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Ten years after Rebecca Welch became one of many footballers to give a referee feedback on how to do their job, her own choices will now take the spotlight in the Premier League.
On December 23rd, Welch will make history once more as she becomes the manager of Fulham for their match against Burnley at Craven Cottage.
However, if she had not been asked by one of her friends, Welch, who is 40 years old, may have never tried refereeing.
“I was involved in a football game and the idea of becoming a referee never crossed my mind until one of my close friends, who is a referee, officiated our match,” explained Welch. In November, she made history as the first female to serve as fourth official in a Premier League match between Fulham and Manchester United.
“I spent the entire game coaching her on how to perform her duties! Her reply was, ‘If you think it’s so simple, why don’t you try it yourself?’ And that’s exactly what happened, leading me to where I am now, 10 years later.”
Welch’s love of the game stemmed from playing, but it was with the whistle where she made her mark.
In 2010, Welch began her career as a referee while also holding an administrative role at the NHS in Washington, Tyne and Wear.
After receiving her badges from the Durham County Football Association, Welch started officiating university games and Sunday league matches.
However, she quickly transitioned to working full-time and rapidly advanced in her career.
Welch has regularly refereed high-profile games in the Women’s Super League and took charge of the 2017 and 2020 Women’s FA Cup finals at Wembley.
She has also served as an official in the Women’s Champions League, most recently for the Benfica vs Frankfurt match on December 13, which ended in a 1-0 victory for Benfica.
In December 2020, Welch joined FIFA’s exclusive group of international officials. They were a member of the team at the 2022 Women’s Euros and also officiated at this year’s Women’s World Cup. This included refereeing the hosts Australia in their victory over Denmark in the round of 16.
Welch is familiar with setting precedents in men’s sports.
In 2021, she made history as the first female referee to officiate a Football League match, specifically the Sky Bet League Two game between Harrogate and Port Vale.
Welch subsequently participated in games for the Championship, including Hull’s 4-1 victory against Rotherham on November 28, as well as the third round of the FA Cup.
In the previous month, two individuals who were 17 years of age were taken into custody while Birmingham was playing against Sheffield Wednesday. They were accused of chanting misogynistic remarks towards referee Welch.
Despite Welch now set to find herself in the spotlight again, with every decision under the microscope at Craven Cottage on December 23, she is not about to let anything distract her from just getting on with the job, according to referee’s chief Howard Webb.
Webb described Rebecca as a composed and determined individual on the field. She naturally earns a great deal of respect without being flashy. Upon meeting her, one can sense her strong presence.
She possesses strong game awareness, makes precise decisions, and excels as an athlete on the field. Her hard work over the years has led her to this position.
I have no doubt that she will demonstrate her excellent game reading and subtle player management skills at Fulham on the 23rd.
Source: independent.co.uk
