Bobby Madley announces his return to English officiating

Former Premier League referee Bobby Madley has taken to twitter to confirm he will be returning to officiating in the English football pyramid.

Following recent discussions with PGMOL I am delighted and excited to have the opportunity to return to referee in the English professional game once again 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿⚽️

All is explained in the blogpost:https://t.co/kiQPBAWzXi

— Bobby Madley (@BobbyMadley2) February 13, 2020

After being relieved of his duties in August 2018, referee Bobby Madley revealed the real reason behind his sacking in a personal blog post, putting to bed some vicious and absurd rumours.

The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) originally revealed Madley was relocating due to a change in personal circumstances.

Writing in his blog post, Madley explained: “I attended a sports day for my daughter. In the years prior to that years event I had joked with parents about not taking part in a parents race...claims back at me that I was scared of losing. All good banter. A few months prior to this a former referee, Mark Halsey, had written a newspaper article saying I was making mistakes because I was too fat. The full page and headline of ‘Blobby Bobby’ may seem funny to some but trust me being fat shamed in a national newspaper is not a nice feeling. 

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"As I sat in my car with my phone in hand a person walked past my car in front of me who had a walking impairment. The next part I am ashamed of. I took a 6 second film, I said nothing. I did this in Snapchat which is where I take all of my films that I intend to save to my phone. On the video I wrote, 'F**k me I have a chance of winning the parents race this year.' Out of context I accept this reads shamefully. I accept that.”

Madley went on to reveal how it ended up costing him his career via sending it to someone who he "trusted".

“A few weeks later I had an argument with the same person regarding a family issue at which point I was threatened for the first time regarding this video with the comment 'what would your boss say if it ended up on his desk'. 

"At the time of this chat I was in Norway. I had driven there in order to collect my partners belongings as she was moving to England with me a few days later. On the way back to England a few days later,around Hamburg in fact, I received a phone call from my manager. An anonymous package had been received regarding me and could I meet with them before I went away on holiday (I was going to Greece for a week the week after).

“My employers had received a USB and an anonymous letter saying I had sent this video. It was turned to face me and I was asked if I sent this. I admitted it immediately. I never once at any stage sought to deny or even to excuse it. I told them who I sent it to and that it was one private text message on my own phone and explained the context.”

However, Madley announced this afternoon that after successful negotiations with the PGMOL he will officiate games in Leagues One and Two for the remainder of the campaign.

“I was offered, and accepted, the opportunity to start next season as a National List Referee. This group of referees officiate on League 1 and League 2. Like any referee I have the desire to perform at my best and to achieve the best I can. I know how hard that road is to referee at the top but I have the desire and passion to work hard to achieve my potential whatever that may be.

“I still have dreams that I thought were dead but for me they are now very much alive. 

“For the remainder of this season I will be officiating games lower down the pyramid which will help me to reintegrate into the English game”

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