Keith Walker (referee)

Keith Edwin Walker was an English association football referee. He was born in Manchester but moved to Blackpool where he started his refereeing career after playing as a goalkeeper for Lytham in the Lancashire Combination. After officiating in the Lancashire Combination, Irish League and Central League[1] he became a Football League linesman in 1959 and was promoted to the Referees List two years later aged only 30. He had a season based in Preston (1965-1966) before in 1967 moving from Blackpool to the village of Bearsted near Maidstone, Kent to pursue his career as a Senior Educational Administrative Officer for Kent County Council. He officiated the Northern Irish Cup Final 1968 in which Crusaders F.C. from Belfast defeated their city rivals Linfield F.C. 2–0.[2]

From 1970 to 1972 he was also on the FIFA list. At international level he officiated in October and November 1972 two qualification matches for the World Cup 1974 in which Yugoslavia drew with Spain and Belgium drew with Netherlands.[3] Earlier that year he also was referee in three matches of the Brazilian Independence Cup and served there also as linesman of the final in which Brazil prevailed 1–0 over Portugal.[4]

In late October 1972 he announced his retirement from refereeing to take up a post as secretary with Sheffield United F.C..[5] In December 1978 he was appointed Director of Officials for the North American Soccer League.[6] He died in 1996.