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'''George Reader''' ([[November 22]], [[1896]] – [[July 13]], [[1978]]) was the fourth man to referee a [[FIFA World Cup]] final, the first Englishman (one of only 10 match officials from the United Kingdom), and the oldest match official at any World Cup. |
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{{More citations needed|date=June 2007}} |
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{{Infobox football biography |
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| name = George Reader |
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| fullname = |
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| birth_date = 22 November 1896 |
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| birth_place = [[Nuneaton]], [[Warwickshire]], England |
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| death_date = {{death date and age|1978|7|13|1896|11|22|df=y}} |
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| death_place = [[Southampton]], England |
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| height = |
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| position = [[Centre-forward]] |
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| youthyears1 = |
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| youthclubs1 = St Luke's College, Exeter |
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| years1 = 1919–1920 |
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| clubs1 = [[Exeter City F.C.|Exeter City]] |
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| caps1 = 1 |
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| goals1 = 1 |
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| years2 = 1920–1921 |
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| clubs2 = [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]] |
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| caps2 = 3 |
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| goals2 = 0 |
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| years3 = 1921–1922 |
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| clubs3 = Harland and Wolff |
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| caps3 = |
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| goals3 = |
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| years4 = 1922–1930 |
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| clubs4 = [[Cowes Sports F.C.|Cowes]] |
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| caps4 = |
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| goals4 = |
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}} |
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{{Infobox football official |
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| name = George Reader |
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| fullname = |
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| otheroccupation = [[School teacher|Schoolteacher]] |
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| years1 = 1936–1939 |
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| league1 = [[The Football League|Football League]] |
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| role1 = [[Assistant referee (association football)|Linesman]] |
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| years2 = 1939–1944 |
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| league2 = Football League |
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| role2 = [[Referee (association football)|Referee]] |
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| years3 = 1948–1950 |
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| league3 = Football League |
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| role3 = Referee |
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| internationalyears1 = 1944–1950 |
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| confederation1 = [[FIFA International Referees List|FIFA listed]] |
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| internationalrole1 = Referee |
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}} |
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'''George Reader''' (22 November 1896 – 13 July 1978) was the fourth man to [[Referee (association football)|referee]] a [[FIFA World Cup]] Final, the first [[England|Englishman]] (one of only 10 match officials from the United Kingdom) to do so, and the oldest match official at any World Cup in history. He hailed from [[Nuneaton]], [[Warwickshire]]. |
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==Early Career== |
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George Reader was born in [[Nuneaton]], [[Warwickshire]]. By profession he was a school master going to St Luke’s teacher training college (the same one that [[Ken Aston]] was to attend) just after the First World War in [[Exeter]]. (St. Luke's is now part of [[Exeter University]]). |
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==Early career== |
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Finding work in Exeter as a young teacher, Reader first played as an amateur in the [[Southern Football League]] in the [[1919-20 season]] for [[Exeter City]]. It was with that club that he played in a friendly against [[Southampton]] on [[January 2]], [[1920]] a week before the third round of the [[FA Cup]]. Reader scored and impressed the visiting side so much that they signed him as a handy replacement centre-forward to [[Bill Rawlings]] who was a main stay of the Saints side in the 1920s. Unfortunately, given Rawling's abilities (he scored on average a goal every two games) Reader was unable to break into the side and played only 3 times in the old [[Third Division (South)]] being off-loaded, obscurely, to Harland and Wolff for a year before playing out his days on the Isle of Wight at [[Cowes Sports F.C.|Cowes]] commuting on the ferry from his job as an Assistant schoolmaster in Southampton. |
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By profession he was a schoolmaster, going to St Luke's teacher training college (the same one that [[Ken Aston]] was to attend) just after the [[World War I|First World War]] in [[Exeter]]. St. Luke's is now part of [[Exeter University]]. |
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Finding work in Exeter as a young teacher, Reader first played as an [[Amateur sports|amateur]] for [[Exeter City F.C.|Exeter City]] in the [[Southern Football League]], in the [[1919–20 in English football|1919–20]] season. It was with that club that he played in a friendly against [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]] on 3 January 1920, a week before the third round of the [[FA Cup]].<ref name = "ABC">{{cite book | title=The Alphabet of the Saints|last= Holley |first= Duncan |last2= Chalk|first2= Gary| publisher= ACL & Polar Publishing | year=1992| isbn=0-9514862-3-3|page=280}}</ref> Reader scored and impressed the visiting side so much that they signed him for a fee of £50, as a handy replacement [[centre-forward]] to [[Bill Rawlings]], who was a mainstay of the Saints side in the 1920s. |
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==Refereeing== |
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He took up refereeing in 1930, first appearing on [[Southampton Common]] and progressed through the promotional system with an alacrity that underlined his ability and experience. Within 6 seasons he was lining in the Football League and 3 years later was invited to referee matches on the Football League in season 1939-40 but, unfortunately, the 1939-40 season was abandoned after 3 games and therefore, Reader, though a figure with whom much was expected, officially only refereed 3 Football League matches in his career.* |
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Unfortunately, given Rawling's abilities (he scored on average a goal every two games), Reader was unable to break into the side and played only three times in the old [[Third Division (South)]]<ref>{{cite book | title=Saints – A complete record|last= Chalk|first= Gary|last2=Holley|first2= Duncan | publisher= Breedon Books| year=1987| isbn= 0-907969-22-4|pages=64–65}}</ref> before moving to [[Harland and Wolff]] for a year, and then playing on the [[Isle of Wight]] at [[Cowes Sports F.C.|Cowes]] until 1930, commuting on the ferry from his job as an assistant schoolmaster in Southampton.<ref name = "ABC"/> |
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However, during hostilities Reader featured prominently in War-time football and was appointed referee in two War Cup finals and Home Internationals and then, toward the end of hostilities, Reader was appointed to take charge of Victory internationals between England and allied national teams. He was retired off the Football League list in November 1944 but was still in such demand amongst foreign Football Associations that he was selected to through-out Europe; in Barcelona for a Spain v Argentina game in [[1947]], and also taking charge of matches in [[1949]] in Stockholm (between Sweden and Hungary) and in Geneva and Lisbon. In [[1948]] the Football League took the unusual step of recalling Reader out of retirement to referee the Chelsea v Brentford fixture at Griffin Park and he was warmly received. His swansong, at the age of 50, appeared to be the [[Rest of Europe]] versus [[Great Britain]] game at [[Hampden Park]] in a match held to celebrate the blessed Peace but in 1949 England qualified for the [[FIFA World Cup]] finals in Brazil. |
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==Refereeing== |
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==1950 FIFA World Cup== |
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He first took up refereeing in 1930, appearing on [[Southampton Common]],<ref name = "ABC"/> and progressed through the promotional system with an alacrity that underlined his ability and experience. Within six seasons he was running the line in [[the Football League]], and three years later was invited to referee their matches in season [[1939–40 in English football|1939–40]]. Unfortunately, that season was abandoned after three games, due to the start of the [[World War II|Second World War]], and therefore Reader officially only refereed three Football League matches in his whole career.<ref>{{cite book |author-link=Arthur Edward Ellis |first=Arthur |last=Ellis |title=The Final Whistle |publisher= S Paul Publishers |year=1962 |id=[[ASIN]] B0000CLLRB}}</ref> |
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As an adjunct to their participation FIFA requested that a team of British match officials journey to Brazil with the English team. Despite reservations about his advanced age, Reader’s international experience had placed him amongst those the Football Association could call on and he was selected alongside [[Mervyn (Sandy) Griffiths]] (of Wales), [[George Mitchell (referee)|George Mitchell]] (of Scotland) and the two English referees [[Reg Leafe]] and [[Arthur Edward Ellis]], who, later, was to act as a referee amidst the big outfits and sloshing water on TV’s [[It’s a Knockout]]. |
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However, during hostilities, Reader featured prominently in wartime football, and was appointed as referee in two [[Football League War Cup|War Cup]] finals and the [[British Home Championship]] and then, towards the end of hostilities, was appointed to take charge of Victory internationals between [[England national football team|England]] and allied national teams. He retired from the Football League list in November 1944 but was still in such demand amongst foreign Football Associations that he was selected to officiate throughout Europe; in [[Estadi del FC Barcelona|Barcelona]] for a [[Spain national football team|Spain]] versus [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]] game in 1947, and also taking charge of matches in 1949 in [[Råsunda Stadium|Stockholm]] (between [[Sweden national football team|Sweden]] and [[Hungary national football team|Hungary]]), and in [[Stade des Charmilles|Geneva]] and [[Estádio José Alvalade|Lisbon]]. In 1948 the Football League took the unusual step of recalling Reader from retirement to referee the [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]] versus [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] fixture at [[Griffin Park]]. His swansong, at the age of 50, appeared to be the Rest of Europe versus Great Britain representative match at [[Hampden Park]], held to celebrate the "blessed Peace", but in 1949 England qualified for the [[FIFA World Cup]] finals in Brazil. |
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Given charge of the opening match Reader’s powers of control were put to the test just after [[Brazil]] scored their first goal against [[Mexico]]. As was the custom, the goal heralded a mass invasion by reporters demanding immediate responses from goalscorer and goalkeeper. Ellis, watching on, later wrote, in his book The Final Whistle: |
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==1950 FIFA World Cup== |
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“How could any one man restore law and order? Somehow, George Reader did just that within a few minutes. He cleared the pitch almost single-handed and re-started the World Cup curtain-raiser as if it were an end-of-the-season fixture in the Yorkshire League”. In their next match against the Swiss the Brazilians voiced their criticisms of the Spanish referee, [[Ramon Azon Roma]], stating that he had cost them victory ([[Jacques Fatton]] equalising right at the last) and, as a result, the editor of a daily newspaper in Rio El Noche sang the praises of the British referees, telling his readers that even if they were to face England, Brazil would demand a British referee. With England's early exit this, unlikely, event was averted. However, all four matches that Brazil played, thereafter, were refereed by one of the British contingent. |
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As an adjunct to England's participation, FIFA requested that a team of British match officials journey to Brazil for the [[1950 FIFA World Cup]]. Despite reservations about his advanced age, Reader's international experience had placed him amongst those [[the Football Association]] could call on, and he was selected alongside [[Mervyn (Sandy) Griffiths]] (of Wales), [[George Mitchell (referee)|George Mitchell]] (of Scotland) and the two English referees [[Reg Leafe]] and [[Arthur Edward Ellis|Arthur Ellis]]. |
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Given charge of the opening match, Reader's powers of control were put to the test just after [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]] scored their first goal against [[Mexico national football team|Mexico]]. As was the custom, the goal heralded a mass invasion by reporters demanding immediate responses from goalscorer and goalkeeper. Ellis, watching on, later wrote, in his book ''The Final Whistle'': "How could any one man restore law and order? Somehow, George Reader did just that within a few minutes. He cleared the pitch almost single-handed and re-started the World Cup curtain-raiser as if it were an end-of-the-season fixture in the [[Yorkshire Football League|Yorkshire League]]." In their next match against the [[Switzerland national football team|Swiss]], the Brazilians voiced their criticisms of the Spanish referee, [[Ramón Azon Roma]], stating that he had cost them victory ([[Jacques Fatton]] equalising in the 88th minute<ref>[http://www.planetworldcup.com/CUPS/1950/wc50groupa.html Brazil v. Switzerland], 1950 World Cup: ''Planet World Cup'' website.</ref>) and, as a result, the editor of a daily newspaper in [[Sao Paulo]], ''Gazeta Esportivo'', sang the praises of the British referees, telling his readers that even if they were to face England, Brazil would demand a British referee. "We must strongly demand that Brazil shall not take the field again in this World Championship if a British referee is not in charge. Even should we finally meet the English we shall still demand a British referee and have full confidence in him", he wrote. With England's early exit this unlikely event was averted. However, all four matches that Brazil played thereafter were refereed by one of the British contingent. |
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So as Brazil won their way through to the final match (and as public expectation grew so much that it threatened to engulf even the massive [[Maracana]]) each Brazilian game came to be refereed by one of the British team, including the ‘Final’ in which Mitchell and Ellis ran the line to George Reader. |
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So, as Brazil won their way through to the final match, and as public expectation grew so much that it threatened to engulf even the massive [[Estádio do Maracanã|Maracanã]], each Brazilian game came to be refereed by one of the British team, including the decisive match of the final group stage. |
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==The Final== |
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Reader had refereed two matches prior to the final group: the opening game (in which Brazil beat Mexico) and Uruguay's thrashing of the Bolivians in 'Group 4' but it was to be in his appointment to the final Brazilian game that he would secure his place in history. Although there was no provision for a final, the last game of the tournament (albeit played at the same time as the Sweden v Spain fixture) was the determining fixture. And Reader was appointed to referee, with Ellis and Mitchell running the lines. On the day of the final Reader was 53 years and 236 days old, comfortably the oldest referee ever to officiate in a FIFA World Cup final. |
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===The decisive game (Uruguay vs Brazil)=== |
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Approximate recordings for the attendance that day differ wildly. FIFA consider that there were 174,000 people there; although other estimates indicate that there may have been between 199,854 and as many as 250,000 (which, would have been more people than lived in Reader's Southampton at the time). In any event it is the highest recorded attendance at a football match in history. |
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{{unreferenced section|date=November 2012}} |
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{{main|Uruguay v Brazil (1950 FIFA World Cup)}} |
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Reader had refereed two matches prior to the final group: the opening game (in which Brazil beat Mexico) and [[Uruguay national football team|Uruguay]]'s thrashing of the [[Bolivia national football team|Bolivians]] in Group 4; but it was to be in his appointment to the final Brazilian game that he would secure his place in history. Although there was no provision for a final deciding match in this tournament, the last game of the tournament (albeit played at the same time as the [[Sweden national football team|Sweden]] v [[Spain national football team|Spain]] fixture) was the determining fixture. Reader was appointed to referee this match, with Ellis and Mitchell running the lines. On the day of the final, Reader was 53 years and 236 days old, significantly older than any referee who officiated in the [[FIFA World Cup]] final at any other tournament. |
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Approximate recordings for the attendance that day differ wildly. FIFA consider that there were 174,000 people there; although other estimates indicate that there may have been between 199,854 and as many as 250,000 (which would have been more people than lived in Reader's Southampton at the time). In any event, it is the highest recorded attendance at a football match in history. |
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His role in the final is famous for the incident in the 47th minute of the game when [[Obdulio Varela]] took the ball out of the Uruguayan net after [[Friaca]]'s goal put Brazil 1-0 up. Varela strode up to Reader and started arguing incomprehensibly in Spanish to the monolingual referee. By the time Reader had waved play to begin again the crowd had settled and Varela had issued the rousing cry "Now, it's time to win!". It’s said that Varela’s actions were enough to still the crowd and steal the initiative from the Brazilian team. Reader's performance was excellent; indeed it is hard to find any complaint or criticism of his performance on a day when Brazil lost in such a shocking, emotional manner that suicides were reported at the stadium, and [[Jules Rimet]], would comment about the lack of noise from the massed banks of the [[Maracana]], "The silence was morbid, sometimes too difficult to bear". |
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In the 47th minute of the game [[Obdulio Varela]] of Uruguay took the ball out of the net after [[Friaça]]'s goal had put Brazil 1–0 up. Varela strode up to Reader and started arguing incomprehensibly in Spanish to the monolingual referee. By the time Reader had waved play to begin again, the crowd had settled and Varela had issued the rousing cry: "Now, it's time to win!" Brazil lost in such a shocking, emotional manner that suicides were reported at the stadium, and [[Jules Rimet]] would comment (about the lack of noise from the massed banks of the [[Estádio do Maracanã|Maracanã]]): "The silence was morbid, sometimes too difficult to bear." |
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==Retirement== |
==Retirement== |
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Uruguay went |
Uruguay went on to win and Reader returned home to Hanley Road in Southampton and promptly retired from refereeing, stating that he had had everything that football can give him. He ended his teaching career as headmaster of Western School, [[Shirley, Southampton|Shirley]], in 1960.{{Citation needed|date=December 2007}} |
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George Reader became a director, and later chairman, of [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]] in 1963, and sat beside [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|HM The Queen]] when [[Lawrie McMenemy]]'s side won the [[1976 FA Cup Final]], passing away on the anniversary of the very first World Cup matches two years later.<ref name = "ABC"/> |
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On [[January 19]], [[2001]] Southampton set about naming parts of [[St Mary's Stadium]] in honour of past serving club officials. Reader's name was short-listed as one for the Box Holders' Bar. |
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==References== |
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{{start box}} |
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{{reflist}} |
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{{succession box |
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| before = [[Georges Capdeville]] |
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==External links== |
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| after = [[William Ling (referee)]] |
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140714181819/http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/feature-st-george-of-maracana-09072014-1731520.aspx Feature on Southampton FC website] (archived) |
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* {{WorldFootball.net referee}} |
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* {{EU-Football.info referee}} |
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{{S-start}} |
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{{Succession box |
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| before = {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Georges Capdeville]] |
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| after = {{flagicon|ENG}} [[William Ling (referee)|William Ling]] |
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| title = [[FIFA World Cup]] final match referees |
| title = [[FIFA World Cup]] final match referees |
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| years = [[1950]] |
| years = '''[[1950 FIFA World Cup Final|1950]] <br /> {{flagicon|ENG}} George Reader''' |
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}} |
}} |
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{{end |
{{S-end}} |
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{{FIFA World Cup Final referees}} |
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==References== |
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*{{cite book | |
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author=Duncan Holley & Gary Chalk | |
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title=The Alphabet of the Saints| |
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publisher= ACL & Polar Publishing | |
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year=1992| |
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id=ISBN 0-9514862-3-3}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Reader, George}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reader, George}} |
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[[Category:1896 births]] |
[[Category:1896 births]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Footballers from Nuneaton]] |
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[[Category:1978 deaths]] |
[[Category:1978 deaths]] |
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[[Category:English footballers]] |
[[Category:English men's footballers]] |
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[[Category:Southern Football League players]] |
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[[Category:English Football League players]] |
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[[Category:Exeter City F.C. players]] |
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[[Category:Southampton F.C. players]] |
[[Category:Southampton F.C. players]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Cowes Sports F.C. players]] |
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[[Category:English football referees]] |
[[Category:English football referees]] |
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[[Category:FIFA World Cup finals match officials]] |
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[[Category:1950 FIFA World Cup referees]] |
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[[Category:Southampton F.C. directors and chairmen]] |
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[[Category:Men's association football forwards]] |
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Latest revision as of 03:14, 27 March 2024
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2007) |
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 22 November 1896 | ||
| Place of birth | Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England | ||
| Date of death | 13 July 1978 (aged 81) | ||
| Place of death | Southampton, England | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| St Luke's College, Exeter | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1919–1920 | Exeter City | 1 | (1) |
| 1920–1921 | Southampton | 3 | (0) |
| 1921–1922 | Harland and Wolff | ||
| 1922–1930 | Cowes | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
 | |||
| Other occupation | Schoolteacher | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1936–1939 | Football League | Linesman | |
| 1939–1944 | Football League | Referee | |
| 1948–1950 | Football League | Referee | |
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1944–1950 | FIFA listed | Referee | |
George Reader (22 November 1896 – 13 July 1978) was the fourth man to referee a FIFA World Cup Final, the first Englishman (one of only 10 match officials from the United Kingdom) to do so, and the oldest match official at any World Cup in history. He hailed from Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
Early career[edit]
By profession he was a schoolmaster, going to St Luke's teacher training college (the same one that Ken Aston was to attend) just after the First World War in Exeter. St. Luke's is now part of Exeter University.
Finding work in Exeter as a young teacher, Reader first played as an amateur for Exeter City in the Southern Football League, in the 1919–20 season. It was with that club that he played in a friendly against Southampton on 3 January 1920, a week before the third round of the FA Cup.[1] Reader scored and impressed the visiting side so much that they signed him for a fee of £50, as a handy replacement centre-forward to Bill Rawlings, who was a mainstay of the Saints side in the 1920s.
Unfortunately, given Rawling's abilities (he scored on average a goal every two games), Reader was unable to break into the side and played only three times in the old Third Division (South)[2] before moving to Harland and Wolff for a year, and then playing on the Isle of Wight at Cowes until 1930, commuting on the ferry from his job as an assistant schoolmaster in Southampton.[1]
Refereeing[edit]
He first took up refereeing in 1930, appearing on Southampton Common,[1] and progressed through the promotional system with an alacrity that underlined his ability and experience. Within six seasons he was running the line in the Football League, and three years later was invited to referee their matches in season 1939–40. Unfortunately, that season was abandoned after three games, due to the start of the Second World War, and therefore Reader officially only refereed three Football League matches in his whole career.[3]
However, during hostilities, Reader featured prominently in wartime football, and was appointed as referee in two War Cup finals and the British Home Championship and then, towards the end of hostilities, was appointed to take charge of Victory internationals between England and allied national teams. He retired from the Football League list in November 1944 but was still in such demand amongst foreign Football Associations that he was selected to officiate throughout Europe; in Barcelona for a Spain versus Argentina game in 1947, and also taking charge of matches in 1949 in Stockholm (between Sweden and Hungary), and in Geneva and Lisbon. In 1948 the Football League took the unusual step of recalling Reader from retirement to referee the Brentford versus Chelsea fixture at Griffin Park. His swansong, at the age of 50, appeared to be the Rest of Europe versus Great Britain representative match at Hampden Park, held to celebrate the "blessed Peace", but in 1949 England qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil.
1950 FIFA World Cup[edit]
As an adjunct to England's participation, FIFA requested that a team of British match officials journey to Brazil for the 1950 FIFA World Cup. Despite reservations about his advanced age, Reader's international experience had placed him amongst those the Football Association could call on, and he was selected alongside Mervyn (Sandy) Griffiths (of Wales), George Mitchell (of Scotland) and the two English referees Reg Leafe and Arthur Ellis.
Given charge of the opening match, Reader's powers of control were put to the test just after Brazil scored their first goal against Mexico. As was the custom, the goal heralded a mass invasion by reporters demanding immediate responses from goalscorer and goalkeeper. Ellis, watching on, later wrote, in his book The Final Whistle: "How could any one man restore law and order? Somehow, George Reader did just that within a few minutes. He cleared the pitch almost single-handed and re-started the World Cup curtain-raiser as if it were an end-of-the-season fixture in the Yorkshire League." In their next match against the Swiss, the Brazilians voiced their criticisms of the Spanish referee, Ramón Azon Roma, stating that he had cost them victory (Jacques Fatton equalising in the 88th minute[4]) and, as a result, the editor of a daily newspaper in Sao Paulo, Gazeta Esportivo, sang the praises of the British referees, telling his readers that even if they were to face England, Brazil would demand a British referee. "We must strongly demand that Brazil shall not take the field again in this World Championship if a British referee is not in charge. Even should we finally meet the English we shall still demand a British referee and have full confidence in him", he wrote. With England's early exit this unlikely event was averted. However, all four matches that Brazil played thereafter were refereed by one of the British contingent.
So, as Brazil won their way through to the final match, and as public expectation grew so much that it threatened to engulf even the massive Maracanã, each Brazilian game came to be refereed by one of the British team, including the decisive match of the final group stage.
The decisive game (Uruguay vs Brazil)[edit]
|
Reader had refereed two matches prior to the final group: the opening game (in which Brazil beat Mexico) and Uruguay's thrashing of the Bolivians in Group 4; but it was to be in his appointment to the final Brazilian game that he would secure his place in history. Although there was no provision for a final deciding match in this tournament, the last game of the tournament (albeit played at the same time as the Sweden v Spain fixture) was the determining fixture. Reader was appointed to referee this match, with Ellis and Mitchell running the lines. On the day of the final, Reader was 53 years and 236 days old, significantly older than any referee who officiated in the FIFA World Cup final at any other tournament.
Approximate recordings for the attendance that day differ wildly. FIFA consider that there were 174,000 people there; although other estimates indicate that there may have been between 199,854 and as many as 250,000 (which would have been more people than lived in Reader's Southampton at the time). In any event, it is the highest recorded attendance at a football match in history.
In the 47th minute of the game Obdulio Varela of Uruguay took the ball out of the net after Friaça's goal had put Brazil 1–0 up. Varela strode up to Reader and started arguing incomprehensibly in Spanish to the monolingual referee. By the time Reader had waved play to begin again, the crowd had settled and Varela had issued the rousing cry: "Now, it's time to win!" Brazil lost in such a shocking, emotional manner that suicides were reported at the stadium, and Jules Rimet would comment (about the lack of noise from the massed banks of the Maracanã): "The silence was morbid, sometimes too difficult to bear."
Retirement[edit]
Uruguay went on to win and Reader returned home to Hanley Road in Southampton and promptly retired from refereeing, stating that he had had everything that football can give him. He ended his teaching career as headmaster of Western School, Shirley, in 1960.[citation needed]
George Reader became a director, and later chairman, of Southampton in 1963, and sat beside HM The Queen when Lawrie McMenemy's side won the 1976 FA Cup Final, passing away on the anniversary of the very first World Cup matches two years later.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (1992). The Alphabet of the Saints. ACL & Polar Publishing. p. 280. ISBN 0-9514862-3-3.
- ^ Chalk, Gary; Holley, Duncan (1987). Saints – A complete record. Breedon Books. pp. 64–65. ISBN 0-907969-22-4.
- ^ Ellis, Arthur (1962). The Final Whistle. S Paul Publishers. ASIN B0000CLLRB.
- ^ Brazil v. Switzerland, 1950 World Cup: Planet World Cup website.
External links[edit]
- Feature on Southampton FC website (archived)
- George Reader referee profile at WorldFootball.net
- George Reader referee profile at EU-Football.info
- 1896 births
- Footballers from Nuneaton
- 1978 deaths
- English men's footballers
- Southern Football League players
- English Football League players
- Exeter City F.C. players
- Southampton F.C. players
- Cowes Sports F.C. players
- English football referees
- FIFA World Cup finals match officials
- 1950 FIFA World Cup referees
- Southampton F.C. directors and chairmen
- Men's association football forwards