Stephen Bennett English football referee Date of Birth: 17.11.1961 Country: Great Britain

1. Stephen Bennett: English Football Referee
2. Officiating Career
3. Controversial Decisions
4. Scandals and Apologies
5. End of FIFA Career

Stephen Bennett: English Football Referee

Stephen Bennett is a retired English football referee who is best known for his career in officiating matches in the English Premier League. He began his career as a referee in 1984 in his hometown of Kent.

Officiating Career

In 1995, Bennett started officiating matches in the Football League, and in 1999, he began refereeing in the Premier League. His skills and experience led to his appointment as a FIFA referee in 2001.

Controversial Decisions

One of Bennett's most controversial decisions came in 2004 when he showed a second yellow card to Tim Cahill for removing his shirt while celebrating a goal against Manchester City. This decision was criticized by FIFA President Sepp Blatter.

In 2005, Bennett officiated the final of the Football League Cup between Liverpool and Chelsea, which ended with a 3-2 victory for Chelsea. He also served as the head referee for the FA Cup final in 2007, where Chelsea defeated Manchester United 1-0 in extra time.

Scandals and Apologies

In 2008, Bennett found himself in the middle of another scandal when he showed a second yellow card to Javier Mascherano for dissent during a match between Manchester United and Liverpool. Mascherano later apologized for his actions.

End of FIFA Career

In 2006, Bennett was removed from the FIFA referees list due to reaching the age limit of 45 years.