Philip Sharp (football referee)
Encyclopedia
Philip Sharp is an English
Premier League
assistant referee and one of only 10 match officials from the United Kingdom
to have officiated in a FIFA World Cup Final.
Sharp first played football for East Barnet School
but became a referee via the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme in order to fulfill the Service in the Community component of the course. He gained his apprenticeship through the Hertfordshire County League before gaining promotion onto the Southern Football League
middle from where he was promoted to Panel Referee for two seasons before being promoted as an Assistant Referee to the Football League and, finally, the Premier League
. He was selected to run the line at the 1999 FA Challenge Cup Final. Sharp currently referees on the national Contributory List of match referees.
Sharp was promoted to the FIFA
list of match officials on January 1, 1997, being appointed to his first international (in Budapest
) in the Summer of that year. His progression, internationally, was exceptional being appointed to hold the flag in the opening game of his first senior tournament
, the year 2000 European Championship and the semi-final of that tournament. In the 2002 FIFA World Cup
Sharp was appointed to five games in total, including the Croatia
v Italy
match and the 2002 FIFA World Cup Final
between Germany
and Brazil
. As such he was England's
second successive match official at a Final match, Mark Warren
having been the Assistant Referee at the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final
.
Phil Sharp was selected to represent Great Britain
at the 2004 Olympic Games football tournament
and represented England
at the 2006 FIFA World Cup
in Germany
.
On October 18 2008, Sharp was hit by an object thrown from the crowd in the game between Aston Villa and Portsmouth FC. It resulted in a cut to his face, although he was eventually fit to continue till the end of the game. The police subsequently arrested a man from Birmingham
and charged him with battery
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
assistant referee and one of only 10 match officials from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to have officiated in a FIFA World Cup Final.
Sharp first played football for East Barnet School
East Barnet School
East Barnet School is a comprehensive school at Chestnut Grove in East Barnet, London.-Status:It has Technology College status and has a second specialism as a Leadership Partner School; is a Science Demonstration School and part of Project Faraday ; and is a 'Building Schools for the Future'...
but became a referee via the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme in order to fulfill the Service in the Community component of the course. He gained his apprenticeship through the Hertfordshire County League before gaining promotion onto the Southern Football League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
middle from where he was promoted to Panel Referee for two seasons before being promoted as an Assistant Referee to the Football League and, finally, the Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
. He was selected to run the line at the 1999 FA Challenge Cup Final. Sharp currently referees on the national Contributory List of match referees.
Sharp was promoted to the FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
list of match officials on January 1, 1997, being appointed to his first international (in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
) in the Summer of that year. His progression, internationally, was exceptional being appointed to hold the flag in the opening game of his first senior tournament
Tournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
, the year 2000 European Championship and the semi-final of that tournament. In the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
Sharp was appointed to five games in total, including the Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
v Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
match and the 2002 FIFA World Cup Final
2002 FIFA World Cup Final
The 2002 FIFA World Cup Final the final match of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, played between Germany and Brazil at the International Stadium in Yokohama, Japan. It was the first World Cup meeting between the two sides. Brazil won the match 2–0, winning a record fifth title...
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 Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
. As such he was England's
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
second successive match official at a Final match, Mark Warren
Mark Warren (referee)
Mark Warren is an English former football referee, and one of only ten from the United Kingdom to have been a match official in a FIFA World Cup Final.-Career:...
having been the Assistant Referee at the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final
1998 FIFA World Cup Final
The 1998 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that was played on 12 July 1998 at the Stade de France in St-Denis to determine the winner of the 1998 FIFA World Cup a global football tournament held every four years...
.
Phil Sharp was selected to represent Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
at the 2004 Olympic Games football tournament
Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics
The football tournament at the 2004 Summer Olympics started on 11 August, , and ended on 28 August.The men's tournament is played by U-23 national teams, with up to three over age players allowed per squad...
and represented England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
at the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
On October 18 2008, Sharp was hit by an object thrown from the crowd in the game between Aston Villa and Portsmouth FC. It resulted in a cut to his face, although he was eventually fit to continue till the end of the game. The police subsequently arrested a man from Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and charged him with battery
Battery (crime)
Battery is a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact, distinct from assault which is the fear of such contact.In the United States, criminal battery, or simply battery, is the use of force against another, resulting in harmful or offensive contact...
.