Jarred Gillett to join England's Select Group 2
Professional Football Referees Association (PFRA) Executive Committee member Jarred Gillett has resigned from his role as a full-time Hyundai A-League referee at Football Federation Australia (FFA) and will finish his duties in March 2019 to pursue both academic and refereeing opportunities overseas.
Gillett graduated with a PhD in Biomechanics from the University of Queensland in December 2018, which focused on children with cerebral palsy.
He has been offered and accepted a position at Liverpool John Moores University, where he will continue his research, which starts in April 2019, but he was also keen to continue working as a referee.
Gillett will join the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) Select Group 2 for season 2019/20 being the group who referee in the English Football League Championship.
"It is a sad day to lose a referee of Jarred's calibre but the PFRA understand, respect and fully support his decision to pursue his academic and refereeing opportunities in England," PFRA President Strebre Delovski said.
"We are delighted Jarred has confirmed he will stay on as an involved member of the PFRA."
Gillett, one of FFA's foundation full-time referees, has refereed 154 matches since 2010 including five (5) Hyundai A-League Grand Finals and has been named the Hyundai A-League Referee of the Year five (5) times.
Gillett was also one of the first Hyundai A-League match officials trained as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
The 32-year-old had mixed emotions about making the decision to resign and move to the UK but believed the time was right.
"The Hyundai A-League provided the opportunity for me to progress from grassroots to a full-time professional referee and I'm grateful to the FFA, the PFRA, my coaches, mentors and colleagues who have played a role in my career so far," Gillett said.
"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."
