The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) is delighted to announce that Tim Robinson and Darren Bond have been promoted to Select Group 1 for the 2023/24 Premier League season. Robinson, a native of West Sussex, and Bond, from Lancashire, have both had limited experience of leading Premier League games in the past. Robinson has refereed three top-flight games before, including two last season, while Bond has officiated four in the past, all of which came in the campaign just gone. None of those games involved Liverpool, with the extent of their combined experience with Reds fixtures being Robinson as fourth official for the 0-0 draw at Southampton in 2016 and the 3-0 defeat at Brighton earlier this year.
Their promotions come amid major changes in the refereeing setup for the Premier League of late, including the retirement of Andre Marriner this summer and former referee Neil Swarbrick stepping down from his position as VAR manager, as well as Lee Mason from his role as dedicated VAR in February. PGMOL is now led by Howard Webb, who has sought more transparency between officials and clubs, as well as fans. In May, Webb was in the Sky Sports studio to explain a series of – albeit less contentious – VAR decisions from earlier in the season. He confirmed plans for further clarification through VAR audio in the future, though he stressed that “we can’t play it live.”
Despite this, controversy still remains, with Liverpool writing to PGMOL to ask for explanations for two baffling decisions in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa. Jurgen Klopp was watching from the stands as Cody Gakpo received studs to the chest and a foul in the box on Jordan Henderson was overlooked, the manager having received a ban for comments made about referee Paul Tierney. PGMOL dismissed both complaints, insisting their officials made the right calls.