by a group of local referees who frequently were required to use aliases to avoid getting into trouble with football authorities for taking charge of unsanctioned games on a Sunday (a day when organised recreation was banned to meet the needs of those who had working or other commitments on Saturdays. These Match Officials met regularly in locations around Liverpool and laid the foundations for our present Society.
The Society made the N.U.R No 5 Club in Kensington its permanent home in the early 1950's and established a tradition (that remains today) of holding regular meetings on the last Thursday of each month during the football season. This would remain the headquarters of the L.S.F.R.S for the best part of thirty years. In 1966, the decision was taken to affiliate to The Referees Association (R.A) at a Society A.G.M. As part of this process, a firm constitution for the Society membership was drawn up and agreed upon and Jack McLoughlin became President.
Part 2- RA Conferences & Further Success.
In 1977, L.S.F.R.S delegates were the first to propose that the Liverpool County FA region bid to stage the R.A Conference. Members of the Society subsequently played an integral part in the organisation of the Conference which was held at the Adelphi Hotel with some sitting on the Conference Committee and many more giving assistance in other capacities along with their wives
Liverpool would go onto be the location for the 75th Annual Conference of The Referees' Association in 1993 with the event being organised by the L.S.F.R.S. Brian Doran served as Chairman of the Conference Organising Committee; Keith Jones was the Committee Secretary and Wally Old was the Conference Magazine Editor. The Conference kicked off on Friday 18th June with a Civic Reception from Liverpool City Council with the Lord Mayor at St George's Hall, followed by entertainment at the Gladstone Hotel. This hotel was then the venue for the Conference Sessions the following day and Dinner Dance. This was supplemented by a Ladies Outing which included a shopping and sight-seeing trip to the Albert Docks and a Ferry Cruise around the Mersey.
Many members of The Society have received many prestigious appointments over its years of existence and several have been recognized by The Football Association and The Referee Association for their length of service to football and refereeing. Some Society Members have also worked in the capacity as a FA Tutor, playing a vital role within the Liverpool County FA area by delivering training and supporting the development of Match Officials within the Merseyside area.
Part 3- The Present Day & Building for the Future
Today, we are based in Christ the King Club in Childwall where meetings continue to be held on the last Thursday of the month. Training and Development is offered to Match Officials in a relaxed environment with a supportive network of referees of varying ages and experience. We also continue to hold an annual Christmas Event complete with quiz and refreshments, an occasion when we like to welcome the friends and family of our members. Bruce Dixon is our President & Steve Stewart is our Chairman.
At the Annual General Meeting (A.G.M) in August 2016, the decision was taken by members present to relaunch the Society from the 2016-17 season to the Liverpool Association of Match Officials (L.A.M.O). The rationale behind this was too encompass all match officials in the modern game including Referees, Assistant Referees’, Assessors, Forth Officials, Coaches and Mentors etc. This change coincided with the Society re-joining the Referee Association (RA). It was also agreed that the format of Society Evenings would be significantly altered with a move to ‘SOCIAL EVENINGS’ with less focus on Society Business. Our Social Evenings instead hand the floor over to the Guest Speaker with some time also being spent on topical refereeing issues and segments such as ‘Was I Right?'
Presidents & Chairman
In the history of The Society, we have been fortunate to have several presidents these have included:
Part 1- Creation + Early Days (1949-1977)
Liverpool Sunday Football Referee Society (L.S.F.R.S) was officially formed in 1949 by a group of local referees who frequently were required to use aliases to avoid getting into trouble with football authorities for taking charge of unsanctioned games on a Sunday (a day when organised recreation was banned to meet the needs of those who had working or other commitments on Saturdays. These Match Officials met regularly in locations around Liverpool and laid the foundations for our present Society.
The Society made the N.U.R No 5 Club in Kensington its permanent home in the early 1950's and established a tradition (that remains today) of holding regular meetings on the last Thursday of each month during the football season. This would remain the headquarters of the L.S.F.R.S for the best part of thirty years. In 1966, the decision was taken to affiliate to The Referees Association (R.A) at a Society A.G.M. As part of this process, a firm constitution for the Society membership was drawn up and agreed upon and Jack McLoughlin became President.
Part 2- RA Conferences & Further Success.
In 1977, L.S.F.R.S delegates were the first to propose that the Liverpool County FA region bid to stage the R.A Conference. Members of the Society subsequently played an integral part in the organisation of the Conference which was held at the Adelphi Hotel with some sitting on the Conference Committee and many more giving assistance in other capacities along with their wives
Liverpool would go onto be the location for the 75th Annual Conference of The Referees' Association in 1993 with the event being organised by the L.S.F.R.S. Brian Doran served as Chairman of the Conference Organising Committee; Keith Jones was the Committee Secretary and Wally Old was the Conference Magazine Editor. The Conference kicked off on Friday 18th June with a Civic Reception from Liverpool City Council with the Lord Mayor at St George's Hall, followed by entertainment at the Gladstone Hotel. This hotel was then the venue for the Conference Sessions the following day and Dinner Dance. This was supplemented by a Ladies Outing which included a shopping and sight-seeing trip to the Albert Docks and a Ferry Cruise around the Mersey.
Many members of The Society have received many prestigious appointments over its years of existence and several have been recognized by The Football Association and The Referee Association for their length of service to football and refereeing. Some Society Members have also worked in the capacity as a FA Tutor, playing a vital role within the Liverpool County FA area by delivering training and supporting the development of Match Officials within the Merseyside area.
Part 3- The Present Day & Building for the Future
Today, we are based in Christ the King Club in Childwall where meetings continue to be held on the last Thursday of the month. Training and Development is offered to Match Officials in a relaxed environment with a supportive network of referees of varying ages and experience. We also continue to hold an annual Christmas Event complete with quiz and refreshments, an occasion when we like to welcome the friends and family of our members. Bruce Dixon is our President & Steve Stewart is our Chairman.
At the Annual General Meeting (A.G.M) in August 2016, the decision was taken by members present to relaunch the Society from the 2016-17 season to the Liverpool Association of Match Officials (L.A.M.O). The rationale behind this was too encompass all match officials in the modern game including Referees, Assistant Referees’, Assessors, Forth Officials, Coaches and Mentors etc. This change coincided with the Society re-joining the Referee Association (RA). It was also agreed that the format of Society Evenings would be significantly altered with a move to ‘SOCIAL EVENINGS’ with less focus on Society Business. Our Social Evenings instead hand the floor over to the Guest Speaker with some time also being spent on topical refereeing issues and segments such as ‘Was I Right?'
Presidents & Chairman
In the history of The Society, we have been fortunate to have several presidents these have included:
- JT McLoughlin (1966-70; 1974-75)
- S Swain (1971-1973)
- H Daniel (1975-1979)
- WG Old (1980-2001)
- B Doran (2001-2011)
- K Jones (2011- 2015)
- B Dixon (2016-Present)
- JT McLoughlin (1964-66)
- TJ Fielding (1966-67)
- P Sutter (1967-1972)
- WT Howells (1972-75)
- J Smith (1975-1976)
- WG Old (1977-1979)
- J Harrison (1979-1982)
- B Doran (1982-1990)
- B.J Dixon (1990-1995)
- K.J Jones (1995-2006)
- D Kirby (2006-2008)
- S Stewart (2008-2015)
- T Jackson (2015-2016)
- M McIver (Acting, 2016).
- S Stewart (2016-Present).