Mervyn (Sandy) Griffiths
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Benjamin Mervyn ('Mervyn') Griffiths (b. January 17, 1909 - d. January 21, 1974) was born in Abertillery, Monmouthshire. Griffiths is famous for a decision that resulted in a goal being disallowed in the closing minutes of the 1954 FIFA World Cup final.
In his professional life Griffiths was a teacher, first taking up a post in Devon but he soon returned to Newport, Monmouthshire and began his refereeing career in 1934 in the local leagues. Within 5 seasons he was appointed to the Football League list as a linesman and, after the War, refereed the 'Auld Enemy' clash in 1949 and the 1953 FA Cup Final, the 'Matthews' Cup Final'. It was his questionable decision with two minutes remaining that enabled Mortensen to equalise from a free-kick awarded just outside the penalty area. As such he was the first Welshman to referee an international at Wembley, the first to referee the FA Cup Final and the only Welshman to appear in a World Cup final.
Griffiths represented Wales at the 1950, 1954 and 1958 World Cup Finals. In the first of these appearing in the opening fixture and in the second taking charge of the semi-final between Hungary and Uruguay and assisting William Ling in the final. In the closing minutes of the final, and with the score at 3-2 to the West Germans, Griffith's flagged Ferenc Puskás offside just as he beat Toni Turek in the German goal.
