Phil Dowd
Encyclopedia
Philip Dowd is an English
professional football referee who officiates primarily in the Premier League. He is based in Stoke-on-Trent
, Staffordshire.
Since his first appearance in the Football League
as an assistant referee in 1992, Dowd has refereed a number of notable matches, including the final of the Football League Cup
and the FA Community Shield
.
and Midland Football Alliance
. He was appointed to The Football League
list of assistant referee
s in 1992, before joining the League's full list of referees in 1997, aged 34.
He was promoted to the Premier League list in 2001, his first match being a fixture between Fulham
and Everton
in December of that year. The 2011–12
season is his twelfth year refereeing in the top flight of English football.
In 2006, Dowd was the fourth official at that year's FA Cup final at the Millennium Stadium
in Cardiff.
Perhaps Dowd's fiercest criticism came in February 2007 when he was censured by Wigan Athletic
's then manager Paul Jewell
and chairman Dave Whelan, following his performance in the club's Premier League match at Arsenal
. Dowd denied Wigan, who were leading 1–0, a penalty kick
following a challenge by Arsenal's Mathieu Flamini
on Emile Heskey
. Wigan were playing with ten men at the time (Josip Skoko
had left the field for treatment to an injury), and Dowd then refused to allow Skoko to return to the field of play as Arsenal attacked. Flamini, who arguably could have been sent off had the penalty for his challenge on Heskey been given, received the ball in an offside position; however, the assistant referee and Dowd failed to spot the infringement. Flamini then crossed the ball, leading to an own goal
by Fitz Hall
, bringing Arsenal back onto level terms. Arsenal then went on to win the match 2-1.
On 5 February 2011, Dowd was appointed to a Premier League fixture between Newcastle United
and Arsenal
, notable for becoming the first game in the league's history in which a team recovered from being 4-0 down to salvage a draw. Dowd was required to interpret a number of key incidents during the course of the second half, with Arsenal having taken a 4-0 lead into half-time. He issued a 50th-minute red card to Arsenal's Abou Diaby
for violent conduct towards two Newcastle players following a challenge with Joey Barton
. Arsène Wenger
said after the match that he "could not argue with [the] red card", but believed Barton should have been punished for the original challenge; Newcastle manager Alan Pardew
countered that "the referee's decision was fair. It was an aggressive tackle, that's all." Leon Best
incorrectly had a goal ruled offside before scoring to make the scoreline 4-2. Dowd's assistant referee signalled for a Newcastle penalty, their second of the match, which Barton converted for his second penalty. Cheick Tioté then scored an 87th-minute equaliser.
between Manchester United
and Aston Villa
at Wembley Stadium
. In the fifth minute of the match, Dowd deemed Manchester United's Nemanja Vidić
to have fouled Aston Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor
in the penalty area. Whilst Dowd did award Villa a penalty kick
, he elected not to punish Vidić; some commentators felt the offence qualified as a professional foul and therefore warranted a red card. United overturned Villa's early penalty to ultimately win the match, and trophy, 2–1.
on 7 August 2011 between Manchester City
and Manchester United
, also the 160th Manchester derby
, at London's Wembley Stadium
. United won the match 3-2 with a last-minute winner courtesy of Nani
. Dowd issued seven yellow cards during the course of the game.
Statistics for all competitions. No records are available prior to 1998/99.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
professional football referee who officiates primarily in the Premier League. He is based in Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
, Staffordshire.
Since his first appearance in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
as an assistant referee in 1992, Dowd has refereed a number of notable matches, including the final of the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
and the FA Community Shield
FA Community Shield
The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
.
Career
Dowd began refereeing in local leagues in 1984, eventually officiating in the Staffordshire Senior LeagueStaffordshire Senior Football League
The Staffordshire Senior Football League was an English association football competition based in the county of Staffordshire and its surrounding area....
and Midland Football Alliance
Midland Football Alliance
The Midland Football Alliance is an English association football league for semi-professional teams. It covers Leicestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire and also southern parts of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire...
. He was appointed to The Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
list of assistant referee
Assistant referee (association football)
In association football, an assistant referee is one of several officials who assist the referee in controlling a match. Two officials, traditionally known as linesmen , stand on the touchlines, while a fourth official assists administrative or other match related tasks as directed by the referee...
s in 1992, before joining the League's full list of referees in 1997, aged 34.
He was promoted to the Premier League list in 2001, his first match being a fixture between Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
and 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...
in December of that year. The 2011–12
2011–12 in English football
The 2011–12 season is the 132nd season of competitive football in England.The season began on 5 August 2011 for the Football Leagues, with the Premier starting eight days later, League Football Conference Starting one day before Premier League starts.The Championship, League One, and League Two...
season is his twelfth year refereeing in the top flight of English football.
In 2006, Dowd was the fourth official at that year's FA Cup final at the Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
in Cardiff.
Perhaps Dowd's fiercest criticism came in February 2007 when he was censured by Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
's then manager Paul Jewell
Paul Jewell
Paul Steven Jewell is a former English footballer who is currently the manager of Ipswich Town.His playing career started with Liverpool before moving to Wigan Athletic and then a ten-year spell with Bradford City...
and chairman Dave Whelan, following his performance in the club's Premier League match at Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
. Dowd denied Wigan, who were leading 1–0, a penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
following a challenge by Arsenal's Mathieu Flamini
Mathieu Flamini
Mathieu Flamini is a French professional footballer of Italian descent who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Milan..-Marseille:...
on Emile Heskey
Emile Heskey
Emile William Ivanhoe Heskey is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a striker.Born in Leicester, Heskey started his career with hometown club Leicester City after progressing through their youth system, making his first team debut in 1995...
. Wigan were playing with ten men at the time (Josip Skoko
Josip Skoko
Josip Skoko is a former Australian football player who last played as a Central Midfielder for A-League club Melbourne Heart.-Early career:...
had left the field for treatment to an injury), and Dowd then refused to allow Skoko to return to the field of play as Arsenal attacked. Flamini, who arguably could have been sent off had the penalty for his challenge on Heskey been given, received the ball in an offside position; however, the assistant referee and Dowd failed to spot the infringement. Flamini then crossed the ball, leading to an own goal
Own goal
An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
by Fitz Hall
Fitz Hall
Fitz Benjamin Hall is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers. He is a central defender who can also play as a central midfielder. His nickname is "One Size" Fitz Hall, a pun on the phrase "one size fits all"...
, bringing Arsenal back onto level terms. Arsenal then went on to win the match 2-1.
On 5 February 2011, Dowd was appointed to a Premier League fixture between Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
and Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, notable for becoming the first game in the league's history in which a team recovered from being 4-0 down to salvage a draw. Dowd was required to interpret a number of key incidents during the course of the second half, with Arsenal having taken a 4-0 lead into half-time. He issued a 50th-minute red card to Arsenal's Abou Diaby
Abou Diaby
Vassiriki Abou Diaby , commonly known as Abou Diaby, is a French footballer who plays for English club Arsenal in the Premier League and the France national team...
for violent conduct towards two Newcastle players following a challenge with Joey Barton
Joey Barton
Joseph Anthony "Joey" Barton is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League side Queens Park Rangers as either a central midfielder or a winger....
. Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
said after the match that he "could not argue with [the] red card", but believed Barton should have been punished for the original challenge; Newcastle manager Alan Pardew
Alan Pardew
Alan Scott Pardew is an English football manager and former player, currently the manager of Newcastle United....
countered that "the referee's decision was fair. It was an aggressive tackle, that's all." Leon Best
Leon Best
Leon Julian Brendan Best is an English-born Irish footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League team Newcastle United and the Republic of Ireland national football team. Best represented Ireland at under-21 level and won his first full international cap against Nigeria on 29 May 2009.Best...
incorrectly had a goal ruled offside before scoring to make the scoreline 4-2. Dowd's assistant referee signalled for a Newcastle penalty, their second of the match, which Barton converted for his second penalty. Cheick Tioté then scored an 87th-minute equaliser.
2010 League Cup final
On 28 February 2010 Dowd refereed the League Cup final2010 Football League Cup Final
The 2010 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2009–10 Football League Cup, the 50th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League. The match, played at Wembley Stadium on 28 February 2010, was won by...
between 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...
and 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...
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. In the fifth minute of the match, Dowd deemed Manchester United's Nemanja Vidić
Nemanja Vidic
Nemanja Vidić is a Serbian footballer who captains English Premier League club Manchester United. He was part of the Serbia national football team from 2002 to 2011....
to have fouled Aston 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...
in the penalty area. Whilst Dowd did award Villa a penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
, he elected not to punish Vidić; some commentators felt the offence qualified as a professional foul and therefore warranted a red card. United overturned Villa's early penalty to ultimately win the match, and trophy, 2–1.
2011 FA Community Shield
Dowd officiated the 2011 FA Community Shield2011 FA Community Shield
The 2011 FA Community Shield was the 89th FA Community Shield, an annual football match contested by the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions. The match was the 160th Manchester derby between Manchester United and Manchester City and played at Wembley Stadium,...
on 7 August 2011 between Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
and 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...
, also the 160th 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 London's Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. United won the match 3-2 with a last-minute winner courtesy of Nani
Nani
-People:*Nani, a Portuguese footballer who plays for Manchester United*Gianluca Nani, former technical director at West Ham United*Nanabhoy Palkhivala, nicknamed Nani, an Indian jurist and economist*Nani Roma, a Spanish rally racing driver...
. Dowd issued seven yellow cards during the course of the game.
Card statistics
| Season | Games | Total | per game | Total | per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998/1999 | 32 | 125 | 3.91 | 3 | 0.09 |
| 1999/2000 | 33 | 85 | 2.58 | 4 | 0.12 |
| 2000/2001 | 33 | 120 | 3.64 | 10 | 0.30 |
| 2001/2002 | 29 | 109 | 3.76 | 13 | 0.45 |
| 2002/2003 | 38 | 130 | 3.42 | 8 | 0.21 |
| 2003/2004 | 28 | 104 | 3.71 | 6 | 0.21 |
| 2004/2005 | 36 | 115 | 3.19 | 7 | 0.19 |
| 2005/2006 | 46 | 183 | 3.98 | 8 | 0.17 |
| 2006/2007 | 33 | 99 | 3.00 | 3 | 0.09 |
| 2007/2008 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... |
41 | 113 | 2.75 | 10 | 0.24 |
| 2008/2009 2008–09 in English football The 2008–09 season was the 129th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Hull City were all playing in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship last season. Stoke returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence, while... |
45 | 148 | 3.28 | 11 | 0.24 |
| 2009/2010 2009–10 in English football The 2009–10 season was the 130th season of competitive football in England.The season began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League One and League Two and 15 August 2009 for the Premier League... |
39 | 135 | 3.46 | 5 | 0.19 |
| 2010/2011 2010–11 in English football The 2010–11 season was the 131st season of competitive football in England.The season began on 6 August 2010 for the Football Leagues, with the Premier League and Football Conference both starting eight days later on 14 August 2010. The Championship, League One, and League Two ended on 7 May... |
38 | 139 | 3.66 | 12 | 0.32 |
| 2011/2012 2011–12 in English football The 2011–12 season is the 132nd season of competitive football in England.The season began on 5 August 2011 for the Football Leagues, with the Premier starting eight days later, League Football Conference Starting one day before Premier League starts.The Championship, League One, and League Two... |
Statistics for all competitions. No records are available prior to 1998/99.
External links
- Phil Dowd Profile at Refworld.com
- Phil Dowd Referee Statistics at soccerbase.com
- Phil Dowd on RateTheRef.net