You Are The Ref
Encyclopedia
You Are The Ref is a British comic strip
featuring a series of awkward football
refereeing challenges, which has run in various publications since 1957. Created by sports artist Paul Trevillion
, also famous for Roy of the Rovers
, the strip features contributions from several top referees, and was collected into an official book in 2006.
From 2008 it appeared online at Guardian.co.uk.
In June 2010, in advance of the South Africa 2010 World Cup, You Are The Ref was released as an iPhone / iPod Touch game developed by game developer Four Door Lemon
.
. The quiz included one question per issue on refereeing. Five years later, The People
newspaper signed Trevillion to produce a dedicated refereeing cartoon quiz, and gave it the title 'Hey Ref'.
In the 1960s, the strip began appearing in a much larger format alongside Trevillion's work for Roy of the Rovers
in official Roy annuals, under the title 'If You Were The Ref'. But it was in 1969 that the strip took on its famous name, when it moved to be part of newly launched children's football magazine Shoot. The strip continued to run until 1983.
In 2006, Trevillion agreed to return to You Are The Ref, producing new artwork for the strip for the first time in over 20 years, which was published in The Observer
newspaper. Later that year, a book was published collecting the history of the strip. In 2008, You Are The Ref also appeared on the BBC
's Euro 2008 blog, and on The Guardian
's website.
, and then by Keith Hackett
, the head of Premier League referees, who continues to provide the answers in the current strips.
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
featuring a series of awkward football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
refereeing challenges, which has run in various publications since 1957. Created by sports artist Paul Trevillion
Paul Trevillion
Paul Trevillion is a highly acclaimed British comic/sports artist, whose career spans fifty years.Born in Tottenham , Trevillion, while still at school, produced artwork for publications like Eagle , TV21 and Roy of the Rovers...
, also famous for Roy of the Rovers
Roy of the Rovers
Roy of the Rovers is a British comic strip about the life and times of a fictional footballer named Roy Race, who played for Melchester Rovers...
, the strip features contributions from several top referees, and was collected into an official book in 2006.
From 2008 it appeared online at Guardian.co.uk.
In June 2010, in advance of the South Africa 2010 World Cup, You Are The Ref was released as an iPhone / iPod Touch game developed by game developer Four Door Lemon
Four Door Lemon
Four Door Lemon Ltd is an independent UK games developer and middleware company founded in 2005 by programmers Simon Barratt and Tim Wharton.Since formation they have worked on over 30 titles of varying scales across all major gaming platforms as well as develop their multi-platform middleware...
.
Publication history
The evolution of the strip began in 1952 in Tottenham magazine The Lillywhite, which featured a cartoon quiz by Paul TrevillionPaul Trevillion
Paul Trevillion is a highly acclaimed British comic/sports artist, whose career spans fifty years.Born in Tottenham , Trevillion, while still at school, produced artwork for publications like Eagle , TV21 and Roy of the Rovers...
. The quiz included one question per issue on refereeing. Five years later, The People
The People
The People, previously known as the Sunday People, is a British tabloid Sunday-only newspaper. The paper was founded on 16 October 1881.It is published by the Trinity Mirror Group.In July 2011 it had an average daily circulation of 806,544....
newspaper signed Trevillion to produce a dedicated refereeing cartoon quiz, and gave it the title 'Hey Ref'.
In the 1960s, the strip began appearing in a much larger format alongside Trevillion's work for Roy of the Rovers
Roy of the Rovers
Roy of the Rovers is a British comic strip about the life and times of a fictional footballer named Roy Race, who played for Melchester Rovers...
in official Roy annuals, under the title 'If You Were The Ref'. But it was in 1969 that the strip took on its famous name, when it moved to be part of newly launched children's football magazine Shoot. The strip continued to run until 1983.
In 2006, Trevillion agreed to return to You Are The Ref, producing new artwork for the strip for the first time in over 20 years, which was published in The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
newspaper. Later that year, a book was published collecting the history of the strip. In 2008, You Are The Ref also appeared on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Euro 2008 blog, and on The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
's website.
Referees
When the strip moved to Shoot in 1969, leading referee Stan Lover, head of the London referees' association, was taken on to provide the answers to the questions You Are The Ref posed each week. In subsequent years, Lover was replaced by Clive ThomasClive Thomas
Clive Thomas is a Welsh former football referee, who operated in the English Football League and for FIFA during his career. He came from Treorchy in the Rhondda Valley.-Career:...
, and then by Keith Hackett
Keith Hackett
Keith Stuart Hackett is an English former football referee, who began refereeing in local leagues in the Sheffield, Yorkshire, area in 1960...
, the head of Premier League referees, who continues to provide the answers in the current strips.
Articles and books
- Trevillion, Paul, You Are The Ref: 50 Years of Paul Trevillion's Cult Classic Comic Strip (Observer Books, 2006) ISBN 0 85265 069 8