Phil Dowd

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Personal information
Phil Dowd

Full name	Philip Dowd
Date of birth	January 26, 1963 (1963-01-26) (age 45)
Place of birth	Staffordshire, England
Domestic
Years	League	Role
? - ? ? - ? 1992-1997 1997-2001 2001-	Staffordshire Senior League Midland Football Alliance Football League Football League Premier League	Referee Referee Assistant referee Referee Referee
International
–	–	–

Philip Dowd (born 26 January 1963^[1]) is an English football referee in the FA Premier League. He is based in Stoke-on-Trent.

1 Career
2 Career statistics
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Career

He began refereeing in local leagues in 1984, eventually officiating in the Staffordshire Senior League and Midland Football Alliance. He was appointed to the Football League list of assistant referees in 1992, before joining the League's full list of referees in 1997, aged 34.^[1]

He was promoted to the Premier League list in 2001, therefore the 2007-08 season is his 7th year refereeing the top flight of English football. The relatively late start to his career seems to have prevented him being nominated to FIFA's list of international referees.

Dowd was the fourth official at the 2006 FA Cup Final, at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

He was heavily criticised by Wigan's then manager, Paul Jewell, and their owner, Dave Whelan, following his performance in the club's Premiership match with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on February 11, 2007. Dowd denied Wigan, who were leading 1-0, a penalty kick following a challenge by 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 back on to the field of play as Arsenal attacked. Flamini, who might possibly have been sent off had the penalty been given, received the ball in an offside position; however, the assistant referee and Dowd failed to spot the infringement. Flamini's cross was turned into his own net by Fitz Hall, and Arsenal then went on to score a winning goal.^[2]

Once again, Jewell criticised Dowd strongly, saying that his decisions could cost Wigan £50 million (should they be relegated) and told reporters that an unnamed Premiership manager had described Dowd as the worst referee in the league. Jewell also claimed that the referee had sworn at his players.^[3]

Paul Jewell was duly charged with "improper conduct" regarding his behaviour towards the match official, which he admitted at an FA hearing on 22 March 2007.^[4] On 29 March 2007, he then denied a further charge of "improper conduct, and/or bringing the game into disrepute", relating to comments made about Dowd in the media.^[5] The charge was found "not proven" on May 16, 2007.^[6]

Coincidentally, Dowd did not officiate in any further Select Group games that season, after refereeing the Football League Championship game between Preston and Norwich on 20 February 2007. Despite this, in a Press release on July 26, 2007, it was announced that Dowd was being retained as a Select Group referee for the season 2007-08.^[7]

On August 19, 2007, Dowd was the fourth official for the 1-1 draw between Liverpool and Chelsea, during which Chelsea were awarded a dubious penalty by referee Rob Styles. Later in the match, Michael Essien was seemingly booked twice, but not sent from the field of play. However, Dowd subsequently explained that the first yellow card was in fact shown to John Terry and not Essien.^[8]

[edit] Career 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	41	113	2.75	10	0.24