 | |||
| Full name | Graham Poll | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
29 July 1963 Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England[1] | ||
| Other occupation | Television pundit, newspaper columnist | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| ?–1991 | Isthmian League | Referee | |
| 1986–1991 | Football League | Asst. referee | |
| 1991–1993 | Football League | Referee | |
| 1993–2007 | Premier League | Referee | |
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1996–2007 | FIFA listed | Referee | |
Graham Poll (born 29 July 1963) is an English former football referee in the Premier League. With 26 years of experience, he was one of the most prominent referees in English football, often taking charge of the highest-profile games. His final domestic game in a career spanning 1,544 matches was the Championship play-off final on 28 May 2007 between Derby County and West Bromwich Albion.[2]
He was the English representative at two World Cups and UEFA Euro 2000, and refereed the 2005 UEFA Cup Final.
In his third game of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, Croatia vs Australia, he cautioned Croatian defender Josip Šimunić three times before sending him off. Poll retired from refereeing international tournament finals matches shortly afterwards, citing his error in the match. He continued to referee in the Premier League, Champions League and on international games, but said he would not allow himself to be nominated to represent the FA at any tournament finals as he felt he had had his chance.[3]
- ^ Roberts, Damion (5 February 2015). "Interview: Former referee Graham Poll on his return to action at Hitchin Town". The Comet. Stevenage: Archant. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
Poll was born in Hitchin and went to Thomas Alleyne School in Stevenage, before taking up refereeing locally in both the Hitchin Sunday and the Stevenage Sunday League. He had moved to Tring, and then to Reading, so being born in the town 'didn't really come up; I wasn't seen as having any particular allegiance.'
- ^ Graham Poll's retirement Archived 19 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine: Guardian Unlimited, 28 May 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2007.
- ^ Lutz, Tom (29 June 2006). "Poll retires from international game". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 19 November 2007. Retrieved 29 June 2006.