Ken Aston - Revision history

TajWagstaff: improved article

2026-03-05T07:23:11Z

improved article

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:53, 5 March 2026
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	{{short description\|English football referee}}		{{short description\|English football referee (1915–2001)}}
	{{EngvarB\|date=December 2019}}		{{EngvarB\|date=December 2019}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=February 2021}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=February 2021}}
	{{~~refimprove~~\|date=April 2010}}		{{more citations needed\|date=April 2010}}
	{{Infobox football official		{{Infobox football official
	\| image = Ken Aston MBE Portrait.jpg		\| image = Ken Aston MBE Portrait.jpg
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	\| death_date = {{death date and age\|df=yes\|2001\|10\|23\|1915\|9\|1}}		\| death_date = {{death date and age\|df=yes\|2001\|10\|23\|1915\|9\|1}}
	\| death_place = [[Ilford]], [[London]], England		\| death_place = [[Ilford]], [[London]], England
	\| otheroccupation = [[Teacher\|School teacher]], [[soldier]], [[~~judge~~]]		\| otheroccupation = [[Teacher\|School teacher]], [[soldier]], [[referee]]
	\| years1 = 1946–		\| years1 = 1946–
	\| league1 =		\| league1 =
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	== Refereeing ==		== Refereeing ==

	On his return from military service in 1946, Aston became the first League referee to wear the black uniform with white trim which became the standard for referees. Up to that point, referees wore tweed jackets over white shirts with French cuffs, and pants akin to golf knickers. He later explained that when he spied a black flight jacket in the window of a war surplus store, he was delighted with the wonderful assortment of pockets. He immediately bought a couple of the jackets, thinking the pockets would serve him well as a referee. He changed to black knickers, kept the white shirt, and wore the new black flight jacket, creating the black uniform with the apparent white "trim."		On his return from military service in 1946, Aston became the first League referee to wear the black uniform with white trim which became the standard for referees. Up to that point, referees wore tweed jackets over white shirts with French cuffs, and pants akin to golf knickers. He later explained that when he spied a black flight jacket in the window of a war surplus store, he was delighted with the wonderful assortment of pockets. He immediately bought a couple of the jackets, thinking the pockets would serve him well as a referee. He changed to black knickers, kept the white shirt, and wore the new black flight jacket, creating the black uniform with the apparent white "trim."

	The following year (1947), he introduced brightly coloured linesman's flags, one yellow and one red, in place of those provided by the home team, in the home team's colours, which had traditionally been used.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/> He explained that he was doing a game in the midst of a foggy London day. He said that the colours of the home team were beige and chocolate, colours he was unable to see in the fog. He explained that he went to war surplus store on the way home, purchased a pair of red and yellow rain slickers and made a set of brightly coloured flags, which he used thereafter, and was never troubled by fog again.		The following year (1947), he introduced brightly coloured linesman's flags, one yellow and one red, in place of those provided by the home team, in the home team's colours, which had traditionally been used.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/> He explained that he was doing a game in the midst of a foggy London day. He said that the colours of the home team were beige and chocolate, colours he was unable to see in the fog. He explained that he went to war surplus store on the way home, purchased a pair of red and yellow rain slickers and made a set of brightly coloured flags, which he used thereafter, and was never troubled by fog again.

	In 1953 he became Head Teacher at [[Newbury Park Primary School]] in [[Ilford]], [[Essex]], and progressed to refereeing senior League matches.		In 1953 he became Head Teacher at {{ill\|Newbury Park Primary School\|qid=Q66222351\|short=yes}} in [[Ilford]], [[Essex]], and progressed to refereeing senior League matches.

	Aston taught many courses, including a series that was recorded for novice referees. He called the series, "Refereeing is thinking."		Aston taught many courses, including a series that was recorded for novice referees. He called the series, "Refereeing is thinking."
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	He also successfully proposed that the pressure of the ball should be specified in the [[Laws of the Game (association football)\|Laws of the Game]]. In 1974, he introduced the number board for substitutes, so that players could easily understand who was being substituted.		He also successfully proposed that the pressure of the ball should be specified in the [[Laws of the Game (association football)\|Laws of the Game]]. In 1974, he introduced the number board for substitutes, so that players could easily understand who was being substituted.

	He was also credited for the improvement of refereeing beginning with the World ~~cup 1970~~ in Mexico through his efforts to bring about uniformity.<ref>David Miller: "Anti-British cloud hangs over soccer", The Times, London, August 22, 1972, p. 22</ref>		He was also credited for the improvement of refereeing beginning with the 1970 World Cup in Mexico through his efforts to bring about uniformity.<ref>David Miller: "Anti-British cloud hangs over soccer", The Times, London, August 22, 1972, p. 22</ref>

	== Red and yellow cards ==		== Red and yellow cards ==

	Following an incident in the [[~~Argentina–England_football_rivalry~~#~~1966_World_Cup~~\|England vs Argentina match]] in the [[Football World Cup 1966\|1966 World Cup]], it came to Aston's knowledge that [[Jack Charlton]] had been booked by the German referee, [[Rudolf Kreitlein]]. Charlton called the [[publisher\|press]] [[office]], where Aston was ensconced (as Head of World Cup Referees), in order to confirm the information that he had read within the newspaper that Kreitlein had booked him. Aston, driving from [[Wembley Stadium (1924)\|Wembley Stadium]] to [[Lancaster Gate]] that same evening, had Charlton's confusion in mind during the journey.		Following an incident in the [[Argentina–England football rivalry#1966 World Cup\|England vs Argentina match]] in the [[Football World Cup 1966\|1966 World Cup]], it came to Aston's knowledge that [[Jack Charlton]] had been booked by the German referee, [[Rudolf Kreitlein]]. Charlton called the [[publisher\|press]] [[office]], where Aston was ensconced (as Head of World Cup Referees), in order to confirm the information that he had read within the newspaper that Kreitlein had booked him. Aston, driving from [[Wembley Stadium (1924)\|Wembley Stadium]] to [[Lancaster Gate]] that same evening, had Charlton's confusion in mind during the journey.

	On the trip, as he stopped at a traffic light junction at [[Kensington High Street]], Aston realised that a colour-coding scheme based on the same amber/yellow ('stop if safe to do so') - red (Stop) principle as used on traffic lights would traverse language barriers and clarify to players and spectators that they had been [[Caution (football)\|cautioned]] or [[Dismissal (football)\|sent off.]]<ref>[https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/developing/refereeing/news/newsid=80623.html Refereeing]{{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080606022246/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/developing/refereeing/news/newsid%3D80623.html \|date= 6 June 2008 }}</ref>		On the trip, as he stopped at a traffic light junction at [[Kensington High Street]], Aston realised that a colour-coding scheme based on the same amber/yellow ('stop if safe to do so') - red (Stop) principle as used on traffic lights would traverse language barriers and clarify to players and spectators that they had been [[Caution (football)\|cautioned]] or [[Dismissal (football)\|sent off.]]<ref>[https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/developing/refereeing/news/newsid=80623.html Refereeing]{{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080606022246/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/developing/refereeing/news/newsid%3D80623.html \|date= 6 June 2008 }}</ref>

	Aston later explained that upon arriving at his home, he explained the dilemma to his wife, Hilda. She disappeared into the other room, only to return a few minutes later with two "cards" made of construction paper. She had cut them to fit into his shirt pocket. Thus was devised the system whereby referees show a [[Misconduct (football)#Cautionable offenses .28yellow card.29\|yellow card]] for a caution and a [[Misconduct (football)#Sending-off offences .28red card.29\|red card]] for an expulsion, which was first used in the [[Football World Cup 1970\|1970 World Cup]].		Aston later explained that upon arriving at his home, he explained the dilemma to his wife, Hilda. She disappeared into the other room, only to return a few minutes later with two "cards" made of construction paper. She had cut them to fit into his shirt pocket. Thus was devised the system whereby referees show a [[Misconduct (football)#Cautionable offenses .28yellow card.29\|yellow card]] for a caution and a [[Misconduct (football)#Sending-off offences .28red card.29\|red card]] for an expulsion, which was first used in the [[Football World Cup 1970\|1970 World Cup]].
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	== Later career ==		== Later career ==

	Aston became senior lecturer of [[the Football Association]] Referees' Panel and Chief Instructor for the [[American Youth Soccer Organization]] (AYSO), a position he held for 21 years. In 1997, he was awarded the [[Order of the British Empire\|MBE]].<ref>{{Cite web\|last=Wyatt\|first=By Beth\|date=2014-10-11\|title=Gallery and feature: Local hero Ken Aston a 'giant in the football world'\|url=https://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/gallery-and-feature-local-hero-ken-aston-a-giant-in-3006554\|access-date=2022-01-21\|website=Ilford Recorder\|language=en-UK}}</ref>		Aston became senior lecturer of [[the Football Association]] Referees' Panel and Chief Instructor for the [[American Youth Soccer Organization]] (AYSO), a position he held for 21 years. In 1997, he was awarded the [[Order of the British Empire\|MBE]].<ref>{{Cite web\|last=Wyatt\|first=Beth\|date=2014-10-11\|title=Gallery and feature: Local hero Ken Aston a 'giant in the football world'\|url=https://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/gallery-and-feature-local-hero-ken-aston-a-giant-in-3006554\|access-date=2022-01-21\|website=Ilford Recorder\|language=en-UK}}</ref>

	The Ken Aston Camp is held annually in Orange, CA. The camp honours Ken's commitment to service and excellence. The Ken Aston Cup, was an annual competition to recognise skilled referees in AYSO. The tournament was held annually in southern California. ~~After a multi-year hiatus, it is scheduled to be held in [[Costa Mesa, California]] in March 2020.~~ As long as they were able, Aston and his wife Hilda were the guests of honour on the fields at the camp and competition. Ken taught at the camp and they drove around the tournament in a golf cart, observing, chatting, and making new friends. Their golf cart carried a Union Jack, making them easy to locate.		The Ken Aston Camp is held annually in Orange, CA. The camp honours Ken's commitment to service and excellence. The Ken Aston Cup, was an annual competition to recognise skilled referees in AYSO. The tournament was held annually in southern California. As long as they were able, Aston and his wife Hilda were the guests of honour on the fields at the camp and competition. Ken taught at the camp and they drove around the tournament in a golf cart, observing, chatting, and making new friends. Their golf cart carried a Union Jack, making them easy to locate.

			After a multi-year hiatus, it was scheduled to be held in [[Costa Mesa, California]] in March 2020.

	==References==		==References==
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	[[Category:People from Colchester]]		[[Category:People from Colchester]]
	[[Category:English football referees]]		[[Category:English football referees]]
	[[Category:FA Cup ~~Final~~ referees]]		[[Category:FA Cup final referees]]
	[[Category:Founders of association football institutions]]		[[Category:Founders of association football institutions]]
	[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]		[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
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	[[Category:English Football League referees]]		[[Category:English Football League referees]]
	[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]		[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]
	[[Category:Royal Artillery ~~personnel~~]]		[[Category:Royal Artillery soldiers]]
	[[Category:Indian Army personnel of World War II]]		[[Category:Indian Army personnel of World War II]]

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2022-12-11T11:37:56Z

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← Older revision		Revision as of 17:07, 11 December 2022
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	{{short description\|English football referee}}		{{short description\|English football referee}}
	{{EngvarB\|date=December ~~2022~~}}		{{EngvarB\|date=December 2019}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=February 2021}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=February 2021}}
	{{refimprove\|date=April ~~2022~~}}		{{refimprove\|date=April 2010}}
	{{Infobox football official		{{Infobox football official
	\| image = Ken Aston MBE Portrait.jpg		\| image = Ken Aston MBE Portrait.jpg

Bot: robot: Create/upgrade articles. If there is a mistake please report on my talk page.

2022-12-11T11:37:56Z

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New page

{{short description|English football referee}}
{{EngvarB|date=December 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{refimprove|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox football official
| image = Ken Aston MBE Portrait.jpg
| fullname = Kenneth George Aston
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1915|9|1}}
| birth_place = [[Colchester, Essex]], England
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2001|10|23|1915|9|1}}
| death_place = [[Ilford]], [[London]], England
| otheroccupation = [[Teacher|School teacher]], [[soldier]], [[judge]]
| years1 = 1946–
| league1 =
| role1 =
| years2 = 1953–
| league2 = 
| role2 =
| internationalyears1 =
| confederation1 =
| internationalrole1 =
| internationalyears2 =
| confederation2 =
| internationalrole2 =
}}

'''Kenneth George Aston''', [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] (1 September 1915 – 23 October 2001) was an English teacher, soldier, and [[Referee (association football)|football referee]], who was responsible for many important developments in football refereeing - including the yellow and red [[penalty card]] system.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk">{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1360804/Ken-Aston.html|title=Ken Aston|date=29 October 2001|work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref>

== Early life and career ==

Born in [[Colchester, Essex]], he graduated from St Luke's College, [[Exeter]] (in which [[George Reader]] had been taught just after the [[First World War]], and which Sir [[Stanley Rous]] had also attended). He qualified as a referee in 1936, working his way through the leagues becoming a [[Football League]] [[Assistant referee (association football)|linesman]] in the [[1949–50 in English football|1949–50]] season, and becoming a League referee. In the [[Second World War]] he was rejected by the [[Royal Air Force]] because of an injured ankle, and subsequently joined the [[Royal Artillery]] before transferring to the [[British Indian Army]], where he finished the war with the rank of [[lieutenant-colonel]] and served on the [[Changi War Crimes Tribunal]].

== Refereeing ==

On his return from military service in 1946, Aston became the first League referee to wear the black uniform with white trim which became the standard for referees. Up to that point, referees wore tweed jackets over white shirts with French cuffs, and pants akin to golf knickers. He later explained that when he spied a black flight jacket in the window of a war surplus store, he was delighted with the wonderful assortment of pockets. He immediately bought a couple of the jackets, thinking the pockets would serve him well as a referee. He changed to black knickers, kept the white shirt, and wore the new black flight jacket, creating the black uniform with the apparent white "trim."

The following year (1947), he introduced brightly coloured linesman's flags, one yellow and one red, in place of those provided by the home team, in the home team's colours, which had traditionally been used.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/> He explained that he was doing a game in the midst of a foggy London day. He said that the colours of the home team were beige and chocolate, colours he was unable to see in the fog. He explained that he went to war surplus store on the way home, purchased a pair of red and yellow rain slickers and made a set of brightly coloured flags, which he used thereafter, and was never troubled by fog again.

In 1953 he became Head Teacher at [[Newbury Park Primary School]] in [[Ilford]], [[Essex]], and progressed to refereeing senior League matches.

Aston taught many courses, including a series that was recorded for novice referees. He called the series, "Refereeing is thinking."

Aston refereed the [[FA Cup Final 1963|1963 FA Cup Final]] and the "[[Battle of Santiago (1962 FIFA World Cup)|Battle of Santiago]]", the match between [[Chile national football team|Chile]] and [[Italy national football team|Italy]] in the [[Football World Cup 1962|1962 World Cup]].

== FIFA Referees' Committee ==

Aston did not referee any more games either in the 1962 tournament (having strained his [[Achilles Tendon]]), or in later World Cups. He was, however, appointed to the [[FIFA]] Referees' Committee for eight years, chairing it for four. He was in charge of all referees for the [[Football World Cup 1966|1966]], [[Football World Cup 1970|1970]], and [[Football World Cup 1974|1974 World Cups]].

In 1966 Aston also introduced the practice of naming a [[wikt:substitute|substitute]] referee who could take over in the case of the referee being unable to continue for any reason (this eventually evolved into the practice of having a designated [[fourth official]]).

He also successfully proposed that the pressure of the ball should be specified in the [[Laws of the Game (association football)|Laws of the Game]]. In 1974, he introduced the number board for substitutes, so that players could easily understand who was being substituted.

He was also credited for the improvement of refereeing beginning with the World cup 1970 in Mexico through his efforts to bring about uniformity.<ref>David Miller: "Anti-British cloud hangs over soccer", The Times, London, August 22, 1972, p. 22</ref>

== Red and yellow cards ==

Following an incident in the [[Argentina–England_football_rivalry#1966_World_Cup|England vs Argentina match]] in the [[Football World Cup 1966|1966 World Cup]], it came to Aston's knowledge that [[Jack Charlton]] had been booked by the German referee, [[Rudolf Kreitlein]]. Charlton called the [[publisher|press]] [[office]], where Aston was ensconced (as Head of World Cup Referees), in order to confirm the information that he had read within the newspaper that Kreitlein had booked him. Aston, driving from [[Wembley Stadium (1924)|Wembley Stadium]] to [[Lancaster Gate]] that same evening, had Charlton's confusion in mind during the journey.

On the trip, as he stopped at a traffic light junction at [[Kensington High Street]], Aston realised that a colour-coding scheme based on the same amber/yellow ('stop if safe to do so') - red (Stop) principle as used on traffic lights would traverse language barriers and clarify to players and spectators that they had been [[Caution (football)|cautioned]] or [[Dismissal (football)|sent off.]]<ref>[https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/developing/refereeing/news/newsid=80623.html Refereeing]{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080606022246/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/developing/refereeing/news/newsid%3D80623.html |date= 6 June 2008 }}</ref>

Aston later explained that upon arriving at his home, he explained the dilemma to his wife, Hilda. She disappeared into the other room, only to return a few minutes later with two "cards" made of construction paper. She had cut them to fit into his shirt pocket. Thus was devised the system whereby referees show a [[Misconduct (football)#Cautionable offenses .28yellow card.29|yellow card]] for a caution and a [[Misconduct (football)#Sending-off offences .28red card.29|red card]] for an expulsion, which was first used in the [[Football World Cup 1970|1970 World Cup]].

[[penalty card|These cards]] have also been adopted – with appropriate differences depending on the rules – in [[Rugby football|rugby]], [[water polo]], and other sports.

== Later career ==

Aston became senior lecturer of [[the Football Association]] Referees' Panel and Chief Instructor for the [[American Youth Soccer Organization]] (AYSO), a position he held for 21 years. In 1997, he was awarded the [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wyatt|first=By Beth|date=2014-10-11|title=Gallery and feature: Local hero Ken Aston a 'giant in the football world'|url=https://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/gallery-and-feature-local-hero-ken-aston-a-giant-in-3006554|access-date=2022-01-21|website=Ilford Recorder|language=en-UK}}</ref>

The Ken Aston Camp is held annually in Orange, CA. The camp honours Ken's commitment to service and excellence. The Ken Aston Cup, was an annual competition to recognise skilled referees in AYSO. The tournament was held annually in southern California. After a multi-year hiatus, it is scheduled to be held in [[Costa Mesa, California]] in March 2020. As long as they were able, Aston and his wife Hilda were the guests of honour on the fields at the camp and competition. Ken taught at the camp and they drove around the tournament in a golf cart, observing, chatting, and making new friends. Their golf cart carried a Union Jack, making them easy to locate.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.kenaston.org Ken Aston Referee Society]
* [http://www.kenaston.org/the-person.htm Ken Aston - The Person]
* [http://www.kenaston.org http://www.kenaston.org]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20111023004530/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/footballdevelopment/technicalsupport/refereeing/news/newsid=80623/index.html Ken Aston – the inventor of yellow and red cards] at [[FIFA|FIFA.com]]
*[https://kenastoncamps.org/ Ken Aston Camp]

{{s-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{succession box
| before = ''none''<br>(1960 was the first)
| after = [[Arthur Holland (referee)|Arthur Holland]] ([[England]])
| title = [[UEFA European Championship]]<br> final match referees
| years = 1960
}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Jim Finney]]
| after = [[Arthur Holland (referee)|Arthur Holland]]
| title = [[FA Cup]] final referee
| years = [[FA Cup Final 1963|1963]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aston, Ken}}
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:2001 deaths]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Colchester]]
[[Category:British Indian Army officers]]
[[Category:People from Colchester]]
[[Category:English football referees]]
[[Category:FA Cup Final referees]]
[[Category:Founders of association football institutions]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:1962 FIFA World Cup referees]]
[[Category:English Football League referees]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Royal Artillery personnel]]
[[Category:Indian Army personnel of World War II]]