Johnny Phillips: Whistleblowers all set to provide a unique insight

Match officials have some of the toughest jobs in the entire football industry.

The pressure to make the correct decision in the blink of an eye, while all the time mindful of the overbearing presence of Big Brother – VAR – makes it an unenviable task.

The speed of the modern day game, the intense media scrutiny and the personal abuse directed in stadiums and on social media towards the men in the middle, and their assistants, just heaps on more pressure.

Two of the game’s longest serving referees are coming to Wolverhampton next month for what is sure to be a revealing insight into their world.

Mike Dean and Jon Moss refereed over 1000 Premier League games between them, as well as a host of cup finals and international fixtures.

The pair have agreed to join me for The Final Whistle, an extensive talk and audience QnA about their roles and the world of refereeing. It all takes place at the Cleveland Arms on Thursday 13 June, with proceeds from the evening going to the Good Shepherd in the city.

A couple of years ago Mike and Jon joined Martin Atkinson for a similar event in Leeds which raised several hundred pounds for St David’s Hospice Care.

This year Jon entered the Brighton Marathon to raise funds for Pancreatic Cancer UK. So, when I pitched the potential for a Cleveland Arms event to Jon he was insistent that on this occasion, because it was taking place in Wolverhampton, any funds raised should be directed to a local charity for local benefit.

With the Good Shepherd’s links to Wolves, the fight against poverty and homelessness was an obvious choice.

Both men are well aware that football fans in this part of the world have strong opinions on officiating and VAR, in particular.

It will be fascinating to hear the insights of two figures who witnessed the technology being brought in at close quarters before leaving the professional game on their retirement at the end of the 2021/22 season.

I imagine plenty of football fans reading this will have their own views and pre-conceived ideas about the standard of refereeing in this country. Mike and Jon certainly aren’t coming here on a PR exercise and they acknowledge there will always be those whose opinions remain immovable when it comes to matters involving the men in the middle.

What the evening will present is the opportunity for supporters to become better informed on a crucial part of the sport which every football team in the land is dependent on. After all: no ref, no match.

The evening offers a chance to hear from two characters who shared a pitch with some of the game’s greats, with insights into the players’ relationships with officials and how they may have tried to gain an edge or on other occasions talked themselves into trouble.

Aside from their work on the pitch, Mike and Jon had their ears bent by some of the most illustrious figures in the dugout.

Who would want to be fourth official when Jose Mourinho, Sir Alex Ferguson, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola are on the warpath?

Have you ever wondered what happens when these managers confront the referees in their changing room or the tunnel after a game?

Prepare to be enlightened on some of the more astonishing exchanges that have remained behind closed doors for many years until now.

What shone through in our previous event was just how much Mike and Jon love the game.

Despite all the confrontations, abuse and hysteria that came with the role, both have retained enough of a sense of humour to be able to look back with fondness on their long careers.

And it’s not just football that floats their boat. Both men are keen golfers, with Mike even caddying on the Ladies European Tour. That’s for another day, though, for The Final Whistle there’s more than enough material from the football world.

Tickets to The Final Whistle on Thursday, June 13 are available from www.clevelandarms.com or call 01902 451021.Doors open at 7pm.