Milton Rec on Sunday morning felt a world away from Priestfield for Gills fan and ref Will Campbell-Wroe after his big moment a day earlier.
Level-six referee Will took charge of the Medway Area Sunday League game between Swale Madrid and Swanscombe Tigers, less than 24 hours after finding himself in the thick of the action as the Gills pulled off a thrilling comeback win.
The 49-year-old from Minster, Sheppey had often joked with his daughter and fellow Gills fan – also a qualified referee – that one day they would be needed as an emergency official. That joke became a reality on Saturday.
Gillingham’s League 2 fixture against Newport was halted midway through the second half with the game poised at 1-1. One of the assistant referees was injured, and an announcement was made on the PA system asking if anyone was qualified to step in and help.
Will said: “About four years ago we spotted a story of this happening at a different game and it became a running joke between us every time we went to a game.
“I would say to my daughter, ‘Have you got your good shoes on because this might be the day you end up in the dugouts as the fourth official?!’
“She wasn’t there at the weekend! When I saw what was happening, I thought it was hilarious, it was going to happen and she wasn’t there!”
Will offered his services, and before he knew it, he was in the thick of it as the Gills went 2-1 down, equalised with a penalty and then won the game in the ninth of the 17 minutes that were eventually added on.
Will said: “I sit at the back of the lower section of the Medway Stand and I could see what was unfolding. I knew they were going to make an announcement to ask for an official. I thought, ‘Am I going to do it or not?’
“I had to go down and offer. I heard myself say, ‘It’s happening – I’ve got to go and do it.’
“I told the referee I was level six, he said ‘Get over here, we need you! There wasn’t time to check my credentials. It was as quick as that.”
Will, in jeans and trainers, had to at least look a little bit official and so squeezed into the jacket offered by the injured linesman, who was half his size.
“Getting the coat on was fun, it just about got over my arms!” he joked.
Will’s first job was to deal with a substitution as Jonny Smith was replaced by eventual match-winner Garath McCleary. The crowd cheered as he stepped forward.
“I smiled at that but I thought I better not do anything else – but it made me laugh,” he said.
“My son was in the Rainham End and was filming me in the dugout. I have a video of him singing ‘You’re not fit to referee!’ when I stepped out there. Fair play to him, I think I would have done the same at 16.”
The injured official remained on hand to help as Will handled the electronic board to notify the crowd of the substitutions and minutes added on. It was also his job to keep an eye on both benches, but said they were “impeccably behaved.”
He said: “Gareth Ainsworth came over to say, ‘You have a birdseye view here – you can tell the fans how stressful it is in the dugout!
“We went 2-1 down and I thought, ‘Oh no’. Gareth was asking, ‘How long have we got?’
“We were starting to talk it through, there was eight and a half with the stoppage when I came on, and he said, ‘It has to be a lot more than that!’ When we said 15, he said ‘That’s great!’
The Gills managed to turn it around and Will admitted it was tough not to celebrate as Armani Little equalised from the penalty spot and McCleary headed in the winner.
“The board went up for 15 minutes and the penalty happened pretty much the same time, Bradley Dack also got booked, and I got lost in what was going on,” Will admitted, as he juggled fan emotions with the job at hand.
“I was in ref mode, you are in tunnel vision with the comms in one ear and listening to the benches, I couldn’t react, but it was harder when we went 3-2 up. That was a struggle.
“I really wanted to celebrate, but I couldn’t. If I had done so, their bench might have gone mad.
“I tried to play it really calmly, and it was the same at the final whistle, but I just wanted to run on the pitch and hug someone!”
Will went off to the referee’s room after the game to give the match official some proper details.
He said: “I did say to (Gills’ managing director) Joe Comper, hopefully that extra 15 minutes (added on) helps kick-start the season, and if it does, I will take full credit, and if it doesn’t, it has nothing to do with me!
“I sent Joe a picture of me on Sunday at Milton Rec. There was literally one man and a dog there.
“I’ve been going to Gillingham since the early 80s, and the game reminded me of the one that got me really hooked, an FA Cup match against Brentford in the 80s, 3-1 down with 15 to go and we won 5-3! It really reminded me of that game.
“I think I would have still enjoyed this one had we lost but winning made it extra special.
“My daughter found it hilarious but was sad to have not been there – she couldn’t believe she’d missed her chance.”
The father and daughter will be together this weekend as they are both on the line as assistant referees for the Kent County League, Premier Division game between Canterbury City and Snodland Town Reserves at Thanington Rec.
