Europe and international

On 13 October 2007, Atkinson refereed a group C qualifier for Euro 2008 between Moldova

Moldova national football team

The Moldova national football team represents Moldova in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Moldova, the governing body for football in Moldova. Moldova's home ground is Zimbru Stadium in Chişinău and their head coach is Gavril Balint...

 and Turkey

Turkey national football team

The Turkey national football team represents Turkey in association football and is controlled by the Turkish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Turkey. They are affiliated with UEFA...

. The game in the Moldovan capital Chişinău ended a 1–1 draw, with the referee showing two yellow cards.
The 2008–09 season was the first that Atkinson took charge of UEFA Champions League

UEFA Champions League

The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...

 games. That season he refereed four matches, including FC Zürich against Real Madrid

Real Madrid C.F.

Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...

 and Inter Milan

F.C. Internazionale Milano

Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...

 versus Dynamo Kiev

FC Dynamo Kyiv

FC Dynamo Kyiv is a professional football club based in the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. Founded in 1927, the club currently participates in the Ukrainian Premier League and has spent its entire history in the top league of Soviet and later Ukrainian football...

. In 2010 Atkinson was fourth official to Howard Webb

Howard Webb

Howard Melton Webb, MBE, is an English professional football referee who officiates primarily in the Premier League and has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2005....

 for the Champions League final

2010 UEFA Champions League Final

The 2010 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match played at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid, on Saturday, 22 May 2010, to determine the winners of the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League. It was the first Champions League final to be played on a Saturday, rather than the...

 in Madrid. He issued his first Champions League red card on 5 April 2011, to Cristian Chivu

Cristian Chivu

Cristian Eugen Chivu is a Romanian footballer. He currently plays for Internazionale of the Italian Serie A. He usually plays as a left back but can play as a center back as well as in defensive midfield when needed....

 of Inter Milan as they lost 5–2 at home to Schalke

FC Schalke 04

Fußball-Club Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, commonly known as simply FC Schalke 04 or Schalke , is a German, association-football club originally from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Schalke has long been one of the most popular football teams in Germany, even though major...

.

Atkinson's first international appointment was the 2010 FIFA World Cup

2010 FIFA World Cup

The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...

 UEFA group 4 qualifying game between Germany

Germany national football team

The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....

 and Finland

Finland national football team

The Finland national football team represents Finland in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Association of Finland....

 in Hamburg on 14 October 2009 which ended 1–1. One month later, he officiated Portugal

Portugal national football team

The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...

's 1–0 qualifying win over Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team

The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...

.

Criticisms

After the 2009 Manchester derby

Manchester derby

The Manchester derby is the name given to football matches between Manchester City and Manchester United. The local derby centres on the City of Manchester and Greater Manchester with approximately four miles separating the clubs with City based in east Manchester at the City of Manchester Stadium...

 at Old Trafford

Old Trafford

Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...

, Atkinson was criticised by Manchester City's then-manager Mark Hughes

Mark Hughes

Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals....

 for bad time-keeping after Manchester United had scored an injury-time winner. The fourth official had signalled four minutes of additional time, but Michael Owen

Michael Owen

Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...

 scored a 96th-minute goal, handing United a dramatic 4–3 win. Atkinson was defended by former referee Graham Poll

Graham Poll

Graham Poll is an English former football referee in the Premier League and is considered the best English referee of the last 25 years in a list maintained by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics...

, himself considered one of England's greatest officials, who pointed out that during injury time itself there had been a goal celebration, a substitution and a delay caused by a fan on the pitch. The incident led to City questioning the late appointment of Atkinson to the 2010 Manchester derby.

In September 2010, Atkinson was handed a one-week demotion to the role of fourth official after a time-keeping dispute with Everton

Everton F.C.

Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...

 manager David Moyes

David Moyes

David William Moyes is an association football manager and former player, currently managing English Premier League club Everton. He was the 2003, 2005 and 2009 League Managers Association Manager of the Year...

. Everton had scored two injury-time goals to make the score 3–3 against Manchester United, but Atkinson then blew his final whistle while Everton were midway through an attack with a chance of a winner. Though it should be noted Everton had already squandered the chance, with Phil Jagielka shooting straight at Van Der Sar.

In April 2010, Birmingham City

Birmingham City F.C.

Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...

 central defender Roger Johnson

Roger Johnson (footballer)

Roger Johnson is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers....

 censured Atkinson after the official awarded rivals Aston Villa

Aston Villa F.C.

Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...

 a late penalty in the Second City derby, for an apparent foul by Johnson on Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor

Gabriel Agbonlahor

Gabriel Imuetinyan "Gabby" Agbonlahor is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Aston Villa. Agbonlahor is a product of Aston Villa's Academy and has earned three caps for the English national team. He is currently the longest-serving player at Villa Park, joining as a youth player in...

. Television replays appeared to show Johnson had played the ball, and manager Alex McLeish

Alex McLeish

Alexander "Alex" McLeish , is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager, who is currently managing English Premier League club Aston Villa...

 also criticised the decision which gave Villa a 1–0 home win.

Manchester United

Manchester United F.C.

Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...

 manager Alex Ferguson

Alex Ferguson

Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...

 censured Atkinson in March 2011 following his refereeing of United's away fixture with Chelsea

Chelsea F.C.

Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...

. He called Chelsea's 80th-minute penalty award "very soft"; Frank Lampard

Frank Lampard

Frank James Lampard is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Chelsea and the England national team. He also holds the position of vice-captain for his club side...

 converted the spot-kick to secure a 2–1 win for the hosts. Ferguson also felt that Atkinson should have issued a second yellow card to Chelsea defender David Luiz

David Luiz

David Luiz Moreira Marinho , known as David Luiz, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Chelsea in the Premier League...

 earlier in the second-half for an apparent trip on Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney

Wayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...

. It was not the first time Atkinson came under scrutiny after officiating this fixture; in the previous season Ferguson criticised him for awarding Chelsea a free-kick, from which captain John Terry

John Terry

John George Terry is an English professional footballer. Terry plays in a centre back position and is the captain of Chelsea in the Premier League...

 scored the only goal of the game.

On 1 October 2011, Atkinson came under fire for sending off Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell in the 23rd minute of a Merseyside derby

Merseyside derby

The Merseyside derby is the name given to any football match contested between Everton and Liverpool football clubs, the two most successful clubs from the city of Liverpool in England...

 at Goodison Park

Goodison Park

Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...

, which was ultimately won 2—0 by Liverpool. The official erroneously adjudged Rodwell to have committed a foul worthy of a straight red card, although replays suggested the player won the ball cleanly and safely from Liverpool forward Luis Suarez

Luis Suárez

Luis Suárez may refer to:* Luis Suárez , football player who currently plays for Liverpool F.C.* Luis Suárez Fernández , Spanish historian...

. In a post-match interview, Everton manager David Moyes

David Moyes

David William Moyes is an association football manager and former player, currently managing English Premier League club Everton. He was the 2003, 2005 and 2009 League Managers Association Manager of the Year...

 claimed the derby was "ruined" by the decision to send off Rodwell.

Card statistics

Season	Games	Total	per game	Total	per game
2002/03 2002-03 in English football The 2002-03 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in England.-Most Memorable rise:*Wigan Athletic marked their 25th season of Football League membership by winning the Division Two championship and reaching the league's second tier for the very first time.-Most Memorable...	9	28	3.11	3	0.33
2003/04 2003-04 in English football The 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game....	26	61	2.34	3	0.11
2004/05 2004-05 in English football The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...	38	87	2.28	3	0.07
2005/06 2005-06 in English football The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...	38	78	2.05	2	0.05
2006/07 2006-07 in English football The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...	42	128	3.04	6	0.14
2007/08 2007-08 in English football The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...	42	109	2.60	6	0.14
2008/09	40	135	3.38	11	0.28
2009/10	48	187	3.90	6	0.13
2010/11	41	143	3.49	13	0.32
2011/12

Statistics for all competitions, including domestic, European and international. No records are available prior to 2003/04.

External links

• Refworld.com
• Martin Atkinson Referee Statistics at soccerbase.com
• Martin Atkinson Profile at RateTheRef.net