Wednesday 17 March 2010

Paul felt quietly satisfied with his first experience as the primary match official and, as he left the Redfern Road exit to Priestfield Stadium, a young lad called Kevin aged about seven, approached him. According to Paul the conversation went something like this:

Young lad, thrusting forward a scrap of paper: "Can I have your autograph?"

Paul Taylor: "I'm not a player. I was the referee."

YL: "I know, Mr Taylor. Can I have your autograph?"

Taylor signs: "To Kevin, Best wishes, Paul Taylor, Gillingham v Darlington, 1990". [PT later recalls: 'I had an ego the size of a small planet. The lad must have been nearly eight by the time I'd finished and given it back to him.']

YL, accepting scrap of paper: "Thanks ... and my dad says you were bloody rubbish."

YL runs off down the street; PT is left agog. Such is the life of a League referee says Paul.

If that young lad, now age about 27, was at the Gills v Norwich game earlier this season he might well have re- read that scrap of paper and pondered if anything had changed in the intervening twenty or so years.

In that game Paul Taylor handed out three cautions to each side plus sent off Canaries goalkeeper Fraser Forster (left) for bringing down Curtis Weston.

Records show that Paul has officiated in 25 matches this season and handed out cards like confetti with 103 yellows and nine reds and this before he even sets foot on the Valley pitch.

Another interesting statistic is that Paul has handed out a card, of some colour, in every match he has officiated this season.

Lest you think this is a “one-off” season for our Man in The Middle, Paul Taylor has never been far from some form of controversy as 2001 will testify. At age 29 and the youngest referee Paul enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks to reach the Premiership, now, at 50, “I'm the oldest on the list." said Paul.

In 2001 Paul was at the centre of two separate incidents, the first involving Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger (right) and second involving Sean Farrell a Notts County player.

Following investigation of these, and with Paul attracting adverse comments plus a succession of low match marks, he was dropped from the Premiership list after just one season.

Paul was the fourth official at the season’s opening game between Sunderland and Arsenal when Arsene Wenger was involved in a tunnel incident as he broke up a fracas between Thierry Henry and Darren Williams. Arsene was also accused by Paul Taylor of using violent conduct against him. 

Wenger was initially found guilty and fined by the Football Association but an appeals board quashed the 12-match touchline ban which had been imposed on the Arsenal manager. This was seen as a knock-back to Taylor's reputation.

In the same week Paul appeared before an F.A. disciplinary commission to answer a charge regarding alleged comments to a Notts County player, Sean Farrell (right) in a game between County and Wigan but the case was not proven and the referee found not guilty.

Farrell, his Notts County team-mate Hamilton and the Wigan player Green gave evidence against Taylor, who was supported by the former Fifa official and Premier League referees spokesman, Keith Cooper.

Following the dismissal of the charge, Notts County released their own statement. "Sean Farrell said he was surprised by the verdict on referee Paul Taylor given all the evidence including the video," said the club website, while Farrell himself was quoted as saying: "This was the appropriate avenue for me to take regarding the behaviour of this official”.

After withdrawing from matches for about two months while these cases were pending, Paul Taylor returned during the spring. He took charge of 28 games during the year, his first and only season as a Premiership referee.

Paul said, "I was never quite sure why I wasn't retained by the Premier League but, no, I wasn't disappointed. I'd refereed in the greatest league in the world. That is not an opportunity afforded to too many. Over the years, I'd like to think I've provided a service to the game. I've had a great time and, when it is time to go, I will take with me some marvelous memories." Especially that of cheeky Gills fan Kevin, aged now about 27, from Kent!