The Reading RA is a society of football (soccer) referees. It is a local branch of the national Referees' Association which has some 13,000 members in over 300 branches in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Our members

Reading RA is the biggest in the Berks & Bucks area with 172 members last season and one of the best known in the country. It has been going strong for more than 80 years. The membership includes men, women and youth referees from 14 years of age up to some still active in their 70s, and from all walks of life. They cover a wide range of experience and currently officiate in over 20 leagues.

Reading has a history of producing Football League officials among them the late Lionel Gibbs who was one of the first English referees to officiate in South America. Present Premiership and FIFA referee Graham Poll was a member here when he lived in the area and Iain Williamson, one of our present members, now referees on the Nationwide Football League.

What the Reading RA does

Aside from its critical role in training new referees on behalf of the County FA, the society provides a forum, a place for referees to meet other referees, to meet friends with a common interest - in refereeing and in football.

There are monthly meetings from August to May, with different activities including.

guest speakers representing some of the many facets of refereeing and football.

further training sessions and workshops to keep us up-to-date and help us to improve our skills

but above all they provide the opportunity to be with fellow referees for camaraderie, mutual support and improvement - whether your refereeing is to be at local level or you have ambitions to make it to the top.

The monthly meetings are held in Reading FC's superb Madejski Stadium.

To see a copy of the RRA Rules, click here

© 2008  Reading Referees’ Association