Norman Burtenshaw

Norman Burtenshaw
OBE
Full name Norman Charles Henry Burtenshaw[1]
Born (1926-02-09)9 February 1926
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England
Died 16 June 2023(2023-06-16) (aged 97)
Saxmundham, Suffolk, England
Other occupation Newsagent
Domestic
Years League Role
1962–1973 Football League Referee
International
Years League Role
1965–1970 FIFA listed Referee
1971–1973 FIFA listed Referee

Norman Charles Henry Burtenshaw OBE (9 February 1926 – 16 June 2023) was an English football referee, who officiated in the English Football League and was also on the FIFA list. During his time on the list he was based in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Outside of football he originally worked as a night telephonist before becoming a newsagent.[2]

Career

Burtenshaw became a Football League referee in 1962, and achieved international status after only three seasons in 1965.

In 1967, he was knocked unconscious by incensed Millwall fans following their team's 2–1 defeat by Aston Villa at The Den.[3] The FA dropped him from its list of referees' names submitted to FIFA in 1970. However, he had a strong season in 1970–71. Burtenshaw was given control of the 1971 FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Liverpool. Arsenal won 2–1 after extra time.[4] At the end of the game Burtenshaw sank to the ground in celebration "pumping his fists towards the heavens".[3] He later explained that he had been relieved that the game hadn't gone to a replay.[3] When Arsenal beat Benfica 6–2 a few months later, Burtenshaw's performance upset the Benfica players so much, they surrounded and threatened him at the end of the game.[3]

Burtenshaw regained his international status at the start of the 1971/72 season. Burtenshaw took charge of the 1972 League Cup Final between Stoke City and Chelsea,[5] and a European Cup semi-final second leg tie between Benfica and Ajax, which turned out to be the most senior European club appointment of his career.[6]

Burtenshaw retired at the end of the 1972–73 season, one which coincidentally saw the début of another Football League, FA Cup and FIFA referee from the same home town of Great Yarmouth – Alf Grey.

Burtenshaw was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1974 New Year Honours.[1]

Burtenshaw later became president of the Referees' Association.[7]

Burtenshaw died on 16 June 2023, at the age of 97.[8]

References

Print

  • Football League Handbooks, 1962–1970
  • Rothmans Football Yearbooks, 1971–1973
  • Burtenshaw, Norman (1973) Whose Side Are You on Ref?, Sphere
  • Ionescu, Romeo (2003) The Complete Results & Line-Ups of the European Fairs Cup 1955–1971, Soccer Books Limited
  • Ionescu, Romeo (2004) The Complete Results & Line-Ups of the European Champions Clubs' Cup 1955–1991, Soccer Books Limited
  • Ionescu, Romeo (2004) The Complete Results & Line-Ups of the European Cup Winners Cup 1960–1999, Soccer Books Limited
  • Ionescu, Romeo (2004) The Complete Results & Line-Ups of the UEFA Cup 1971–1991, Soccer Books Limited

Internet

  1. ^ a b "No. 46162". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1973. p. 10.
  2. ^ The Observer, 5 March 1972, p 23
  3. ^ a b c d "Match-fixing punishments". The Guardian. 26 July 2006. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
  4. ^ FA Cup Final 1971, Arsenal v. Liverpool: soccerbase.com website.
  5. ^ League Cup Final 1972 Archived 24 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Stoke City v. Chelsea: soccerbase.com website.
  6. ^ European Cup 1972, Benfica v. Ajax: soccerbase.com website.
  7. ^ Mention Archived 14 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine of Norman Burtenshaw's presidency at the RA: Bob Dunning personal website.
  8. ^ "Obituary: Ref who sent off George Best for bad language". Great Yarmouth Mercury. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
Preceded by FA Cup Final Referee
1971 		Succeeded by
David Smith