Kris Griffiths-Jones joins the 100 club

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Football NSW Referees Manager Kris Griffiths-Jones hit a major milestone during round 9 of the Hyundai A-League match between the Central Coast Mariners and Perth Glory after officiating his 100th game in Australia’s elite competition.

The 39-year-old commenced refereeing in 2000 and was part of the Granville Referees branch where it was there he realised he wanted to kick on further, becoming a prominent Hyundai A-League whistle-blower.

What lured him to becoming a referee was a story in itself.

“I was playing first grade cricket for Parramatta at the time and I didn’t want to play football anymore for a fear of injury.

“I still enjoyed the game and wanted to be part of it in some way which is why I decided to referee.”

Having cracked a century in Sunday’s Hyundai A-League clash, Griffiths-Jones’ first ever top-flight match was during the 2008-09 season when the Newcastle Jets defeated Perth Glory 2-1, a game and moment he will never forget.

“It was certainly one of the most rewarding feelings when I finally officiated a Hyundai A-League match and it was then I knew I wanted to continue on with it.”

Asked what some of his greatest memories have been thus far, the referee stated to Football NSW.

“There’s been quite a few but being able to travel to other countries and experiencing different cultures and people is something I will always treasure thanks to this role.

“Game wise, refereeing a couple of Sydney Derbies as well as a semi-final clash between Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City stand out.”

Continually promoting the message at Football NSW about becoming a referee, the Gillingham FC fan had some final wise words of wisdom for any budding referee.

“Make sure you go into each match with a purpose, identify areas to improve and go out and practice them.”

Football NSW would like to congratulate Kris Griffiths-Jones on this major achievement, well done.