Durham FA Centre of Refereeing Excellence (CORE) is an exciting new initiative for the 2019-2020 season providing development opportunities to referees from all levels from youth to level 4.
The scheme will operate with three groups called CORE 1, CORE 2 and CORE 3 with each group operating with clear aims.

CORE 1 will provide development opportunities for Durham FA level 4 referees to help them progress into level 3 referees.

The CORE 2 group will meet once per month in order to provide support to those in the County Promotion Scheme.

The aim of Durham FA CORE 3 is to prepare our new and youth referees to transition into open age football and enter the County promotion scheme.

Entry to Durham FA CORE is by invitation only for the season and referees have had to complete a fitness and laws of the game test for their entry into the scheme.

The CORE coaching will be led by the following personnel:
Geoff Eltringham (SG2 Referee), Shaun Hudson (SG2 Assistant Referee), Brian Parry (PGMOL Observer), Tony Harrington (SG2 Referee), Adam Herczeg (2B Referee), Andrew Kitchen (2A Referee), Alex Clark (RDO), Jeff Russell (Former RDO), David Webb (SG2 Referee), Gary Beswick (FIFA Assistant Referee), Danny Markham (Former EFL Assistant Referee), Graeme Fyvie (EFL Assistant Referee), Geoff Liddle (EFL Assistant Referee), Glen Hart (Level 3 Referee), Jonny Urwin (2B Referee), James Westgate (2B Referee), Mark Bell (Level 4 Referee), James Bancroft (Level 3 Referee), Andrew Miller (2A Referee), Martin Coy (EFL Referee) and Craig Dean (Level 3 Referee).

Sessions will consist of the following topics:
CORE 1
Thursday 19th September – Assistant Refereeing, positioning and movement
Thursday 28th November – Nutrition, fitness and foul challenges
Thursday 16th January – DOGSO and Handball
Thursday 5th March – Level 4 Match Incidents, trends and preparation for the new season

CORE 2
Thursday 22nd August – Law Changes
Thursday 26th September – Positioning and Assistant Refereeing
Thursday 17th October – Nutrition and Fitness
Thursday 21st November – Handball
Thursday 23rd January – Mid-Season Trends
Thursday 20th February – Foul Challenges
Thursday 26th March – DOGSO
Thursday 23rd April – General Clips

CORE 3
Wednesday 7th August – Law changes, expectations and opportunities
Wednesday 2nd October – Foul Challenges and Confrontation
Wednesday 4th December – Handball
Wednesday 5th February – DOGSO
Wednesday 1st April – Assistant Refereeing

Congratulations to the following referees who have been selected for the CORE scheme for 2019-2020.

CORE 1 – Matthew Morton, Sam Parnaby, Karl Barron, Joshua Gordon, Matthew Guffick, Dan Ranson, Lewis Reynolds, Matthew Davidson, Matthew Webster, Thomas Jukes, Matthew Cain, Givi Todua, Matthew Carroll, Mark Bell, Richard Rowe, Guy Campbell, David Fittes, Mark McMahon, Kieran Downey, John Davison, Stephen Birkett and Stephen Beresford.

CORE 2 – Alex Ferriday, Vitoria Davison, Jack Arrowsmith, Thomas James, Lewis Hardy, Dan Van Hymus, Callum Donnelly, David Carr, David Mitchell, Oliver Hart, Danny Simkiss, Aidan Hewitt, Jamie Catterick, Daniel Hughes, Tyler Dutton, Carl Draper, Jake Hutchinson and Joseph Dredge.

CORE 3 – Joe Taylor, Jack Purdham, Toby Locking, Oscar Birney, Joe Pearson, Joe Thompson, Sam Grewcock, Gareth Marshall, Lewis Todd, Owen Anderson and Ben Richardson.