Following the success of the 2010 Grassroots Conference, The Gloucestershire FA are pleased to announce that they will be hosting the 2011 event at Filton College on Saturday 11th June 2011.

The day will provide local coaches and referees with an opportunity to attend interactive theory and practical workshops, on a range of coaching and refereeing topics, to aid their personal development in preparation for the 2011 / 12 season.
The 2011 Conference is set to be even bigger and better than last year's event, with the programme being based around feedback from the previous year. Last year's event was host to over 100 local coaches and referees from both adult and youth football.  Previous conferences have featured Premiership Referees and former International officials.

A buffet lunch will be provided for all attendees.  Places at the Conference are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Please note that you are signing up to the GFA Conference 2011 to attend the Match officials section.

GFA Conference (RA-FA)

Bringing the game to a Safe Conclusion

Date: -              11^th June 2011

Venue: -           Filton College

The Referee Association will be on hand offering supplies for sale on the day.

Presenters Profiles

Phil Prosser

Phil is a current FA Referee Coach assisting the development of officials at level 3.  He has previously run the line in the Champions League at PSV Eindhoven against Bayern Munich and is also a former football league referee.  Phil is currently active as a Football League assessor and a level 2 referee tutor.

Tony Dunn

Tony is the current physio at Cirencester Town FC.  Tony formerly worked for the RAF and is also an FA Tutor and football coach.  His expertise are around injury prevention and treatment, with a keen interest in Speed, Agility and Quickness (SAQ).

Simon Snartt

Simon qualified as a referee in 1994. He climbed the promotion ladder via the Bristol and Suburban League to Class 1 (level 5) and then onto the Gloucestershire County league by 1996. Simon was promoted to the Western League Referees’ List in 1998, and the National List of Assistant Referees for Season 1999/2000. Simon was formerly the Gloucestershire FA fitness Co-ordinator and Contributory League Match Officials Liaison Officer for the South West.

Roger Milford

Roger is a former FA CUP Final Referee serving on the Premier League for a number of years and is currently a football league referee assessor.  Roger is one of highest profile names in Refereeing in Gloucestershire and currently lives in Bristol.

John Hilditch

John started refereeing 1969/70, progressed through local football onto the Northern Premier League Linesman’s list 1974/75 and obtained promotion to the Referee’s list 1981/82, remaining on the list until 1993/94 (13 years).  He was also a Football League Linesman’s list 1983/84 serving 11 seasons at this level which became the National List, including 1992/93 and 1993/94 on the F A Premiership Linesman’s list.  He also reached the heights of the FIFA list as a Linesman (Assistant Referee) in 1992 and 1993 and Panel League Referee 1992/93 and 1993/94. (G.M. Conference and Pontins Leagues).

His career highlights were FIFA Appointments as Linesman, include World Cup Qualifying, European Cup, UEFA Cup and International matches, in such countries as, Portugal, Germany, Malta, Cyprus and the U S A.

Currently he is an assessor on the National List including the Football League.

Ron Ganfield

Ron was promoted to the Select Group of Assistant Referees in 2007 and was appointed as an Assistant Referee in the 2007 FA Challenge Vase Final.  Ron Ganfield has gone onto act as an  Assistant Referee on the League Cup Final 2011.

Kevin Barnes

Kevin is a former Football League assistant referee and is now active as an assessor on the Football League, reaching level 2 as a referee. Training runs in the family as his dad, Graham, is the current County Training Officer for Wiltshire FA.

Bob Desmond

Bob is a former Football League Referee and is currently actively assessing at various levels.  Bob is a former Gloucestershire referee having lived in Fairford for a few years.