 In 1992, he was added to the North West Counties Football League assistant referees' list, and progressed to referee in that league four years later.He was included on The Football League list of assistant referees in 1998, and was added to the Premier League assistant referees' list in 2000.In 2002, he was promoted to referee in the Football League, and his first match at that level was a Third Division match between Shrewsbury Town and Exeter City in August 2002, won 1–0 by the home side.