{{short description|English football referee and cricket umpire}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox football official | name = Martin Bodenham | fullname = Martin John Dale Bodenham | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|4|23|df=y}} | birth_place = Brighton, Sussex, England | death_date = | death_place = | otheroccupation = Cricket umpire | years1 = 1978–1992 |league1 = Football League |role1 = Referee | years2 = 1992–1998 |league2 = Premier League |role2 = Referee | internationalyears1 = |confederation1 = |internationalrole1 = }} {{Infobox cricketer | umpire = true | wodisumpired = 5 | umpwodidebutyr = 2006 | umpwodilastyr = 2013 | wt20isumpired = 5 | umpwt20idebutyr = 2008 | umpwt20ilastyr = 2011 }} '''Martin John Dale Bodenham''' (born 23 April 1950)<ref name="cricinfo">[http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/229251.html Full Name & Date and Place of Birth]: from Cricinfo.</ref> is a former English football referee and cricket umpire who retired from the first-class cricket list in 2016.<ref name="Sussex v Leicestershire">{{cite web | url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2017/content/story/1108815.html | title=Sussex fail to dominate on searing day | publisher=ESPN Cricinfo | date=5 July 2017 | accessdate=6 July 2017}}</ref> He was born in Brighton,<ref name="cricinfo"/> but lived for a significant part of his life in Looe, Cornwall. He now resides in Ferring, in Sussex.<ref>[http://www.thefa.com/GrassrootsNew/Referee/Postings/2005/01/MartinBodenham Profile] at TheFA.com website.</ref><ref name="Sussex v Leicestershire"/>
In 2008, Bodenham was named as a first class umpire by the England and Wales Cricket Board, for that year’s County cricket season. Officials said that, "he will make history as the first man to have officiated at top-flight football and umpire at first-class cricket in England and Wales."<ref name="BBC">{{Cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/7720284.stm|title=Former ref makes 2009 umpire list|date=10 November 2008}}</ref> As a referee, his career highlights have included "the 1997 League Cup Final, and the replay match between Leicester City and Middlesbrough."<ref name="BBC"/>
==Career== His first football referee experience is in Brighton 'parks' in 1966.<ref>[http://archive.theargus.co.uk/2001/6/4/177130.html "Football: Bodenham seeks better class of ref"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312230128/http://archive.theargus.co.uk/2001/6/4/177130.html |date=12 March 2007 }}: Interview with The Argus (online).</ref>
He progressed to top level refereeing in 1978.<ref>[http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/GOALChildProtection/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2005/01/Top+Ref+praises+FA+Child+Protection.htm Top level refereeing] (20-year career until 1998 retirement).</ref>
In Europe, on 18 May 1994, he was the fourth official at the 1994 European Cup Final in Athens, AC Milan defeating Barcelona by 4–0.
His most prestigious appointment domestically was the League Cup Final at Wembley on 6 April 1997,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110516224350/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4837502.html Date of League Cup Final] in 1997: ''HighBeam(Research).com'' website.</ref> when Leicester City drew 1–1 with Middlesbrough after extra time. A replay was necessary, during which Martin presided over Leicester's 1–0 victory at Hillsborough (also after extra time), the goal coming from Steve Claridge in the 100th minute.
He also refereed two FA Cup semi finals during his 32-year career, before his retirement in 1998. At this point, he entered the world of cricket, becoming a Sussex League umpire.
In 2001, he became the first ever Head of Refereeing for the county of Sussex. He is also a Premier League match observer, referees' assessor, and UEFA delegate.<ref>[http://www.afars.org/dates_for_your_diary.htm 'Dates for your Diary'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929101827/http://www.afars.org/dates_for_your_diary.htm |date=29 September 2007 }}: The AFA and London Society of Association Referees.</ref>
Bodenham switched active sports completely in 2005, becoming a top-class cricket umpire, and was added to the ECB reserve list in 2006. He stood at the wicket for England A versus Sri Lanka at Worcester in May of that year.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/solpda/ifs_sport/hi/newsid_4986000/4986720.stm "New game for ref"]{{dead link|date=September 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}: Interview at the BBC.co.uk website.</ref>
==See also== *List of football referees
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bodenham, Martin}} Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Brighton and Hove Category:People from Looe Category:English football referees Category:English cricket umpires Category:English Football League referees Category:Premier League referees