EPL facing record referee shortage

Just one match official has been recruited ahead of
next season, despite Chris Foy's retirement,
leaving a total of 17 to call upon including big
injury doubt Phil Dowd
By Alex Young Follow on Twitter
The Premier League is facing an unpreceedated
shortage of referees for the upcoming season,
according to You-Are-The-Ref.com.
The independent referees organisation state
Championship official Graham Scott will be the
only referee promoted to top-flight duties despite
the retirement of Chris Foy and Phil Dowd's
ongoing injury concerns.
Scott's promotion leaves the Premier League with
a record low of 17 referees to call upon, a number
which includes Dowd, who Goal understands only
has a small chance of passing fitness
tests due to
a knee injury.
"Referees are human beings who pick up injuries
and they also need time to recharge like everybody
else," former Premier League referee chief Keith
Hackett told You Are the Ref.
"The current pool of elite referees is so depleted
that match officials already face a fixture list
nightmare that gives them little or no respite from
making knife-edge decisions in high octane games
that are sometimes just a few days apart.
"When you put people into that sort of pressure
cooker environment then mistakes will inevitably
occur.
"The PGMOL needs to take urgent action and this
means giving more talented referees from the
Championship the chance to step up to the plate."
Mark Halsey also questioned the ambition shown
by the likes of the Professional Game Match
Officials Limited in searching for potential
candidates to make the step up to top-tier
officiating.
He added: "I know of some officials who weren't
looked at other than by their match assessors
during last season. Not once. How are they
supposed to progress?
"Howard Webb [PGMOL's Select Group Manager]
now has the opportunity to get out more and to
watch games. To get out of a nice comfortable
studio and to see a lot more referees."
Scott made his Premier League bow in November,
officiating a 1-1 draw between Burnley and Aston
Villa, before replacing an injured Dowd at half-time
when West Brom hosted Southampton in February.
Dowd's withdrawal at the Hawthorns was due to
knee damage which still troubles him, leaving the
Premier League with 16 match-fit officials for the
August 8 kick-off having previously never had
fewer than 18.