Ian Smith
@Iansmith2468
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Ex Super League RL Referee and an Ambassador for State of Mind Sport Charity- 2 Day MHFA Instructor. All remarks and opinions are my own and not those of SoMS
Oldham, England
Joined March 2017
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He is the technician at my daughters school. He is from Leigh so you may need a translator but it’s brilliant. 👍👍
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This is a wonderful example of the ‘momentum rule’, ball clearly passed backwards yet, due to the speed and forward momentum of the player, the ball is caught well in front of where it was passed, but definitely not a forward pass 👍👍
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Absolutely disgraceful behaviour. Horrible and vile.
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4 yrs ago today I walked into what I thought was a pre season team meeting to be told I no longer had a role to play in the match officials dept at the RFL, absolutely devastated but many thanks to all the team
@stateofmindsprt
for giving me the opportunity to do what I do now.👍
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7 yrs ago today I went into a pre season meeting with all the match officials to be shown via a ppt slide that I was no longer needed or wanted by the RFL. Gutted, devastated, humiliated and upset. From rock bottom, the only way is up..
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5 yrs ago today I went into a pre season meeting only to be told I was no longer needed by the RFL refs dept, absolutely gutted, however as Jimmy say's 'when one day closes etc' A massive thanks to the great people
@stateofmindsprt
for allowing me to join this fantastic charity👍
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Six years ago today the RFL no longer required my services after 20yrs. It took a long time to get over losing my dream job however it is such a honour to work with the great people
@stateofmindsprt
especially the fantastic
@jimmygittins
. I owe them all a great deal of thanks.👍
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My little grandson arrived yesterday afternoon and both Dexter and his mum are doing well. Hope he turns out to be a better referee than I was 😂😂🙏🙏 I am so proud. 🍾🍾
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Really disappointing to hear that Phil Bentham has resigned from the refs dept
@TheRFL
. Of all the ones who have left over the last few years, him leaving will have the biggest impact on the dept. His professionalism, honesty and integrity will be sorely missed.
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3 yrs today since my role
@TheRFL
was made redundant and I left after a 20yr relationship as a ref/VR/coach with the governing body of our great sport. Wow how time flies. Many thanks to
@stateofmindsprt
for allowing me to work for this great charity. Very inspirational people.
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I’m with you
@RLBarrieMc10
on the ball steal. It’s an awful rule. It’s not in the spirit of the game to catch and hold up the ball carrier with two or three defenders then they peel off as one steals it. Looks awful and it’s hard to police for the referees.
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I’m not normally a big lover of selfies but the one my daughter took of me and her at my sisters 60th last weekend I thought was worth posting, just because I’m incredibly proud of her 🙏
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I went to an old friend of mine son's funeral the other day, he had taken his own life at the age of 28. The talk was, at least he has no more demons now, With the help of
@SoMRugbyLeague
lets help rid the demons now rather than in the 'after life'.
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I know I’m biased but my one week old grandson is so cute. 👍👍🙏
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Spent a few hours with my gorgeous grandsons this afternoon. They were more interested in watching Fireman Sam than listening to my stories about being a ref 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤣🤣🤣😳👍😍😍
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My little grandson is 2 months old today. He is doing so well.👍👍🙏🙏
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Absolute tragedy. Through my work with
@stateofmindsprt
I get to talk about Chris a lot and it’s so sad he isn’t still here with his beaming smile and infectious humour. God bless 🙏
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Phil Bentham's last day
@TheRFL
today. A fantastic career and a really top bloke. Been lucky enough to share some great memories with him over the years. I still say him leaving is a huge loss to the refs dept. Hopefully his golf hcp will plummet so I can get some losses back.
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Because of the respect the Rugby League community had for Terry. Through
@SoMRugbyLeague
, Terry has saved hundreds if not thousands of lives
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A great night had with loads of RL legends last night I’m aching today though 🤣🤣🤣
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@refsupportuk
Safeguarding issue, life ban and on his DBS so he can never work with or around children again. Unless it’s properly investigated by the local league, this will always happen. Ref cam as well would help prevent this. Disgraceful and he should hang his head in shame
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An amazing Boxing Day spent with the family. So wonderful to have my two little grandsons sat on my lap. Very proud. Dexter definitely tired me out though playing with all his Christmas presents. Feet up now chilling 👍🍷🍺🧁😍
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My new grandson Max arrived on Wed. 6ib 8oz. Mum, baby and big brother Dexter are doing great but grandad is crying a lot through love and pride. 😍😍😍👍👍🍾🍾
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Happy fist birthday to my youngest grandson Max, oh my that year has gone so quickly. Have a good day little man and see you on Saturday xx
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First time I’ve seen my little grandson for over 12 weeks. He is an absolute delight, even though I couldn’t give him a cuddle it was still so lovely to see him, FaceTime is good but nothing like face to face meeting up. 👍👍
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My dad died two years ago today. Still missed big time. He would have been a fantastic great grandad like he was a brilliant dad and grandad. I can imagine him now saying what a brilliant grand final it was last night. He loved his RL. 🙏🙏
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This is going to be awesome for fans to have a go at being a virtual ref. I can’t wait to see just how brilliant the fans are at getting all their decisions correct 🙏👍👏👏
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My little girl is nearly 38 weeks pregnant oh wow can’t wait for my first grandson 🙏🤞
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Finished. 120 miles. Five hours last night and nine hours today. Ouch I’m aching. 😱😱thank you for everyone’s support and donations. Well done
@jimmygittins
👏👏👏👏
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@SkySportsRL
There is no way any of the refs think that is a sin bin but the hierarchy are worried to death about any late contact even if it’s inevitable and they have made the refs job almost impossible atm. They look absolutely demoralised
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My little girl is pregnant again 🙏🤞🍾I bet our little Dexter is going to be a brilliant ‘big’ brother ❤️❤️❤️I can’t wait to be a grandad ‘again’😊😊😁🤞🍾
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Six years ago today I walked my daughter down the ‘aisle’ in Portugal to ‘give her away’ to the best son-in-law a dad could ever wish for. Happy anniversary Vicky &Ryan 😍
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@TheGameCaller
So this sickening decision is correct by the sounds of it. Seems unfair to lambast and name the touch judge who has no right to reply to you. No wonder we can’t attract match officials to our wonderful sport.
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Hopefully at the mid season SL coaches and refs meeting they will agree to stop this playing the ball and throwing the ball at defenders. Phil Clarke hit the nail on the head when he talked about a cheating culture in SL compared to the NRL.
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My grandson is 6 weeks old today. I know I’m biased but omg how cute is he ❤️❤️🙏
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Today I had the privilege to go into the Houses of Parliament with
@SbarberNWBH
and
@danscully8
to show a glimpse to the
@SaferHighways18
team what
@stateofmindsprt
can do in the workplace for MH. I feel very lucky, what an amazing place 👍👍
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Walking my little girl down the aisle two years ago today. The best day of my life. 🥂xx
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I was just doing some research for a book I 'may' start writing in a while. I was looking at some of the great players I was lucky enough to referee. This was the line ups for Warr v Wake in 2000. So many great players, the scrum half match up, Langer v Goulding.👏
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@TheJackDearden
The ref he called a disgrace/weak, is a former RM Commando who got shot by a Taliban sniper in Helmand, bullet pierced his lung, broke 10 ribs & exited through his chest, one the bravest & strongest bloke I’ve ever met, maybe Paul could have chosen different words in description
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Many congratulations to the 2 new full time Super League referees. Best wishes and good luck to Tom Grant and Greg Dolan.👍👍
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Early morning golf with my mate Phil Bentham
@leighgolfclub
catching up on all things RL related 🏌️♀️🏌️♀️🍺👍
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Listening to 'experts' on Premier sport saying it was a ball steal so should be play on, Whitehead not even looking at the ball, comes out on impact. Any where else on the field it's a knock on and no one complains.
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@TruthTalkingMav
There was a really funny story many many years ago when I ref'd and it was around the time of the 2nd gulf war and there was a poll in Hull (just after I made an error in a FC's challenge cup match), for the most hated man in Hull and I beat Saddam Hussain by 26%... 🤣🤣🤣🤣
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A wonderful Boxing Day yesterday spent with my two gorgeous grandsons and family. Blessed 🥰🥰
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@M_Shaw1
Disgraceful bullying by the NRL. Jon Dutton and his team have done everything asked of them, they can hold their head up high and still have their integrity in tact.👏👏
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@mikelavelle93
I have spent at least 80 weekends of my career in that part of France both refereeing and VRin and there have massively contributed to our game in the northern hemisphere. A credit to themselves and SL and it will be a sad day if they dropped out for whatever reasons
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Don’t you just love SL coaches, not wanting to talk about tries being conceded by easy ball’s being dropped, I wonder if he’d have been as magnanimous if the ref had made an error that big. 👏👏🙏
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Me and my sister thought we’d try having a day out at the GF. Hope it’s a great game 🙏🙏👍👍
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@TheRFL
We should all shout this out as being wholly unacceptable and expect the appropriate punishment handed out. Disgusting.
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@M_Shaw1
Lifting an injured player. How many players have been banned for doing that this year. They need to learn.
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@M_Shaw1
He certainly didn’t need to push the ref like he did and you just can’t do that however not sure it deserves eight matches. I sent off Gareth hock for a similar offence and I think he got four matches and he phoned me up and apologised which was good of him 👍👍
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@rlfansSaddened
You need to do a refs course mate, the six agains against both sides are pretty obvious.
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My little girl is due to have my first grandchild today on St George's Day.. Come on little man, make a safe appearance today if you can, we are all waiting to have a cuddle...🙏🙏🤞🤞
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For those who don't understand the momentum rule in RL, look at these two stills. The ball clearly comes out of the hands backwards but is caught 2m in front of where it is passed backwards from, because the ball still has forward motion on, unfortunately the ref judged it wrong.
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It doesn’t get any better for me today. My eldest grandson who started school yesterday but not in every day week one is spending the day with his grandad. So it’s officially
#spoilgrandsonday
👏👏👏
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I’m missing my little grandson due to this awful virus, we haven’t seen him for 9 weeks now but being sent videos of his chuckling away with his dad doesn’t half put a smile on my face. We can still connect with our love ones. 😂😂👍👍
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Happy 4th birthday to my gorgeous grandson Dexter today. Oh my those first four years have gone quickly. Love you little man 🥰🥰😍😍
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👇👇100% agree with this.
Is it just me getting tired of the tedious microscoping of referee decisions?
The game is so much more enjoyable when you accept that refs aren't corrupt, do their best and you see them as arbiters of the sport we love.
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Interesting!!
Exclusive: RFL's head of match officials, Steve Ganson, stood down as the governing body launch an internal review.
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A brilliant article about a thoroughly top bloke and an outstanding match official. 👍👍
Dr Clint Sharrad talks wonders of being top rugby league official and nuclear scientist |
@Julie_Stott
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My little grandson is 19 months old today. OMG how he is growing up. Facetime is not the same as holding his hand so he doesn't fall over but at least we get to see him every day and I get a kiss from him via my phone screen before bedtime so it's still lovely.🙏
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@WRLnewsignings
@Saints1890
@TheRFL
I messaged Chris yesterday to congratulate him, he was so proud & overjoyed at the birth of his son. Then you read things like this, to write it is bad enough but then to press send, is disgraceful. I just couldn't imagine having that much hatred for a fellow human being.
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Today I took my eldest grandson Dexter to watch Fireman Sam show at Middleton Arena. He was as good as gold, it definitely was the highlight of my weekend 👍👍😍
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A wonderful day had over at my daughters today in Cleveley’s with my mum and my two gorgeous and funny grandsons. What a lucky man I am. 👏😍
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Salem Hornets from over 30yrs ago. Omg. 😂😂😂😱😱how short are our shorts. Believe it or not I was even worse as a player as I was as a ref 😱😱😂😂😂
@Shaneh1970
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My mum bless her has Alzheimer's and loved finding this newspaper article from 1954 in which it talks about my dad coming home on leave from the army and he could play RL for
@saddrangers
as he was 'one of the best out-halfs in the district'. She loved showing it to me.🙏🙏
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@SteveMascord
I sat in front of a family of 4 yesterday, the young lady hadn’t seen a game of RL before, she couldn’t believe how brutal & brilliant it was, by the end she was nearly crying as much as I was. I’ve had 50+ years of being in love with this sport. We can be proud of our sport
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Got this lovely photo from my daughter this morning of my little 3 month old grandson having some 'tummy time'. No dissent from him yet.😀👍
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If you are a Rugby League person please join the challenge of posting an RL photo. Just one picture, no description. Please copy the text in your status, post a picture and look at some great memories/pictures.☹️
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My little grandson had an absolutely great 2nd birthday yesterday and got a ride on digger as a present, it just couldn't get any better for him. Still didn't share his ice lolly with me though🤣😱😍🥰
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@LeighCenturions
@Betfred
Congratulations Chris, Have a great game, And you wonder why there are so few people wanting to become a match official when there is so much personal hatred aimed at them and particularly Chris, Awful.
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@leagueexpress
If those games in the Ultimate Rugby League aren't refereed by referees who will referee those games? are the players going to referee them themselves?
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Just got home after a long day, I was going to put the game on a re watch it on tv but it’s still too painful and I bet we still lose again in golden point so I’ll save myself any further upset 😩roll on France 2025 🏴🍾👏👏
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Happy 3rd birthday today for my beautiful little grandson. He is such a joy to be around and he makes his grandad a very proud and happy man. 🙏😍😍
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@andrewfoster101
I ref’d France v Scotland in Lezignan in 2001 when Scotland won. I over ruled my French TJ in the first half who signalled for a forward pass for a Scotland try which wasn’t forward & that’s what his face was like for the rest of the game, he wouldn’t speak to me again 😳😩
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My four month old youngest grandson is definitely noticing a lot more now and has a great smile. I’m so lucky 🙏🤞😘
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Just watching the warm up to the Warrington game and up pops
@wirephil
talking about the importance RL plays in our mental wellbeing. Outstanding as always Phil. 👍👍👏👏
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@andrewfoster101
Tackle is effected on that frame but completed when movement or slide stops. At that point the defender had fallen off so play on
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My ‘little girl’ is 36 next Friday and it’s still an honour, pleasure and privilege to be your dad 😍having said that she is now third in my favourite people list after my two grandsons but she probably knows that 😳🤦♂️🤣🤣🥰🥰🥰
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I don’t like teams trapping the ball in the back of the scrum to get a penalty. Four penalties already tonight for that.
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7 yrs ago today it was my honour, pleasure & privilege to walk my beautiful daughter down the aisle to 'give her away' to my brilliant son-in-law Ryan. Vicky has always been & always will be my greatest source of pride. skip on 7 yrs and now we have our wonderful Dexter & Max🥰
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20 yrs ago next week I was lucky to ref Lebanon V France in the Northern Lebanon city of Tripoli. What an amazing trip. We must embrace International RL for the game as a whole to be able to flourish. The so called 'minnows' of our great game will grow the more Itn's they play.
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Looking after my grandsons today. They are so gorgeous but I’m absolutely knackered 🥰😍🤣🤣🤣
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@Rod_Studd
Awful no wonder we can’t recruit or retain referees. Why would anyone abuse another person is beyond me. The ones abusing will justify it by saying it’s just ‘passion’ and ‘well they do make mistakes ‘ so it’s ‘deserved ‘ total nonsense, disgraceful.
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Just watched the
@BBCNews
piece with
@damekellyholmes
regarding life after sport and her sense of 'loss'. A great interview and through
@SoMRugbyLeague
we are trying to help others, including sportspeople to improve their mental fitness. 👍
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@Rod_Studd
Some of the abuse on here this evening Rod has been really disappointing to read. Criticise, debate, have conflicting opinions by all means but it shouldn’t get to where some fans are openly encouraging and fuelling personal abuse of match officials. Very sad
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@M_Shaw1
So he’s saying the match officials cheated to make sure Leeds won so they could have a safe flight home 😳😳🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
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@StHelensClips
Mandatory sin bin. Ref has no choice. It’s in the policy, players can’t kick the ball away to prevent a quick tap 20. If you don’t like it blame the rule not the ref.
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@AaronBower
Sometimes close marginal decisions go for you and sometimes they go against you, that’s sport, it’s about incredibly close tight calls.
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If you are a Rugby League person please join the challenge of posting an RL photo. Just one picture, no description. Please copy the text in your status, post a picture and look at some great memories/pictures. Possibly the next
@hullfcofficial
coach.........
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Someone I know just sent me this.... Ouch, brings back some memories... my last ever game as a referee....😭😭😭
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Just in Maryport with
@jimmygittins
prior to our
@stateofmindsprt
session enjoying fish and chips👍👍
@Sid8Foundation
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@mikelavelle93
Don’t lower yourself mate. Rob was, is and will always be one of the greatest players and most inspirational person we will all have the pleasure to have either seen play and/or meet.
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