Referee Lee Tavinder says he leaves behind "amazing memories" but fears for abuse of officials on social media

The Stoke-on-Trent native brought the curtain down on his 27-year career as an official in the festive cracker between Glenavon and Portadown at Mourneview Park.

Whilst admitting he misses being around the sport, Tavinder conceded that his body was beginning to “struggle” with the demands and that the decision was made for him.

However, he revealed that he wanted to go out with a big fixture rather than an end-of-season dead rubber.

"I don’t miss being on the pitch and I certainly don’t miss struggling to walk up the stairs on a Sunday morning, but I do miss being around match day and the connections football gives you. I’m sure I’ll get used to it, but it will take a long time," he recently reflected. "Boxing Day was always a football day for me, so it felt the perfect time to bow out – I didn’t want my last game to be a meaningless dead rubber – I wanted it to be a game with meaning and the Mid-Ulster derby certainly met that bill.

"It was a day made special by being with my colleagues and friends – particularly three guys I’ve worked with many times and am very close to – and I have to say the players, coaches and officials of Glenavon and Portadown were fantastic on the day.

"I think I knew my career was coming to an end a few months ago – my body was starting to struggle and refereeing has changed so much that I felt quite detached from the game even before I finished.

"I’m enjoying extra time with my family and a new job but still sorely miss walking out on a Saturday and really miss the connection with my colleagues which disappears very quickly."

Tavinder started his journey as a referee in 1997 back in England before crossing the Irish Sea and becoming a local official.

He was in the middle for the 2023 BetMcLean Cup final as Linfield overcame Coleraine and refereed many games on the European stage.

However, he has plenty of funny stories both on and off the pitch which he fondly remembers.

When asked about his special memories, he shared: "I have so many amazing memories – refereeing at places like Anfield, Villa Park and the Bet 365 stadium in England was incredible.

"Since moving to Northern Ireland, refereeing the League Cup final was a special day but my highlights were the games I officiated in Europe – if you’d have said to me as a young kid that I’d be involved in games in the Champions League, Europa League and international football quite frankly I’d not have believed you.

"The stand-outs were an end-of-season title decider in Lithuania which included four goals, a hundred odd chairs on the pitch and a mid-match firework display.

"And a great run of games during the Covid period which included international matches in France, Croatia and Wales.

"Incredible memories.

"There’s also so many funny moments to look back on – joining Warrenpoint’s end-of-season drinks, Jamie Robinson forgetting his tracksuit bottoms on Boxing Day and refusing to borrow a pair and the yet-to-be-told story of me arriving at a Premiership game 10 minutes before kick-off!

"Several journalists were very confused that Steven Gregg warmed up and I ended up walking out with the teams.

"We’re both bald but the seven-inch height difference gave us away."

Tavinder concedes that officials getting stick from supporters on a match day is “part-and-parcel” of the job but criticism on social media is proving to be problematic in attracting more people to do the job.

He further outlined fears in how part-time officials in Northern Ireland will cope with more teams becoming full-time.

He explained: “Refereeing in general is unrecognisable from when I started.

"Things have professionalised so much, particularly in England.

"And people are entering refereeing as a career rather than a hobby.

"In Northern Ireland it is a real challenge for refereeing to keep pace with the emergence of full-time clubs and it will only get more difficult.

"Social media has put far more focus on refereeing and every decision is now there for instant scrutiny and that creates an even tougher environment.

“I think referees at all levels accept they will get some stick.

"It’s part-and-parcel of the game and I have to say on field in my last few years the relationship I had with the vast majority of players and managers was excellent.

"Abuse from the crowd is frankly just pantomime and tended to be funnier than it was abusive, particularly when my running style was being analysed.

"At grassroots level it’s been encouraging to see the more serious incidents attract more serious punishments from the Irish FA and long may that continue.

“The emerging issue is social media.

"The abuse referees in England get online is quite frankly incredible and for emerging referees it’s a real difficult aspect to get used to as not looking at it is easier said than done.”