New ball game for Bodenham

Former football referee Martin Bodenham could become a first-class umpire later this season

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Former FIFA referee Martin Bodenham has set his sights on completing a unique double - by becoming a first-class cricket umpire.

Bodenham, famous for sending off Roy Keane when he was being stretchered off after his infamous lunge at Leeds United’s Alf Inge Haaland, is on the reserve umpires list for the 2008 campaign.

The 58-year-old has been retired for 10 years from football but started umpiring in the Sussex League and has worked his way up to his current position where he is just one step away from joining the full list.

It is in stark contrast to the pressures of professional football for Bodenham, who also sent off Wimbledon's Vinnie Jones and spent five years on the FIFA list.

He certainly does not expect to face the confrontational situations that arise when footballers surround a referee over a decision they disagree with.

He said: “I hope to get on the main list. I have no divine right but that is my objective. I finished as a referee at 48, had to compulsorily retire.

“Even if I only have one year on the list, at least I can say I have officiated at the top level in two sports.”

Bodenham believes his experiences as a referee can be of benefit to him when dealing with any potentially tricky scenarios on the cricket field.

He said: “Cricketers are always saying ‘what was Roy Keane like to referee?’ They ask me many times about when I sent Roy Keane off as he lay on a stretcher.

Martin Bodenham was a FIFA and Premier League referee

“That was just one of those things. It was an unusual situation but disciplinary action needed to be taken against him.

“When you are dealing with the likes of Roy Keane and Vinnie Jones, they are difficult people on the field. But having said that, they are the nicest people off the field.”

Bodenham, who still works as a UEFA delegate and Premier League assessor, added: “There is a disciplinary code of practice now in cricket but I can’t see confrontational situations as we see in football when a number of players rally around the referee.

“I personally have not had too many problems as an umpire because I am identifiable by the cricketers as an ex-football referee and it can work to my advantage.

“I can exploit that and, if someone is causing a problem, I can mention it and someone will have a word with them. No-one in cricket has caused me as much grief as when a football ref and let’s hope that continues.

“The respect is there from county cricketers. But it is down to decision-making. If you make the correct decision, you get the full respect.

“If you make a wrong decision, you have got to be honest. There is no point in sitting on the fence and saying ‘I made the right decision’ if it is wrong and the players will respect that.”

Bodenham was speaking at the first official pre-season get-together for umpires to be tested for fitness, hearing and sight at the Loughborough Cricket Centre Of Excellence.

He said: “The tests for football referees are quite strenuous to say the least. For cricket, it would be about durability, stamina and whether you can move fairly quickly to make a run-out judgment.

“But with umpires and referees there are very similar things such as alertness, awareness, maintaining concentration, decision-making accuracy and, above all, man-management.”