CCFPA Member News: Chris (Poacher Turned Gamekeeper) To Become A Professional Ref.!
Chris Birchall in the Sky Blue
Last month we reported on this site that a trio of former Sky Blues, two of them CCFPA members, had become the first of a select few ex professionals training at Warwick University to become ‘poachers turned gamekeepers’, looking to become qualified football referees! Peter Vincenti and CCFPA pair Carl Baker and Chris Birchall were described by contemporaries as ‘trailblazers’ for taking up the whistle after a professional career in the game, joining a fast-track scheme that ultimately could take the all the way to being in charge of top level games! The course has been set up as a result of collaboration between the Professional Footballers Association and elite refereeing body PGMOL, also supported by funding from the Premier League.
Chris – man in black (2024)!
Now one of them Chris Birchall has tweeted that he is ‘over the moon‘ to accept a 3 year contract offer from the @FA_PGMOL to become one of the first ex players to transition into professional refereeing! He says,’Huge thanks to @PFA and @premierleague along with @FA_PGMOL for this opportunity’
Trinidad & Tobago international Chris, who netted twice in 33 Sky Blue games between 2006-09 is apparently already qualified as a referee so could be one of the first to take charge of a game within weeks. Peter spent the 2017-18 season with CCFC netting three times in 29 games and former Sky Blue skipper Carl in two spells with the Sky Blues (2009-14 & 2017-18) clocked up 28 goals in 182 appearances.
Sky Blue Peter Vincenti 2017-18
Carl Baker in the Sky Blue
‘Bakes’ is proving very versatile in retirement having only fairly recently returned from the US Open after caddying for Robert Rock!
A full MSN article about the ex Sky Blue trio can be found by clicking here
We wish all three former Sky Blues in this new endeavour and, bringing their extensive collective understanding of playing the game (and sometimes being Sky Blue disciplined by the ref), trust we will see them in charge of a Sky Blue game in the not too distant future!
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images
