Westmorland County FA refereeing has enjoyed a fantastic start to the season. We've already secured impressive appointments for our officials in out-of-county competitions and leagues, demonstrating the thriving state of referee development in our area.

During the preseason, Will Owen (pictured) represented the FA Core Program at the Iber Cup in Portugal, where he officiated competitive matches and was observed by Luca Zufferli, a current Serie A referee. This opportunity allowed Will to gain valuable experience refereeing teams from across Europe, culminating in his involvement in the knockout stages of the tournament.

Upon his return, Will maintained his place on the FA Core Program alongside Abigail Greenwood for the 2024/25 season.

The season kicked off in July, and our officials have been actively involved in the early rounds of the FA Cup, FA Vase, and FA Youth Cup. Mark Blamire, Ben Close, Bernard Law, Paul Atherton, and Al McDowell have all served as assistant referees in FA Cup matches at Penrith and Kendal Town. Additionally, Mark Brady and Paul Atherton assisted in the FA Youth Cup match between Penrith AFC and Whitby Town. Furthermore, we have a team of three referees prepared to oversee the Lancaster City and Trafford match in the next round of the competition as well. Ben Close will referee the game with Mark Blamire and Al McDowell acting as his assistants. 

Westmorland FA Referee Abigail Greenwood also contributed to the cup action by officiating the Nottingham Forest and Notts County ladies match in the Women's National League Cup.

Unfortunately, Evan Dart, who was initially appointed to the FA Cup after a strong preseason, has been sidelined due to a knee injury. Despite his absence from the field, Evan has dedicated his time to becoming an FA Referee Mentor and will be supporting our match officials in youth games throughout the county.