Billy Thompson
MBE
Personal information
Full nameWilliam Henry Thompson
Born(1933-09-21)21 September 1933
Huddersfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
DiedFebruary 2021 (aged 87)
Refereeing information
Years Competition Apps
1967–84 Rugby Football League Championship
1968–80 Internationals
Source: [1]

William Henry Thompson MBE (1933 – 2021) was a British rugby league referee. He refereed 17 Test matches, including the World Cup final in 1977. He also refereed three Challenge Cup Finals.

Thompson was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1985 Birthday Honours for services to rugby league.[2]

Biography

Born in Huddersfield, Thompson was an aspiring footballer in his younger years, and was on the books at Gillingham, but failed to make the grade.[3] He became a referee, and was added to the Rugby Football League's Grade One referee's list during the 1967–68 season.[4]

He took charge of his first Challenge Cup final in 1971, and became the first referee to send off a player in a Challenge Cup final when he dismissed Syd Hynes for an alleged headbutt on Alex Murphy.[5]

In 1980, he refereed the inaugural State of Origin game between Queensland and New South Wales in Australia.[6]

His final game as a referee was the 1984 Challenge Cup final, after which he was forced to retire, aged 50.[4]

Death

His death was announced in February 2021, at the age of 87.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Billy Thompson - Referee Career Rugby League Project
  2. ↑ UK list: "No. 50154". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 June 1985. p. 16.
  3. ↑ "Billy Thompson (1934-2021)". Huddersfield Giants. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Billy Thompson - former top rugby league referee dies". Yorkshire Evening Post. 16 February 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  5. ↑ "Former referee Billy Thompson passes away, aged 87". YorkshireLive. 17 February 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  6. ↑ "Final whistle for English referee who helped ensure Origin's success". National Rugby League. 18 February 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  7. ↑ Thomson, Doug (22 February 2021). "Billy Thompson MBE: A legendary referee with tales to tell". Total Rugby League. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
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