HRLRS Senior Referees

Jim Smith

After playing at Greetland for several seasons as an industrious hooker, Jim saw teammate, Barry Dyson, break his leg and have an extended period off work. Jim decided that he could not risk the same and retired from playing at 25. It was a work colleague, RL referee Ronnie Jackson, who suggested he had a go at refereeing! Somewhat reluctantly, Jim agreed and went along to referee courses led by Henry Mason. Jim did the Laws of the Game test and joined the HRLRS.

His first game was in the weather delayed 1968/69 season when he was allocated the Siddal v St Augustus U17 game. From there, Jim moved on to open age matches.

He relished

“taking charge of the local derbies, including several involving St Mary’s on Saville Park.”

A Grade 2 by1973 Jim continued to progress and was promoted to senior Grade one referee for the 1977-78 at which time Jim was also involved at the RFL in setting up referee courses.

Jim explained:

“you always learnt from the referees on the pitch when doing lines (touch judge). Refs like Fred Lindop and Ronnie Campbell.”

Jim refereed 337 senior games and his biggest game as a referee was the Wigan v Saints  Rugby League Challenge Cup Final at Wembley in 199 when Wigan defeated St Helens by 13points to 8. Jim was also touch judge for the 1990 England v Wales international

Fittingly, Jim’s refereeing career finished in April 1994 where it had started at Siddal when he refereed their U17 game  versus Queensbury.