Jarred Gillett set for Premier League history

Football Australia wishes to congratulate Australian match official Jarred Gillett, who is set to become the first overseas referee in Premier League history when he takes charge of Watford v Newcastle this weekend.

It is a landmark achievement for Gillett, coming just two years after the 34-year-old swapped the football fields of Australia for England.

Gillett is one of Australia’s highest-profile referees, having officiated 159 A-League fixtures between 2010 and 2019 – including five Grand Finals – before making the switch to England.

He is a five-time recipient of the A-League Referee of the Year award, and also officiated the FFA Cup Final 2018. Gillett has also refereed in the J.League, Saudi Professional League, Indian Super League, AFC Champions League, AFC World Cup Qualifiers, and International Men’s Friendlies among others.

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Gillett moved to England in 2019 to undertake a post-doctoral research position at John Moores University in Liverpool, but he still held the goal of climbing the ranks as a referee in his new country of residence.

His first appointment came in a League Two (English fourth-tier) fixture between Morecambe and Cheltenham Town on 22 April, 2019. And it only took two weeks before he was officiating a match in the Championship (English second-tier) between Blackburn Rovers and Swansea City.

Since that Easter Monday clash back in April 2019, Gillett has gone on to referee over 50 Championship matches as well as in the FA Cup, EFL Cup, League One and Championship playoff fixtures, and already has several Premier League appearances as a VAR and fourth official.

In June 2021, the Australia became one of 22 Select Group 1 referees by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), and this Saturday (Sunday morning AEST) will become the first foreign referee in Premier League history.

Jarred Gillett’s refereeing career highlights

  • A-League Referee from 2010-2019 – 159 matches as a referee
  • First match 19/09/2010 – Gold Coast United v Central Coast Mariners
  • 159th match 08/03/2019 – Brisbane Roar v Western Sydney Wanderers
  • A-League Grand Final & Referee of the Year x5 – 2012, 2015-2018
  • FFA Cup Final 2018 – Adelaide United v Sydney FC
  • FIFA Referee 2013-2019; AFC Elite Referee 2014-2019
  • Member of the inaugural Video Assistant Referee (VAR) panel in the A-League (2017)
  • Officiated in the J-League, Indian Super League, Chinese Super League, Saudi Professional League, 2015 International Champions Cup
  • Added to Select Group 2 Referees Panel in 2019, refereeing EFL fixtures as well as Fourth Official & VAR for Premier League
  • 2020/21 EFL Championship Play-off Semi Final, Brentford v AFC Bournemouth
  • Added to Select Group 1 Referees Panel in 2021

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