Mark Halsey – An Inspiration to One and All
Administrator, 18 May 2011
As the echoes of applause echoed through the rafters of the Grass Roots Stadium in Tring, one could reflect upon what was a truly inspirational occasion as over 110 members and guests of the Spartan South Midlands Referees Association rose to a person to acknowledge the bravery and courage of Premier League referee Mark Halsey.
Mark, as you many of you may know, was diagnosed with cancer of the throat in August 2009 and suffered the double whammy that his wife Michelle was diagnosed at the same time with leukaemia. With a then three year old daughter this was a life changing event in anyone’s life.
One could only be impressed as our own Bill Hamilton used his years of broadcasting skills to elicit from Mark his first reaction to the news that he had cancer. Hearing how he fought back to health culminating in achieving his goal of returning to the Premier League, one was left with the distinct impression that Mark the Person is far more substantial than Mark the Referee or “Taxi” as he is often referred to by his Select Group colleagues.
Leaving aside his health battle for the moment, Mark is probably unique amongst his peers on the Premier League in that he started refereeing late in life. He was 31 when he took to the whistle after a playing career as a moderately successful goalkeeper in what are now known as the contributory and feeder leagues. He admits to being no angel … but what goalkeeper is!
Yes, he could remember vividly some infamous scraps where one could easily visualise the crunching tackles which today would be deemed totally reckless. He prides himself on never having been sent off, much to the amazement of ex playing colleagues in the room.
It was, in fact, by chance that Mark took up the whistle when he had to spend time in hospital following a serious injury. Step forward, his buddy Russell Foster, who suggested that he swapped the gloves for the whistle.
Described as a ‘natural’, he quickly found his way progressing through the ranks from the county league to the Ryman en-route to the Premier League.
But what is it that makes Mark stand out?
Mark is very clear in his mind that his experience as a player, plus working in an industrial environment day in day out managing people, stood him in good stead as he reached the higher echelons of refereeing. Perhaps that is why, today, he is regarded as a players’ ref in that he is able to develop an empathy with them, defusing situations that less experienced officials may exacerbate through the overuse of cards. ‘Rather have the 1st yellow for a reckless challenge than dissent’ is one of his lines.
In today’s high tempo environment, Mark is great believer in the big picture. Rather than taking incidents in isolation, one has to see them in the wider context of the game as a whole. Although Mark’s approach is based upon building empathy and rapport, it does not mean that you don’t come down hard on players or managers when the misdemeanour truly warrants it. Perhaps that is why he is respected by so many of the top managers, although he refused to be drawn on whether Kenny Dalglish was in fact his agent or PR guru.
On the topic of managers, one of the most poignant moments of the evening was when he showed clips of how Jose of Mourinho fame – the scourge of referees – regarded Mark as the real Special One. This was not simply because of his battle with cancer but because of Mark as a person. Jose’s raison d’être was that here was a person who understood the environment and pressures under which today’s game is played yet at the same time applied the laws in a manner that commanded respect. This is indeed a huge compliment from a man not renowned for his praise of match officials.
Throughout the evening one got the sense that Mark was completely at ease in the company of Fergie, ol’ Harry, David Moyes, and Owen Coyle along with all the super star players. However, he was at great pains to stress that it does not happen overnight. In his experience, it takes on average 3 to 4 years in any league to gain such rapport, empathy and trust.
What is amazing is his very simple philosophy that although the pitch is his domain, he views it as the players’ stage … their chance to perform. After all, spectators do not spend money to watch referees. His only condition is that they follow the house rules. It is not a complicated game after all.
Naturally, during the course of discussion, the issue of technology surfaced. Being of the slightly older school, one might have expected Mark not to be a believer in its use but his views were actually totally the opposite. Has he not got a case in point when he says that almost everyone else in the ground seems to have access to technology, including assessors, who can review incidents in slow-mo after the event and perhaps, as human nature dictates, take a different view of the incident? Of course, everyone is much wiser after the event so why not use technology for maximum benefit during the match itself, surely a perfectly logical argument.
Whilst Mark is an advocate of the use of technology to assist in on the field decision making, he is slightly less supportive when it comes to using technology retrospectively. He has no qualms when it is used to identify a serious incident behind one’s back, mostly of the violent conduct nature but strongly believes that when an incident is over, it is over. Again, one was left with the distinct impression that Mark would easily adapt to technology if it were introduced. He would simply see it as part of the bigger picture not as a spy camera to spot a referee’s errors or putting it more simply, technology should be used to assist not hinder.
The evening would not have been complete without returning to his battle with cancer and the impact that it had on his life. One minute you are on top the world, the next day you are asking questions about the meaning of life.
Picture the scene, 1st day of the season, Everton vs. Arsenal at Goodison … everyone is excited about the new season, you know something is wrong, and the day before, you get the call. Bad news, Mark, you hear the dreaded “C” word, needs to be operated on immediately, you are told to be at Manchester’s Christie Hospital on the Monday . Wow!!
What do you do?
Do you pull out, do you tell your colleagues? … just imagine the mental turmoil and angst that one goes through.
Rightly or wrongly, Mark did the match, he told his colleagues, he faced up to it, his professionalism carrying him through what must have been the toughest 90 minutes of his life. Then, at the end, not knowing whether you are going to referee again or what would happen to your family.
As Mark related how the events unfolded that weekend, you couldn’t hear a pin drop. Everyone felt for him and his family.
Then the fight back began, hours on the treadmill, intensive doses of chemo … the body battered but not beaten. Could he beat the odds?
Then, in a wonderful way, the people whose respect he had earned over the years rallied round. Managers, coaches, players and officials, even the ‘Special One’ were there when it mattered.
And beat it he did.
And where was his first game back? Where else but Goodison Park last August in a pre–season friendly. He knew he was back when everyone in the 26,000 crowd applauded and cheered him onto the pitch. A magic moment!!
When asked ‘who’s your hero?’, he simply states Tim Illidge, his consultant who treated him at The Christie Hospital in Manchester. He is the man who gave Mark back his life, his whistle and not least, his family!
It took courage and who would deny Mark his standing ovation at a little club house in Tring.
Peter Hazel
Hon. Secretary