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Mike Riley to replace Keith Hackett as referees supremo
Mike Riley is to become the new Premier League referees chief, it was announced today.
Riley, a chartered accountant from Leeds, will succeed Keith Hackett as general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) when Hackett retires in January.
The 44-year-old Riley has been a referee for 20 years, including 13 years for the Premier League, and was selected by UEFA to officiate at Euro 2004.
Peter Heard, chairman of the PGMO, said: "Mike brings a wealth of top-class refereeing experience to the role in addition to his business experience, in both the public and private sectors, which will stand him in good stead.
"We are very confident that he will continue to move the PGMO forward and successfully manage and develop professional match officials at this level."
Hackett, 65, will spend six months handing over the reins to Riley before he retires in January.
Heard added: "I would like to pay tribute to the progress the PGMO has made under the leadership of Keith Hackett, who has overseen the professionalisation of top-flight referees in this country and raised the standards of all aspects of officiating - from training and development to match performance."
Ironically, Riley's final season as a referee was one of his most controversial.
The Football Association were forced to defend him after Everton manager David Moyes questioned his appointment as the replacement referee for his side's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United.
Moyes called for an FA investigation into whether the official had any allegiance towards United.
Moyes said: "A member of the press asked me if Mike Riley was a Manchester United supporter and I think that's something you would need to bring up with the FA.
"If you're saying that he is, you would hope the FA would look at it. It is something that one or two managers would have something to say about."
Hull manager Phil Brown was fined 2,500 this week for comments he made about Riley in March.
Brown was found guilty of improper conduct after he accused Riley of a "disgraceful" showing and of being influenced by the Arsenal fans during Hull's FA Cup defeat.
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