Mathew James (umpire)
{{Short description|Australian rules football field umpire}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Mathew James
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Mathew James
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|4|7|df=y}}
| birth_place = Essendon, Victoria
| death_date =
| death_place =
| umpireleague1 = AFL
| umpirerole1 = Field umpire
| umpireyears1 = 1999–2010
| umpiregames1 = 206
| statsend = 2010
}}
Mathew James (born 7 April 1974 in Essendon, Victoria) is a former Australian rules football field umpire most notably in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Umpiring career
James began umpiring in 1991 with the Footscray District Football League. In 1994 joined the Victorian Football League (VFL) where he umpired until joining the AFL in 1999.
=AFL=
His debut AFL match was in Round 1 of the 1999 AFL season between Collingwood and Hawthorn.
In 2001, his third year on the AFL umpire panel, he umpired his first AFL Grand Final. He also umpired the 2002 and 2004 AFL Grand Finals. James was also named the All-Australian Umpire in 2004.{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=53091|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723213913/http://www.afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=53091|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 July 2008|title=5. Mathew James|publisher=Australian Football League|accessdate=27 May 2010}}
=International rules=
He was the Australian referee in two Test matches in the 2005 International Rules Series between Australia and Ireland.{{cite web|url=http://www.aflua.com.au/index.asp?d=5A4C5A717251477C7008060A0E0605 |title=International Series |publisher=Australian Football League Umpires Association |accessdate=27 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912185034/http://www.aflua.com.au/index.asp?d=5A4C5A717251477C7008060A0E0605 |archivedate=12 September 2009 }}
=Retirement=
In May 2010, he announced his retirement from umpiring after a persistent calf injury prevented him from umpiring in 2010. He had umpired 206 AFL games, including 16 finals.{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/umpire-mathew-james-quits/story-e6frf9jf-1225871973415|title=Umpire Mathew James calls it quits|date=27 May 2010|work=Herald Sun|accessdate=27 May 2010}}{{cite web|url=http://www.aflua.com.au/index.asp?d=5A4C5A717251477C7008060A010704145A4C5A71784456587D710A080404030201|title=Umpire Profiles - Mathew James|publisher=Australian Football League Umpires Association|accessdate=27 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110222041509/http://www.aflua.com.au/index.asp?d=5A4C5A717251477C7008060A010704145A4C5A71784456587D710A080404030201|archive-date=22 February 2011|url-status=dead}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|aw}}
{{s-bef | before = Stephen McBurney}}
{{s-ttl | title = All Australian Umpire | years =2004}}
{{s-aft | after = Darren Goldspink}}
{{end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Mathew}}
Category:Australian Football League umpires
Category:People from Essendon, Victoria
Category:Sportspeople from Melbourne
Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen
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