Bio
Michael Riley
Born: 1964-12-17
Intl. since: 1999-01-01
Hometown: Leeds
Country: England
Speaks: English
Occupation: financial director
Hobbies: cricket, squash

Born in Rotherham, living near Leeds, the number 17 referee of the world in 2006 Michael Riley had a quick start in his career that later on seemed to have been stalled a bit. He was a UEFA Elite Category referee until halfway 2009 when he retired and became the General Manager Designate of the PGMOL.

Euro 2004

Starting on the highest level in England in 1996, he earned his FIFA badge in 1999 and officiated his first Champions League match in 2001. He was in charge of matches in the U-18's EC 2000 in Germany and 2 matches in European Championships Finals 2004 in Portugal.

Finals

Mike Riley refereed the 2002 FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Chelsea and the Bolton v Middlesbrough 2004 Carling Cup Final.

cards and fouls

Mike Riley whistled a lot during a match and he booked a lot too. In fact he was the number two on the "most cards in a Champions League match" list.

He showed 11 yellow in 2007, AS Roma-Lyon.

Did you know
ELITE

  • After sending off Levski player Cedric Bardon in a UEFA cup quarter final match Levski-Schalke (1-3) march 2006, Levski president Todor Batkov said Riley broke the game. Batkov, a lawyer, called Riley a "British homosexual", apparantly still a term of abuse in Bulgaria.
  • Maybe the Bulgarians had an axe to grind after their national team lost 5-0 to Sweden in a match officiated by Riley in Portugal 2004.
  • Leeds' financial director thinks most referees are frustrated players. If you are talented enough you'll become a player not a referee, according to Riley.
  • "All good referees have similar characteristics really. They all have what I call presence on the pitch and they have the ability to get the respect of the players on the field, which is a great skill to have. Like in most walks of life you have to earn people's respect. Being a ref is no different, so to get the respect of the players will see people get to the top of their game". (in an interview with TheFA.com)
  • In 2006 Mike Riley awarded the highest number of yellow cards (113) and fouls (967) in the Premiership.
  • Riley is a prolific whistler, normally the amount of fouls would be something between 28 and 40 per match, with Riley in charge the number often escalates to 50 or more.
    for instance: CL 2005 Sparta Prague - Thun: 53 fouls.
    CL 2004 Dynamo Kiev - AS Roma: 47 fouls.
Statistics
Statistics for MICHAEL RILEY
Totals Home Away Total
Penalties 11 5 16
Fouls 0 0 0
Yellow 132 156 288
YellowRed 0 0 0
Red 12 15 27
Averages Home Away Total
Penalties 0.15 0.07 0.11
Fouls 0 0 0
Yellow 1.86 2.2 2.03
YellowRed 0 0 0
Red 0.17 0.21 0.19

Based on 71 international matches

Matches
MATCHES FOR MICHAEL RILEY
Date Score Yellow Red Penalties Fouls
UEFA Cup 2008 - 2009
round of 16Dynamo KyivMetalist Kharkiv2009-03-121 - 0 7 (1-6)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
friendly
LuxembourgBelgium2008-11-191 - 1 0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
BrazilSweden2008-03-261 - 0 1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
BrazilWales2006-09-052 - 0 0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
AustraliaGreece2006-05-251 - 0 0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
SpainGermany2003-02-123 - 1 1 (1-0)0 (0-0)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)
FranceRussia2002-04-170 - 0 0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
SwedenSouth Africa2001-08-153 - 0 1 (0-1)0 (0-0)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
WC 2010 qualifiers - Europe
SwedenDenmark2009-06-060 - 1 4 (1-3)0 (0-0)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
TurkeySpain2009-04-011 - 2 6 (4-2)0 (0-0)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)
AustriaSerbia2008-10-151 - 3 3 (1-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Champions League 2008-2009
group stageBarcelonaShakhtar2008-12-092 - 3 7 (1-6)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Group stagePanathinaikosWerder Bremen2008-10-222 - 2 8 (5-3)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageFiorentinaSteaua2008-09-300 - 0 2 (0-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
qualifiers 3rd roundDinamo ZagrebShakhtar2008-08-271 - 3 4 (3-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
UEFA Cup 2007 - 2008
round of 16ZenitMarseille2008-03-122 - 0 5 (3-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Euro 2008 qualifiers
PortugalArmenia2007-11-171 - 0 4 (2-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
AlbaniaNetherlands2007-09-120 - 1 7 (3-4)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
FinlandBelgium2007-06-062 - 0 4 (1-3)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
NorwayBosnia-Herzegovina2007-03-241 - 2 4 (2-2)0 (0-0)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
GeorgiaItaly2006-10-111 - 3 4 (3-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Champions League 2007-2008
group stageSchalke 04Rosenborg2007-12-113 - 1 3 (2-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageCSKA MoskvaInternazionale2007-10-231 - 2 4 (1-3)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageAC MilanBenfica2007-09-182 - 1 2 (1-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
qualifiers 3rd roundZurichBesiktas2007-08-151 - 1 8 (4-4)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
UEFA Cup 2006 - 2007
1/4 finalsWerder BremenAZ2007-04-124 - 1 4 (1-3)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Champions League 2006-2007
1st knockoutAS RomaLyon2007-02-210 - 0 11 (8-3)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageDynamo KyivReal Madrid2006-12-062 - 2 2 (1-1)0 (0-0)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)
group stageValenciaShakhtar2006-10-182 - 0 6 (1-5)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageAC MilanAEK2006-09-133 - 0 3 (1-2)0 (0-0)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
qualifiers 3rd roundLegia WarszawaShakhtar2006-08-232 - 3 3 (1-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
UEFA Cup 2005 - 2006
1/4 finalsLevski SofiaSchalke 042006-03-301 - 3 6 (3-3)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
round of 16Sevilla FCLille OSC2006-03-152 - 0 5 (3-2)2 (1-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Champions League 2005-2006
1st knockoutLyonPSV2006-03-084 - 0 4 (3-1)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageSparta PragueThun2005-12-070 - 0 3 (1-2)2 (1-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageInternazionaleArtmedia Petrzalka2005-11-234 - 0 1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageAC MilanFenerbahce SK2005-09-133 - 1 1 (0-1)0 (0-0)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)
qualifiers 3rd roundPanathinaikosWisla Krakow2005-08-234 - 1 11 (6-5)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
WC 2006 qualifiers - Europe
LithuaniaBelgium2005-10-121 - 1 6 (3-3)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
EstoniaPortugal2005-06-080 - 1 4 (3-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
CroatiaHungary2004-09-043 - 0 6 (1-5)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
UEFA Cup 2004 - 2005
round of 16AuxerreLille OSC2005-03-170 - 0 3 (1-2)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Champions League 2004-2005
group stageInternazionaleAnderlecht2004-12-073 - 0 1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageDynamo KyivAS Roma2004-11-232 - 0 5 (1-4)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageWerder BremenValencia2004-09-292 - 1 9 (4-5)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
qualifiers 3rd roundMonacoGorica2004-08-246 - 0 4 (1-3)1 (0-1)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
Euro 2004
group stageLatviaGermany2004-06-190 - 0 5 (2-3)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageSwedenBulgaria2004-06-145 - 0 6 (2-4)0 (0-0)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
UEFA Cup 2003 - 2004
1/4 finalsBordeauxValencia2004-04-081 - 2 7 (4-3)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Euro 2004 qualifiers
PolandSweden2003-09-100 - 2 5 (4-1)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
UkraineSpain2003-03-292 - 2 4 (2-2)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
EstoniaBelgium2002-10-160 - 1 2 (2-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Champions League 2003-2004
1st knockoutLyonReal Sociedad2004-03-091 - 0 4 (1-3)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageDeportivo La CorunaAEK2003-11-253 - 0 4 (0-4)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
group stageCelta de VigoAC Milan2003-10-010 - 0 5 (1-4)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
qualifiers 3rd roundDortmundClub Brugge2003-08-272 - 1 9 (4-5)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Kirin Cup
JapanParaguay2003-06-110 - 0 0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
UEFA Cup 2002 - 2003
3rd roundLiberecPanathinaikos2002-11-282 - 2 5 (3-2)0 (0-0)2 (1-1)0 (0-0)
Champions League 2002-2003
group stageAjaxLyon2002-09-172 - 1 6 (5-1)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
UEFA Cup 2001 - 2002
3rd roundKobenhavnDortmund2001-11-220 - 1 5 (1-4)2 (1-1)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
Euro 2002 u21 qualifiers
play-offsFrance u21Romania u212001-11-144 - 0 1 (1-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Champions League 2001-2002
group stageLokomotiv MoskvaReal Madrid2001-10-302 - 0 2 (1-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
qualifiers 2nd roundVllazniaGalatasaray2001-08-011 - 4 5 (3-2)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
qualifiers 2nd roundVllazniaGalatasaray2001-08-011 - 4 5 (3-2)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
WC 2002 qualifiers - Europe
MacedoniaSlovakia2001-10-070 - 5 2 (1-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
BulgariaIceland2001-03-242 - 1 5 (3-2)1 (0-1)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
UEFA Cup 2000 - 2001
2nd roundKaiserslauternIraklis2000-11-092 - 3 0 (0-0)0 (0-0)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
1st roundZimbruHertha BSC2000-09-141 - 2 0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
Champions League 2000-2001
qualifiers 3rd roundTirol Innsbruck FCValencia2000-08-090 - 0 10 (6-4)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)0 (0-0)
UEFA Cup 1999 - 2000
1st roundLevski SofiaHajduk1999-09-303 - 0 0 (0-0)1 (0-1)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)
Intertoto 1999
3rd roundVarteksRostov1999-07-171 - 2 4 (1-3)1 (1-0)1 (1-0)0 (0-0)