Graham Poll facts for kids
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| Full name | Graham Poll | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 29 July 1963 Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England |
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| Other occupation | Television pundit, newspaper columnist | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| ?–1991 | Isthmian League | Referee | |
| 1986–1991 | Football League | Asst. referee | |
| 1991–1993 | Football League | Referee | |
| 1993–2007 | Premier League | Referee | |
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1996–2007 | FIFA listed | Referee | |
Graham Poll (born 29 July 1963) is a former English football referee. He worked in the Premier League, which is England's top football league. Graham Poll was a referee for 26 years. He was known as one of the best referees in English football. He often took charge of the most important games.
His last game was the Championship play-off final. This match happened on 28 May 2007. It was between Derby County and West Bromwich Albion. Graham Poll refereed 1,544 matches in his career. He also represented England at two World Cups and UEFA Euro 2000. He was the referee for the 2005 UEFA Cup Final.
In a game at the 2006 FIFA World Cup between Croatia and Australia, he made a famous mistake. He showed a Croatian player, Josip Šimunić, three yellow cards before sending him off. Usually, a player is sent off after two yellow cards. Poll retired from refereeing international tournaments soon after this error. He continued to referee in the Premier League and other international games.
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Graham Poll's Football Journey
Graham Poll started refereeing in 1980. He began in smaller leagues like the Isthmian Football League. By 1986, he became an assistant referee in the Football League. Five years later, he became a full Football League referee. In 1993, he joined the list of referees for the Premier League.
He received a special badge from FIFA in 1996. This allowed him to referee international matches. He took charge of the UEFA Cup final in 2005. This was between CSKA Moscow and Sporting Lisbon. Poll also refereed games at major tournaments. These included Euro 2000, where he oversaw matches like France versus Czech Republic.
Memorable Moments on the Field
In 2000, Graham Poll refereed a game between Everton and Liverpool. The score was 0–0 at the very end of the match. A Liverpool player kicked the ball, and it bounced off an Everton player into Liverpool's goal. Poll disallowed the goal, saying he had already blown his whistle to end the game. Later, replays showed he was wrong. After he retired, Poll admitted this was a mistake he regretted.
He also refereed the Italy versus Croatia game at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. This match was very busy. There were many fouls, three goals scored, and two goals disallowed. Poll was also a Fourth Official in another match at that World Cup.
The 2006 World Cup Incident
Graham Poll was the only English referee at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. His first game was South Korea versus Togo. He sent off a Togo player, and South Korea won. His second game was Saudi Arabia versus Ukraine. Ukraine won 4–0, and Poll showed six yellow cards.
His last game was Croatia versus Australia. In this match, he made a big mistake. He showed Croatian player Josip Šimunić three yellow cards before sending him off. This is against the rules of football. Poll later said he made an error. He thought he had booked an Australian player instead of Šimunić for the second yellow card. The game ended 2–2, and Australia moved to the next round.
After this mistake, FIFA removed Poll from the rest of the 2006 World Cup. Maria Villar Llona, who led FIFA's referee committee, said Poll was an "exceptional referee." She believed he would overcome the situation.
Retirement from International Tournaments
Graham Poll retired from refereeing international tournament finals on 29 June 2006. He said his mistake was the reason. He explained that it was his error, and he took full responsibility. He also said he asked FIFA to let him go home to be with his family.
He continued to referee in the Champions League and other international games. However, he decided not to be nominated for any more major tournament finals. He felt it was time for another English referee to have a chance.
His very last match was supposed to be a Euro 2008 qualifying game in 2007. But he gave an interview that seemed critical of how the FA supported referees. So, another referee took his place. In August 2007, Poll released his book called "Seeing Red." After that, he became a pundit for BBC Sport and a columnist for The Daily Mail.
Graham Poll in the Media
After retiring from refereeing, Graham Poll often appeared on football radio shows. He would share the referee's point of view on big football issues. He also wrote articles for the Daily Mail, explaining referee decisions. He was a regular guest on TV shows like Setanta Sports' Football Matters. Since 2009, Poll has also appeared on Sky News Sunrise to review newspapers.
Graham Poll's Personal Life
Graham Poll was born in Hitchin, England. He grew up in Bandley Hill and Shephall. He went to Ashtree Junior School and Alleyne's School. He is married to Julia, and they have two daughters, Gemma and Josie, and a son, Harry. Poll supports the QPR football team. In 2008, he ran the London Marathon. He finished in four hours and 20 minutes. The money he raised went to a charity called Iain Rennie Hospice at Home.
See also
In Spanish: Graham Poll para niños
