‘I used to hate that word trailblazer’: Premier League’s first female referee reflects on 14-year career as she moves to managing officials

In the National Football Museum, Rebecca Welch is reflecting on her own place in the sport’s history.

“I used to hate that word trailblazer,” the Premier League’s first female referee told Sky News.

“I probably grew more comfortable with it over the years because it’s not really about me, it’s about how that influences the young girls, young boys, to think – there’s an opportunity to be involved in football.

“So if they see me in the Premier League and that makes them think about taking up the whistle and being a referee, then that’s really my job done.”

And her job is done – on the pitch, at least.

Welch is speaking for the first time in a TV interview about her milestone match last December in the men’s top flight – refereeing Fulham’s match against Burnley – and her decision to retire at the peak of her game to take a job managing professional women’s referees.

Hers is not a career where sexism has inhibited her rise from NHS administrator to the Women’s Super League, the World Cup, the Olympics, and the Premier League.

But in the week anti-discrimination campaigners Kick It Out revealed half of women surveyed have witnessed or experienced sexist language at football, there is an incident Welch wants to talk about for the first time.

Welch wants to make clear she never heard the misogynistic chants, the stadium was far too loud at Birmingham City.

But police arrested two fans during the Championship match against Sheffield Wednesday last November, two years after she became the first woman to referee in the men’s English Football League (EFL).

“I did have the opportunity to ask the police what was said, but I didn’t want to ask because to me, it’s kind of irrelevant… the words,” Welch said.

“If the meaning behind it was misogynistic, then we shouldn’t be saying it.”

Faced with prosecuting them or working to attempt to change the offenders’ mindsets, Welch favoured educating them with West Midlands Police and Kick It Out.

She offered to go to the education session but was out of the country doing what she did best – whistle in hand.

Catherine Clinton, who specialises in sexism in the Football Policing Unit, told Sky News that the education session had a positive effect, with the offenders realising how they may have impacted someone’s life.

“So the education was good for that and positively driving the social change in behaviour,” she said.

And that is why Welch was satisfied with the outcome.

“I think people should be given second chances, give them some education, and then if they do it again, I think then that’s probably a different story,” Welch said.

“We need to sometimes educate people so that behaviours can improve and that won’t happen again.”

The 40-year-old knows criticism is part of the game, but there is a difference when it oversteps the mark and descends into hatred.

And contrary to some perceptions from managers, players and fans, making a mistake will happen and does weigh on the mind.

You don’t quickly move on.

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“I think what people probably don’t see and should understand is there’s also an emotional attachment from the referee,” she said. “I’ve gone out and given decisions and reflected on them, even later on in the game.

“We do go out and try and give honest decisions based on what we can see and what view we’ve got.

“Sometimes they come back and they can be incorrect. A couple of them I’ve looked back and I’ve held my hands up and said to the managers or the players I was incorrect.”

There cannot be perfection in refereeing, even with VAR. Especially with VAR, creating unrealistic expectations of perfection.

VAR is yet to enter the Women’s Super League.

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“It’s the hardest job in football, but it’s probably why we love it,” Welch said. “We’re just trying to do an honest day’s work. That’s all we’re trying to do. And sometimes we do get things wrong.

“And I think every referee accepts that because we’re not superhuman. I think there just needs to be a little bit more understanding. Players get things wrong, coaches do. Sometimes referees do.

“We learn from that. We’ll get better and hopefully will not make the same mistake twice.”

Now it is for Welch to guide the next generation of referees, knowing her own place in history is secure.

And what about a woman coaching in the EFL or Premier League now those men’s competitions have had matches refereed by Welch, showing the best person has earned the opportunity and thrived?

“I think it’ll be a big milestone and, once one does it, then you see that happen and then other people will start doing it,” Welch said.

“I wouldn’t like to lose them (from the women’s game), but that’s a personal choice of a coach. In my opinion, the Women’s Super League is the biggest, if not the best, in the world. So why would you not want to coach in that league?”

Now for Welch, it is overseeing referees in that league, watching the growth from a wider vantage point, and reflecting with pride on a 14-year career.

“I look back on that and smile and think, I went there, I gave it a go,” she said.

“I’ve really excelled in it. I made the elite level and I can retire really, really happy.”