It is with great sadness that we must report the passing of Fred Weaving

Fred travelled the world as a member of the armed services and had a long history of involvement in football which began as a Referee back in 1962.

When the time came for Fred to step back from active refereeing, he then became an Observer, serving Hertfordshire FA, the Spartan South Midlands League and finally for some years the Combined Counties League.

Throughout this time Fred took great pleasure in helping to develop the next generation of referees and supported match officials from across the counties to develop their skills and progress through the pyramid.

Fred was recently recognised by The FA for his contribution to the game, receiving a 50 Years’ Service to Refereeing Award for his efforts throughout his career.

As well as the time he devoted to match officials, Fred spent many years as a Council Member of Hertfordshire FA, being the Health and Safety officer for our site in Letchworth, a member of the Disciplinary Committee and was a valued member of the Referees Committee where he also sat as Chair during his tenure.

Richard Dowden, Chair of the Referees Committee said:

“Fred had such a clear passion for refereeing and the dedication and devotion he provided to others looking to make their way in the game was unequivocal.

The support and advice he provided to countless aspiring match officials made a real difference, as did the service he provided to his local community as a representative of the armed forces, most notably when he attended fixtures at Oxhey Jets FC.

His loss will be widely felt, but it is safe to say that his efforts to inspire generations of Hertfordshire Match Officials leaves a legacy that will live on for years to come”.

Graham Phillips, Chair of Hertfordshire FA said:

“We are all deeply saddened to hear that our dear friend Fred has passed away. Everyone at Hertfordshire FA sends their sincere condolences to his family and friends and our thoughts are with them at this most difficult time. He will be sadly missed”.

Funeral Arrangements

For those who would like to pay their respects, Fred's funeral will take place at on Friday 23rd June at 12:40pm at Garston Crematorium, High Elms Lane, Watford, WD25 0JS. Details of the wake will be released in due course.