Dale began his football journey in Essex playing for various local clubs, including Betterwear Sports and Social Club, the Old Libertians and the Old Romfordians, before later becoming a referee, a position which he still holds today.

As a lifelong Romford FC fan, Dale has supported the club throughout the years. He has also volunteered for the Romford Football Supporters and Social Club Committee for many years, working in the Club Shop at the old Brooklands ground with his wife Joan and has also served as Secretary for many years.

When Dale realised that footballing injuries weren’t healing as they should, he decided to take a Referees’ course in 1972, at the age of 25. Dale Officiated on the Romford and District League from 1972 and also was a Match Referee on the Southern Essex Intermediate Combination, the Barking Youth League, Dagenham Sunday League, Barking Sunday League, The Ford Interdepartmental Sunday League, The London Spartan League and the Brentwood Sunday League where he is still active to this date. He gained promotion to Class 2 in 1977 and Class 1 Senior County Match Official in 1980.

Dale has impressively officiated as a Match Official in 1,644 games (to date and still counting) and an Assistant Match Official in 182 games. He was also a referees’ observer for a season, and a County Referees’ Examiner helping newly qualified Match Officials.

He has also been an active member of the Essex Referees Association and was Treasurer at The Hornchurch Referees’ Society until it amalgamated in 1973 with Romford Referees’ Society. He has since been a member of the Thurrock Referees Society, taking control of the annual Christmas quiz. He also served on the Committee of the Ford Sunday League and as Referees’ Delegate on the Barking Youth League and was made a Vice President on the Romford and District League.

Dale has been a Match Official for over 50 years as well as other volunteer roles within football and we would like to congratulate Dale once again on being awarded The Football Association 50 Year Long Service Award.