Keith Stroud

Career

He first took up refereeing in 1988. He progressed via the Wessex League, becoming a National List assistant referee in the year 2000, and a Select Group assistant referee in 2002. Also in 2002, he was an assistant referee for the old Division Three play-off final at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, between Cheltenham and Rushden & Diamonds.

Stroud was appointed as one of the assistant referees to Graham Barber during the FA Cup Final 2003, when Arsenal defeated Southampton by 1-0, again at the Millennium Stadium, on 17 May 2003.

He was promoted from the Football Conference to the National List of referees in 2004, and became a FIFA assistant referee in the same year. His first Football League match in control was the League Two encounter between Cheltenham Town and Scunthorpe United at Whaddon Road on 10 August 2004, which finished as a 2-0 away win. Also in that year, he was in charge of the Football Conference play-off final, at Stoke's Britannia Stadium, which saw Shrewsbury beat Aldershot 3-0 on penalties, following a 1-1 scoreline after extra time.

He handled a League One play-off semi-final first leg in 2006, and a League Two play-off semi-final first leg in 2007.

In season 2006-07, he was 'trialled' for the Premier League, being given the match on 17 March 2007 between Middlesbrough and Manchester City at the Riverside Stadium, which City won 2-0. Stroud cautioned three players.

On 26 July 2007, a Press release from the Professional Game Match Officials Limited, which employs Premier League referees full-time, stated that he had been included in the Select Group of 19 referees for season 2007-08. At the same time, he stepped down from the FIFA list of assistant referees.

He is also currently the Referees' Development Manager for the Hampshire Football Association, being an associate member although living in Dorset.

It was confirmed in May 2009 that Stroud had been dropped from the Select Group of referees, along with Steve Tanner and Uriah Rennie.[1] Kevin Friend was promoted to replace him. However, in July 2009, it was reported in The Times that Stroud, along with Tanner, had been reinstated as it found out his demotion breached regulations. [2]

On 3 January 2012, Stroud became the chief executive of the Bedfordshire Football Association. On 2 August 2013, Stroud officiated the match between Sheffield United and Notts County, kicking off the 125th year of the Football league.

Stroud has been a Luton Town fan from a young age and therefore does not officiate any of The Hatters' fixtures.

On 5 April 2017, Stroud refereed a EFL Championship match between Newcastle and Burton Albion. At 29 minutes, Dwight Gayle went down in the penalty area and a penalty kick was awarded and put into the net by Matt Richie. Gayle had encroached the penalty area before the ball was hit so this goal was disallowed. Under Law 14, if the goal was scored, the penalty should be retaken. Instead, in this instance Stroud gave a direct free kick to Burton Albion. Newcastle later went on to win the game 1-0, although had they lost they could have petitioned to have the game replayed—set by precedents in other games such as the U19 Women's match between England and Norway.