2019/20’s football season will be particularly well anticipated by 72 Essex match officials after they were recognised for their progressive approach and commitment by being elevated in the latest round of promotions.

Following a Promotions Panel Meeting at the Essex County FA, a list has been shared detailing the referees and assistant referees who have been moved up thanks to high levels of development and their dedication to improving standards. The Promotions Panel consisted of current and former referees, working with information gathered by Referee Assessors.

As well as referees, there was Essex success in the area of Assistant Referees as Southend-on-Sea’s Steven Parmenter was promoted to the Panel Select List, while Aaron Farmer of Colchester has progressed to be added to the National List by The FA.

Development Officer Lukas Wood, who works alongside George Lowe in the County FA’s Referees Department, paid tribute to the successful candidates, commenting: "Essex has a lot of talented referees who operate to a high standard through the professional and grassroots game.”

“They create an environment which players want to play in and spectators want to watch through their management of the game. There are a few traits we look for in a referee who is looking to progress within the refereeing ladder. These include confidence, a willingness to learn and take on development advice, commitment and a desire to go the extra mile.”

“We're proud of the number of referees who are part of the FA and Essex County FA CORE [Centre of Refereeing Excellence] programmes as well as the individuals who have represented Essex in FA competitions right through to the later stages."

He also wished to thank the wider refereeing network, who have also played a part in the success of the promotion scheme: "There are many people to thank who have supported our Referees Department, and the referees themselves, with achieving promotion. Our FA Tutors have supported in the delivery of the Promotion Seminars.”

“They’ve prepared the referees on what an observer is looking for from a referee during a game. Our Observers have been going out on midweek evenings, Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings and afternoons to observe each and every one of the referees and provided them with advice on how to develop going forward.”

Find out more about the referee promotion process in Essex, or how to become a match official, browse the 'Referees' menu above. Information is also regularly shared on Twitter @EssexCountyFA and @EssexReferees and by searching for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.

Referees Promoted to Level 3 - Contributory League Referee: Joseph Gray (Thurrock), Ayrton Hursey (Colchester), Mark Pond (Basildon), Eugene Robinson (Chelmsford), Paul Stratton (Havering)

Referees Promoted to Level 4 - Supply League Referee: Ayesemuate Agho (Harlow), Leigh Ballinger (Basildon), Craig Charles (Harlow), Kirk Edwards (Southend-on-Sea), Michael Iddenden-Smith (Thurrock), Nathan Kitteridge (Harlow), Philip Molloy (Colchester), Jack Ridge (Braintree), Charlie Roberts (Havering), Stephen Tovey (Colchester), Dumitru-Gheorghe Vasile (Chelmsford)

Referees Promoted to Level 5 - Senior County Referee: John Abbott (Braintree), Lanray Alapafujah (Barking & Dagenham), Gavin Bailey (Barking & Dagenham), David Cavanagh (Brentwood), Paul Clarke (Epping Forest), Rhys Collins (Tendring), Grant Conway (Redbridge), Andrew Crossley (Havering), Pedro Das Neves Ferreira (Braintree), Wayne Dearsley (Colchester), Chris Girdlestone (Harlow), Benjamin Horne (Castle Point), Matthew Horton (Basildon), Adam Howell (Epping Forest), Benjamin Hughes-Day (Tendring), Lee Jarvis (Thurrock), Ivo Komsiyski (Redbridge), Samuel Laidler (Chelmsford), Joe Lannon (Castle Point), Richard Lowry (Basildon), Jack Luckman (Colchester), Keith Mitchell (Chelmsford), Charles Nicholls (Basildon), Tolu Sangowawa (Waltham Forest), Cameron Scorer (Basildon), Gary Telling (Southend-on-Sea), Neil Troubridge (Havering), Nicholas Vermaat (Barking & Dagenham), Oliver Walker (Barking & Dagenham), Greig Williamson (Harlow), Luke Woolf (Rochford)

Referees Promoted to Level 6 - County Referee: Toby Andrews (Basildon), Philip Clarke (Maldon), Emilia Dingwall (Southend-on-Sea), Kieran Gayler (Chelmsford), Robert Giles (Colchester), Alex Greenacre (Braintree), Kevin Greetham (Havering), Steven Hume (Epping Forest), Sarfraz Idrees (Harlow), Aaron Mills (Havering), Josh O’Sullivan (Basildon), James Palmer (Havering), George Payne (Colchester), Amy Purser (Braintree), Benjamin Ridge (Braintree), Steven Seago (Thurrock), Robert Smith (Uttlesford), Billy Stevens (Havering), Glen Taylor (Chelmsford), Abdul Wahid (Newham), Steven Watson (Basildon), Joseph Wilby (Basildon), Andrew Woolston (Rochford)

Assistant Referees Promoted to the Panel Select List of Assistant Referees: Steven Parmenter (Southend-on-Sea)

Assistant Referees to the National List of Assistant Referees: Aaron Farmer (Colchester)