Cambridge United v Bolton Wanderers: Armed forces quartet to officiate at Remembrance Weekend game

Darren Drysdale first became an assistant referee in the Football League in the 1990s

Four members of the armed forces will officiate at Saturday’s game between Cambridge United and Bolton Wanderers.

The League One fixture will take place during Remembrance Weekend and it is the first time officials from all three services have been represented.

RAF Sergeant Darren Drysdale will referee the match, assisted by Army Corporal Declan O’Shea and Captain Steve Finch.

The Royal Navy’s Chief Petty Officer Scott Jackson will be fourth official.

A poppy wreath will be laid at the edge of the centre circle in a ceremony before kick-off, to be followed by a minute’s silence and the playing of the Last Post.

Assistant referee O’Shea said: “We are all indebted to the Army, RAF and Royal Navy for the amount of support we have all received to allow us to reach the professional level on the football pyramid, whilst also being on rotations for deployments and operations.

“There will be something quite moving stood shoulder to shoulder during the pre-match ceremonies with guys that have lived through and felt the emotion of sacrifice on operations.

“It will be a special moment. But shortly after, when the first whistle goes, it’s business as usual.”

Remembrance Weekend, which coincides with the anniversary of the signing of the armistice which ended World War One on 11 November 1918, will be marked at sporting fixtures all across the UK this weekend.

And King Charles will lead the nation’s tributes to those who have fallen in various armed conflicts around the world at the Cenotaph, in Whitehall, on Sunday morning.

Referee Drysdale was on active service during the Iraq conflict in 2003.

“The camaraderie within a team of match officials is akin to that which is shared in the armed forces,” he said.

“The closeness of a team and the shared end target in being the best you can be correlates to both environments.”

Jackson added: “Remembrance Weekend is a poignant time when the nation comes together and respects those who have served, serve now and ultimately the ones who have given their lives for their country.

“A tri-service team of match officials has never been appointed on a game together – there’s no better weekend than Remembrance for it to happen for the first time.”