INSIDE STORY:GRAHAM POLL

Right now I am watching a BBC News Inside Story report on the final season of the high profile referee Graham Poll. It's quite revealing, and as a former referee myself I know how hard the job can be. It does seem to be focusing too much on the mistakes and negative points without mentioning the hundreds of matches which passed off without incident.
I always remember Graham Poll early in his refereeing career at Wokingham Town in the Isthmian League. This would have been in the mid-1980s. There was one match which stands out where, as well as Wokingham having a young mascot, it was also the first match for a female linesman. I walked out to the middle with them to take pictures of the two teams captains, officials and mascot, and Graham asked if he could have a copy too for the officials. After the match he gave me his address; he came across as a really nice guy.
It's a shame that he will remembered mainly for the high profile mistakes.