View source for Craig Thomson (referee)

{{Short description|Scottish football referee}}
{{other people||Craig Thomson (disambiguation){{!}}Craig Thomson}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox football official
| name = Craig Thomson<br /><small>{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}}}}</small>
| fullname = Craig Thomson
| image = Craig Thomson (referee).jpg
| caption = Thomson (yellow shirt) refereeing a [[2008&ndash;09 UEFA Cup]] game between [[Lech Poznań]] and [[Deportivo de La Coruña|Deportivo La Coruña]].
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1972|6|20}}
| birth_place = [[Edinburgh]], Scotland
| death_date    = 
| death_place = 
| otheroccupation = Solicitor
| years1              = 1988–2019
| league1             = [[Scottish Football Association]]
| role1               = [[Referee (association football)|Referee]]
| years2              = 2000–2002
| league2             = [[Scottish Football League]]
| role2               = Referee
| years3              = 2002–2013
| league3             = [[Scottish Premier League]]
| role3               = Referee
| years4              = 2013–2019
| league4             = [[Scottish Professional Football League]]
| role4               = Referee
| internationalyears1 = 2003–2018
| confederation1      = [[FIFA International Referees List|FIFA listed]]
| internationalrole1  = Referee
}}

'''Craig Alexander Thomson''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} (born 20 June 1972<ref name="sfaprofile">[http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/referee_profile.cfm?viewprofile=1&refereeid=20250481&viewcategory=1 Referee profile] at the [[Scottish Football Association]] website. Retrieved on 16 June 2007.</ref>) is a Scottish former football referee, who was a match official between 1988 and 2019.<ref name="matchlist">[http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/referee_profile.cfm?viewprofile=1&refereeid=20250481&viewcategory=5 Date Thomson first took up refereeing], also matches or appointments in more detail: the Scottish Football Association website. Retrieved on 16 June 2007.</ref> Thomson originates from [[Paisley, Renfrewshire]].<ref>[http://www.dafc.net/index2.php?ID=2113 Home town], Paisley: match report at the [[Dunfermline Athletic F.C.|Dunfermline Athletic]] website. Retrieved on 20 December 2007.</ref>

==Career==
Thomson has officiated in the [[Scottish Premier League]] since 2002, and his first match in charge in that League was the fixture between [[St Johnstone F.C.|St Johnstone]] and [[Hibernian F.C.|Hibernian]] on 12 May 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.soccerbase.com/referees/referee.sd?referee_id=454&season_id=131 |title=Craig Thomson |work= [[soccerbase]] |access-date=29 November 2012}}</ref> Thomson became a [[FIFA]] referee in 2003.<ref name="sfaprofile" /> His first International match for FIFA was the 4–1 defeat of [[Northern Ireland national football team|Northern Ireland]] by [[Norway national football team|Norway]] at [[Windsor Park]], [[Belfast]], on 18 February 2004.<ref>[http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=414408 First International match] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930211055/http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=414408 |date=30 September 2007 }}: soccerbase.com website. Retrieved on 16 June 2007.</ref> His next most notable match abroad was the [[2006 FIFA World Cup qualification|2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying match]] between the [[Faroe Islands national football team|Faroe Islands]] and [[France national football team|France]] on 8 September 2004, when he sent off [[Patrick Vieira]] during a 2–0 win for the French.<ref>[http://soccernet.espn.go.com/match?id=152454&cc=5739 Faroe Islands v. France] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604031225/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/match?id=152454&cc=5739 |date=4 June 2011 }}, [[2006 FIFA World Cup qualification|2006 World Cup qualifying match]], 8 September 2004: [[ESPN]]soccernet website. Retrieved on 16 June 2007.</ref>

Domestically, he handled the [[2006 Scottish Challenge Cup Final|2006 Scottish Challenge Cup final]] between [[Ross County FC|Ross County]] and [[Clyde FC|Clyde]].<ref>[http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=501232 Scottish Challenge Cup Final], 2006: soccerbase.com website. Retrieved on 16 June 2007.</ref> He was selected to referee during the [[2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship|UEFA Under-21 Championship 2007]], held in the Netherlands.<ref name="matchlist" /> This included him issuing a second yellow card to [[Belgium national football team|Belgium]]'s [[Marouane Fellaini]] in the 18th minute of their Group A match against [[Israel national football team|Israel]] on 13 June in the [[Abe Lenstra Stadion]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110604031244/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=218927&cc=5739 Belgium v. Israel], [[2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship|UEFA Under-21 Championship 2007]], 13 June: [[ESPN]]soccernet website. Retrieved on 16 June 2007.</ref> He was not appointed to referee any other games in the Championship. Thomson appeared as a [[fourth official]] at [[UEFA Euro 2008]] in Switzerland and Austria.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071220214205/http://www.uefa.com/competitions/euro/news/kind=1/newsid=639895.html?cid=rssfeed&att=index Fourth official duties], Euro 2008: [[UEFA]].com website. Retrieved on 20 December 2007.</ref>

Thomson took charge of the [[2009 Scottish Cup Final]] between [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]] and [[Falkirk F.C.|Falkirk]]. In the [[2010 Scottish League Cup Final]] between Rangers and [[St Mirren F.C.|St Mirren]], Thomson sent off two Rangers players in [[Danny Wilson (footballer born 1991)|Danny Wilson]] and [[Kevin Thomson]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/mar/21/st-mirren-rangers-scottish-cup-final|title=Kenny Miller sees nine-man Rangers through to victory|date=21 March 2010|work=The Guardian|access-date=7 June 2011}}</ref> Other high-profile matches include a friendly between France and [[Spain national football team|Spain]] on 3 March 2010 as well as a number of [[Old Firm]] matches.{{citation needed|date=December 2016}}

On 12 October 2010, Thomson abandoned the [[Italy national football team|Italy]]–[[Serbia national football team|Serbia]] [[UEFA Euro 2012 qualification|Euro 2012 qualification]] match after seven minutes of play due to crowd disorder.<ref name = "italy serbia"/> Italy was later awarded a 3–0 victory by UEFA for the forfeit.<ref name = "italy serbia">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/9086046.stm |title=Italy-Serbia Euro 2012 tie abandoned after fan trouble |publisher=BBC Sport |date=12 October 2010 |access-date=12 October 2010}}</ref> The following month, [[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]] players [[Sergio Ramos]] and [[Xabi Alonso]] appeared to deliberately incur second yellow cards from Thomson in a [[UEFA Champions League]] match, thereby serving a suspension in a [[dead rubber]] match.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/9221957.stm |title=Champions League round-up: Mourinho denies red card plot |publisher=BBC Sport |date=24 November 2010 |access-date=24 November 2010}}</ref> Then Real Madrid coach [[José Mourinho]] denied that the players had sought to be sent-off.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/jose-mourinho-unimpressed-by-scottish-referee-2142412.html |title=Jose Mourinho unimpressed by Scottish referee |work=[[The Independent]] |date=24 November 2010 |access-date=24 November 2010}}</ref>

In the [[2011 Scottish League Cup Final|2011 Scottish League Cup final]] between Celtic and Rangers, Thomson awarded Rangers a [[penalty kick (association football)|penalty]], but then changed his decision.<ref name="2011 lc">{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/rangers-manager-critical-of-referee-thomson-after-dangerous-decision-to-rescind-penalty-1.1091500|title=Rangers manager critical of referee Thomson after 'dangerous' decision to rescind penalty|date=21 March 2011|publisher=The Herald|access-date=7 July 2011|archive-date=10 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010205414/http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/rangers-manager-critical-of-referee-thomson-after-dangerous-decision-to-rescind-penalty-1.1091500|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the final Old Firm match of the 2010–11 season, Thomson awarded [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]] a penalty with seven minutes remaining, which was saved by Rangers goalkeeper [[Allan McGregor]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/9464454.stm|title=Rangers 0 – 0 Celtic|date=24 April 2011|publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=7 June 2011}}</ref>

In 2011, Thomson refereed the France–[[Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team|Bosnia and Herzegovina]] Euro 2012 qualification match.<ref name="france pen">{{cite news|url=http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3284/euro-2012/2011/10/12/2707747/controversial-refereeing-call-helps-france-qualify-again-but|title=Controversial refereeing call helps France qualify again, but they will underperform at Euro 2012 unless they improve massively|date=12 October 2011|work=Goal.com|access-date=19 June 2012}}</ref>

Thomson was appointed for the [[2012 Scottish Cup Final|2012 Scottish Cup final]], which was won 5–1 by Hearts against their [[Edinburgh derby]] rivals Hibernian.<ref name="2012 SCF">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18044372|title=Hibernian 1–5 Hearts|last=Campbell|first=Andy|date=19 May 2012|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=21 May 2012}}</ref> During the match, Thomson failed to send off Hearts midfielder [[Ian Black (footballer, born 1985)|Ian Black]] for a horrific challenge on Hibs striker [[Leigh Griffiths]] and also awarded a penalty to Hearts for a foul which television replays showed to be incorrect. He was also photographed with Hearts supporters post match making a "5-1" hand gesture.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/18135163 |title=Hibs' Leigh Griffiths blasts referee Craig Thomson and Suso |first=Clive |last=Lindsay |publisher=BBC Sport |date=19 May 2012 |access-date=23 May 2019}}</ref>

Thomson was selected in December 2011 to referee in the [[UEFA Euro 2012|Euro 2012 final stages]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16261796.stm|title=Referees Howard Webb & Craig Thomson earn Euro 2012 roles|date=20 December 2011|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=20 December 2011}}</ref> He took charge of the group stage matches [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]]–[[Denmark national football team|Denmark]] and [[Czech Republic national football team|Czech Republic]]–[[Poland national football team|Poland]]. Thomson was also in charge of a [[2014 FIFA World Cup qualification|2014 World Cup qualification]] match between [[Romania national football team|Romania]] and the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]] on 16 October 2012 in [[Bucharest]].<ref name = "romania">{{cite web|last=Temple |first=Alan |url=http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2015/10/07/craig-thomson-assigned-romania-fixture-after-being-branded-useless-in-bucharest/ |title=Craig Thomson assigned Romania fixture after being branded 'useless' in Bucharest |work=Deadline News |date=7 October 2015 |access-date=22 November 2019}}</ref>

In March 2013, Thomson refereed a [[2012–13 UEFA Champions League knockout phase|Champions League quarter-final]] match between [[Borussia Dortmund]] and [[Málaga CF|Málaga]], which Dortmund won with two late goals.<ref name = "malaga">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22097864 |title=Uefa studies Malaga owner's remarks after European exit |publisher=BBC Sport |date=10 April 2013 |access-date=10 April 2013}}</ref> [[Scottish Football Association|Scottish FA]] chief executive [[Stewart Regan]] spoke in defence of Thomson, saying that he had performed well to earn the high-profile appointment and that the problems in the Borussia Dortmund–Málaga match had been due to his assistants.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/top-football-stories/sfa-defend-craig-thomson-as-malaga-make-ref-complaint-1-2889164 |title=SFA defend Craig Thomson as Malaga make ref complaint |first=Craig |last=Fowler |work= The Scotsman |publisher=Johnston Publishing |date=11 April 2013 |access-date=11 April 2013}}</ref> Thomson hoped to be selected for the [[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014 World Cup final stages]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/scots-referee-craig-thomson-says-2798408 |title=Scots referee Craig Thomson says World Cup call up would help him repay family for sacrifices they've made in pursuit of his career |first=Hugh |last=Keevins |work=Daily Record |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=16 November 2013 |access-date=28 January 2014}}</ref> but FIFA omitted him from their list of 14 officials for the tournament.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/spfl/world-cup-finals-snub-for-scots-referee-thomson.1389781115 |title=World Cup finals snub for Scots referee Thomson |work=Evening Times |publisher=Herald & Times Group |date=15 January 2014 |access-date=28 January 2014}}</ref>

Thomson officiated the [[2014 Scottish Cup Final]] at [[Celtic Park]] in Glasgow in which Perth side St Johnstone beat [[Dundee United F.C.|Dundee United]] 2–0.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated-->|date=29 April 2014 |title=Craig Thomson to referee Scottish Cup final |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/27213773 |work=BBC Sport |location=London |access-date=June 7, 2024}}</ref>

He retired from refereeing at the end of the [[2018&ndash;19 in Scottish football|2018&ndash;19]] season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48374058 |title=Referee Craig Thomson retires after 19 years as top official |first=Kheredine |last=Idessane |publisher=BBC Sport |date=22 May 2019 |access-date=23 May 2019}}</ref>

Thomson was appointed [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) in the [[2020 New Year Honours]] for services to football and charity in Scotland.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=62866|supp=y|page=N22|date=28 December 2019}}</ref>

==Life outside football==
Thomson is currently a solicitor who specifies in construction and engineering law.<ref>[http://www.mms.co.uk/html/person.asp?ID=cat Professional profile]: ''Maclay, Murray and Spens LLC'' website. Retrieved on 16 June 2007.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Soccerbase referee|454}} ([https://www.soccerbase.com/referees/referee.sd?referee_id=454 archive] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050916074559/http://www.soccerbase.com/refs2.sd?refid=454 |date=2005-09-16}})
* {{EU-Football.info referee}}
* {{WorldFootball.net referee}}
* {{WorldReferee.com}}

*[http://www.journalonline.co.uk/Magazine/49-7/1000209.aspx Interview featuring Craig Thomson] at ''JournalOnline.co.uk''

{{UEFA Euro 2012 referees}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomson, Craig}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Paisley, Renfrewshire]]
[[Category:Scottish football referees]]
[[Category:Scottish solicitors]]
[[Category:UEFA Champions League referees]]
[[Category:UEFA Europa League referees]]
[[Category:UEFA Euro 2012 referees]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Scottish Football League referees]]
[[Category:Scottish Premier League referees]]
[[Category:Scottish Professional Football League referees]]