Shrewsbury fan Kevin delivers the goods as emergency fourth official

He did not expect to find himself stood in as emergency fourth official between Shrewsbury Town and Ipswich Town in League One at Montgomery Waters Meadow.

Shrewsbury fan Kevin's route to stepping in for injured assistant referee David Hunt is a quite incredible one.

Prior to last April, the father of three had only ever ran the line for son Sam's team in the Shropshire Junior Football League.

Around 12 months ago he embarked on a two-day weekend course to begin life as a referee to help a kids' league as an extra pair of hands in the struggling post-Covid world. He sat the course with Sam and admitted the fitness helped his own condition having recently suffered with the virus.

And the only reason Kevin, 48, even attended Saturday's visit of The Tractor Boys, having booked time off work from driving goods around for the retail giant, was to celebrate season ticket holder Sam's 17th birthday.

He could hardly have imagined what would follow at the Meadow, and takes up the story with a smile: "I started the day in the Fanzone at the Meadow for the 90s revival show dancing to Paul Bennett and Dave Prince and got a photo with Cappella, then I finished as fourth official!"

The former Gay Meadow Riverside season ticket holder and away steward from Heath Farm adds: "It was also the fact I had booked a day off work to go to the game with Sam because it was his birthday.

"Though he was going with his mate and sometimes you don't want to be with your dad as a young lad, but he said 'no dad, come along with me, we will have a laugh'.

"It was so ironic – and then that I was sat right behind the assistant.

"I was sat in line with the 18-yard line where there was the early handball shout with their keeper outside the box. I'd turned to shout something but, like goalkeepers there's a bit of a referee's union and you don't disparage other refs, I say to the kids on a Sunday it's my first season and we all make mistakes, even Premier League referees."

There was 12 minutes on the clock when assistant Hunt, running the line in front of Kevin's block 14, was visibly struggling. Shortly afterwards Town's PA announcer Ryan Jervis pleaded for a qualified official in the crowd to step forward into the fourth official role in the dugouts, as Lisa Rashid prepared to take the flag.

Kevin continues: "I turned around and the assistant was on his haunches, I thought 'he can't be knackered already, I'm 48 and I'm fitter than that!'

"Then I saw the Town physio run over and Ryan Jervis asked on the PA for a qualified official. I said to Sam 'what do you think?' and he said 'go on Dad, I dare you'.

"I found a steward in orange and said I am level seven (the first rung on the official ladder) and happy to step in if needed."

Incredibly, at 3.22pm on Saturday, having been kitted out in his official gear, Kevin found a second to Tweet a selfie online, reading 'Suddenly, I'm a match official."

"It was surreal," he adds. "I think Steve Cotterill thought I needed to change out of my ripped jeans and jacket.

"They gave me the full kit, shorts, socks, jacket and they said I might need to run the line if there's another injury! I still had my blue and amber trainers on.

"I was told to make sure the benches were not too over-animated and only two can go in the carpet section of the technical area. I knew Keith the head steward by the tunnel and he said to be polite, cautious but firm.

"I had to politely say 'remember it's only two' but to be honest they were all as good as gold. (Assistant) Aaron Wilbraham asked me what I thought of one incident that could've been a red card and I said 'let's call it an orange!'

"The other officials laughed afterwards while saying 'you milked that mate' at when I held up the board for stoppages and subs."

Kevin admits he was grateful for the support and love of Ipswich fans in particular. He has been promised an official letter of thanks from the Football Association.

"I left out the players' entrance, people were lined up to see players and some thanked me. I had a family meal to get to," he says.

"My wife Emma knows (secretary) Jayne Bebb at the club and had friends at the game so they had called her to say 'you'll never guess what...'. In the car after she said 'I can't believe what you've done' and Sam and his friend called me a legend!

"The whole thing was just surreal. I've had an email from Brian Caldwell (Town's chief executive) to say thanks and been invited for hospitality for next Monday's game against Doncaster."

True to form, less than 24 hours later Kevin was back in more familiar surroundings, overseeing the under-16s quarter-final between Meresiders and Oswestry to a few impressed comments about his 90 minutes of fame from onlookers.

From the parks of junior football in Shropshire to almost 8,000 at the Meadow in League One against former European champions, it was a 'Saturday shift' he will never forget.