 | |||
| Full name | Darren Drysdale | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1971-02-18)18 February 1971 (age 54) Lincolnshire | ||
| Other occupation | RAFsergeant | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| ? - ? | Northern Alliance | Referee | |
| ? –1997 | Northern Premier League | Referee | |
| 1997–2004 | Conference North | Referee | |
| 1996–1998 | Football League | Asst. referee | |
| 1998–2004 | Premier League | Asst. referee | |
| 2004– | Football League | Referee | |
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 2002–2004 | UEFA listed | Asst. referee | |
Darren Drysdale (born 18 February 1971) is an Englishfootballreferee fromLincolnshire who officiates in theEnglish Football League,[1] and is asergeant in theRAF atWaddington.[2]
He has been refereeing since 1988, officiating in theNorthern Alliance andNorthern Premier League. He became anassistant referee for the Football League in 1996, and in 1997 progressed toConference North referee.[1]
He was appointed as an assistant referee for thePremier League in 1998.[1]
Drysdale was an assistant referee toGraham Poll in the2000 FA Cup final,[3] and became aFIFA assistant referee in the same year.[1]
In 2002, he became aUEFA assistant referee, one of only 3 from theUK at the time.[1]
He was appointed to the (Football League) National List of referees in 2004.[1] Also in 2004, on 6 March, he was named Combined Services Sports Official of the Year, due to his work for sport within theRAF. He had been posted to theMiddle East at this time, so his parents travelled toLondon to receive the award from thePrincess Royal on his behalf.[citation needed]
His first Football League game was a 0–0 draw betweenRushden & Diamonds andKidderminster Harriers on 7 August 2004.[4] His first game atChampionship level was the 2–0 home win forLeicester City againstGillingham on 22 January 2005.[5]
Drysdale attracted media attention in 2007 afterBradford City'sDean Windass received a five-match ban for swearing at him in the car park after a home game againstBrentford on 2 January.[6]
In February 2021, Drysdale was involved in an altercation withIpswich Town midfielderAlan Judge after Judge was shown a yellow card. Drysdale was subsequently charged with improper conduct by the Football Association and removed as the referee for his next game.[7][8]