Michael Oliver (referee)

Michael Oliver
	Oliver in a match at Vienna in 2014
Full name	Michael Oliver
Born	20 February 1985 (age 39); Ashington, Northumberland, England
Domestic
Years	League
2003–2005	Northern League
2005–2007	Football Conference
2007–present	The Football League
2010–present	Premier League
International
Years	League
2012–present	FIFA listed

Michael Oliver (born 20 February 1985) is an English professional football referee who has officiated primarily in the Premier League since being promoted to the Select Group of Referees in 2010. That year he became the youngest referee to take charge of a Premier League game.^[1] Oliver is based in Cramlington, Northumberland, and is a member of the Northumberland Football Association.

Refereeing career

Born in Ashington, Northumberland, Oliver was introduced to refereeing by his father, Clive, at the age of 14.^[2] He quickly progressed through the ranks and was promoted to the National List of Referees in 2007; he refereed the 2007 Conference National play-off final, becoming the youngest football referee to officiate at Wembley Stadium. In addition he had already become the youngest Football League assistant referee, youngest Football League referee, and would also become the youngest fourth official in the Premier League.

The Oliver family enjoyed a unique refereeing double when father Clive took charge of the 2009 League Two play-off final and Michael officiated the next day at the 2009 League One play-off final.

Oliver was set to become the youngest referee in the Premier League when he was appointed to a match between Fulham and Portsmouth in January 2010.^[3] However, adverse weather resulted in him having to postpone the match, and an ankle operation later sidelined him until April.^[4] He was promoted to the Select Group in August 2010, his first appointment being Birmingham City versus Blackburn Rovers. Oliver was 25 years and 182 days old, breaking Stuart Attwell's record as the youngest-ever Premier League referee.

Oliver was appointed fourth official for the 2013 League Cup final at Wembley Stadium. He refereed the FA Cup semi-final between Wigan Athletic and Millwall in April 2013 and in doing so became the youngest referee to take charge of an FA Cup semi-final. Wigan went on to win the FA Cup and played Manchester United in the subsequent FA Community Shield match for which Oliver was fourth official.

He was the referee for the 2014 FA Community Shield between Arsenal and Manchester City.^[5] The FA Cup holders Arsenal won the match 3-0.

Oliver has refereed two group games in the UEFA Champions League, his first being Sporting CP against Legia Warsaw in September 2016.

Card statistics

Season	Games	Total	per game	Total	per game
2006–07	12	26	2.17	3	0.27
2007–08	29	73	2.52	6	0.21
2008–09	41	101	2.46	5	0.12
2009–10	27	74	2.74	7	0.26
2010–11	29	83	2.86	6	0.21
2011–12	36	94	2.61	4	0.11
2012–13	39	105	2.69	1	0.03
2013–14	40	141	3.53	4	0.10
2014–15	39	137	3.51	6	0.15