Stuart Attwell

Stuart Attwell is an English Football League referee from Nuneaton in Warwickshire.

He was promoted to the Football League at the beginning of the 2007/08 Season, and was quickly rewarded for a number of good performances by being given Football League Championship fixtures including Southampton vs Bristol City , and Barnsley vs Hull City . On May 19th 2008 Attwell was pronounced to be officiating the League Two Play-off Final between Rochdale and Stockport County at Wembley on May 26th 2008..

Within 6 minutes of his first Championship game between Sheffield United and Blackpool game Attwell made a match changing decision. Blackpool's Ian Evatt was adjudged to have committed a professional foul on Sheffield United's Billy Sharp, though replays show that there was no contact and therefore not a penalty, Attwell sent Evatt off and awarded Sheffield United a penalty (Which was saved by Blackpool keeper Paul Rachubka). Blackpool manager Simon Grayson questioned the Football League's decision to put such an inexperienced referee in charge of such a high pressure game. . Fansites after the match dubbed Attwell a 'buffoon'. . Things did not get much better for Attwell in the following weeks. In the F.A. Cup 3rd Round tie between Swansea City and Havant & Waterlooville Attwell was accused of not being able to control the players by Swansea manager Roberto Martinez .

Stuart Attwell has also been included in the Select Group of referees for the season 2008/09. This is likely to give him the opportunity to referee on the English Premier League, and he will be employed Full-time by the Professional Game Match Officials Association. On the 25th of June 2008, he was promoted to the list of top flight officials in the Premier League, after just one season in the Football League. This made him the youngest ever Premier League referee at 25 years of age. On Saturday the 23rd of August 2008 he made his Premier League debut when he refereed Blackburn Rovers F.C. vs. Hull City A.F.C., the game finished 1-1 with goals from Jason Roberts & Richard Garcia and one caution to Ian Ashbee of Hull City A.F.C..

On 20th September 2008 Attwell refereed a game between Watford and Reading at Vicarage Road and allowed a goal to stand which had actually gone four yards wide, much to the bemusement of all players and fans present on the day - despite the fact Attwell was merely following the decision of the linesman. The goal quickly became known as 'the ghost goal'. It was ruled that the game would not be replayed as this would set a dangerous precedent for reversal of refereeing decisions. It reopened the debate for goal line technology, though this looks like being a long way away, as FIFA have cancelled the goal line trials it had in place the beginning of the 2007/08 season.

On 2nd November 2008 Attwell refereed a game between Derby County and Nottingham Forest where he made his 3rd sending off in 3 games (the 74th minute sending off of Lewis McGugan following sendings off of QPR's Mikele Leigertwood and Crewe's Billy Jones ) and ruled out two late goals by Derby County, one to give a penalty to Derby which was saved by Forest goalkeeper Lee Camp.