Jarred Gillett will get his first taste of refereeing a competitive match in England when he takes charges of a Championship clash between Blackburn and Swansea on Sunday night.
The Australian referee moved to England a few months ago after a glittering career in the A-League where we won a number of awards for his officiating.
Gillett was the fourth official at Anfield for a Liverpool Legends match in March, but Sunday will mark his first outing in England as a referee in a competitive match.
Less than 2 months after his last game in the @ALeague Jarred Gillett will make his debut in the Championship tomorrow refereeing Blackburn vs Swansea. 👍
— Ben Wilson (@BenWilsonFFA) May 4, 2019
The game, which kicks off at 9.30pm (AEST), is of little consequence for either Blackburn or Swansea, who are both safe from relegation and are unable to challenge for a promotion spot.
With such low stakes, the pressure will be off Gillett, whose move to England was also motivated by his other career in biomechanics research.
“The A-League provided the opportunity for me to progress from grassroots to a full-time professional referee and I’m grateful to the FFA, my coaches, mentors, and colleagues who have played a role in my career so far,” Gillett said when his departure from the A-League was confirmed.
“It was a difficult decision, but I leave the Australian game with many great memories.
“Pursuing academic and football opportunities in the UK was an opportunity too good to pass up and I’m excited by the challenges ahead.”
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