Graham Poll

Poll officiated his final domestic match on 28th May 2007, taking charge of the Championship play-off final between Derby County and West Bromwich Albion. Throughout his career, he handled prestigious fixtures, including the 2005 UEFA Cup Final between CSKA Moscow and Sporting Lisbon. Internationally, he represented England at two FIFA World Cups and UEFA Euro 2000, officiating key matches such as France vs. Czech Republic and Norway vs. Slovenia.

Graham Poll gained worldwide attention during the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany for his controversial performance in the Croatia vs. Australia match. Despite an otherwise impressive officiating career, the BBC described his errors in that match – particularly issuing three yellow cards to the same player before showing a red – as significant. Following this incident, Poll retired from refereeing in international tournament finals but continued to officiate Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and international games. However, he declined further nominations to represent the FA at major tournaments, stating that he had already had his opportunity.

Poll began his refereeing career in 1980, working his way up from the Isthmian League. By 1986, he had become a Football League assistant referee, progressing to a full Football League referee in 1991. In 1993, he was selected as one of the first Premier League referees. Earning his FIFA badge in 1996, Poll went on to officiate numerous European and international fixtures, solidifying his standing in the global football community.

Poll’s final Premier League match took place on 13th May 2007, when Portsmouth faced Arsenal. Although scheduled to referee the Euro 2008 qualifying match between Finland and Belgium in June 2007, he was replaced after an interview in which he appeared critical of the FA’s support for referees under scrutiny from managers and coaches.

In August 2007, Graham Poll published his autobiography, “Seeing Red”, providing insights into his career and the challenges of refereeing at the highest level. Since retiring, Poll has transitioned to media work, becoming a football pundit for BBC Sport and a columnist for The Daily Mail, where his popular feature, “The Official Line”, appears every Saturday.