Billy Thompson (referee)
{{Short description|British rugby league referee (1937–2021)}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Billy Thompson
{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}}}}
|fullname = William Henry Thompson
|image =
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|birth_date = {{birth date|1933|9|21|df=y}}
|birth_place = Huddersfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
|death_date = February 2021 (aged 87)
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|refereecomp1 = {{nowrap|Rugby Football League Championship}}
|refereeyear1start = 1967
|refereeyear1end = 84
|refereeappearances1 =
|refereecomp2 = Internationals
|refereeyear2start = 1968
|refereeyear2end = 80
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William Henry Thompson MBE (1933 – 2021) was a British rugby league referee. He refereed 17 Test matches, including the World Cup final in 1977. He also refereed three Challenge Cup Finals.
Thompson was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1985 Birthday Honours for services to rugby league.UK list: {{London Gazette |date=15 June 1985 |supp=y |issue=50154 |pages=16 }}
Biography
Born in Huddersfield, Thompson was an aspiring footballer in his younger years, and was on the books at Gillingham, but failed to make the grade.{{cite web |title=Billy Thompson (1934-2021) |url=https://www.giantsrl.com/article/7531/billy-thompson-1934---2021 |publisher=Huddersfield Giants |access-date=7 January 2024}} He became a referee, and was added to the Rugby Football League's Grade One referee's list during the 1967–68 season.{{cite web |title=Billy Thompson - former top rugby league referee dies |url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/billy-thompson-former-top-rugby-league-referee-dies-3136566 |website=Yorkshire Evening Post |access-date=7 January 2024 |date=16 February 2021}}
He took charge of his first Challenge Cup final in 1971, and became the first referee to send off a player in a Challenge Cup final when he dismissed Syd Hynes for an alleged headbutt on Alex Murphy.{{cite web |title=Former referee Billy Thompson passes away, aged 87 |url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/referee-billy-thompson-passes-away-19857419 |website=YorkshireLive |access-date=7 January 2024 |date=17 February 2021}}
In 1980, he refereed the inaugural State of Origin game between Queensland and New South Wales in Australia.{{cite web |title=Final whistle for English referee who helped ensure Origin's success |url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/02/18/final-whistle-for-english-referee-who-helped-ensure-origins-success/ |website=National Rugby League |access-date=7 January 2024 |date=18 February 2021}}
His final game as a referee was the 1984 Challenge Cup final, after which he was forced to retire, aged 50.
Death
His death was announced in February 2021, at the age of 87.{{cite web|url=https://www.totalrl.com/billy-thompson-mbe-a-legendary-referee-with-tales-to-tell/ |title=Billy Thompson MBE: A legendary referee with tales to tell |work=Total Rugby League|date=22 February 2021|access-date=7 January 2024|first=Doug|last=Thomson}}