Tom ‘Tiny’ Wharton OBE

Tiny Wharton was one of football’s most iconic and respected officials of his generation. Despite universally known as ‘Tiny’ it was an ironic nickname given the referee stood at a massive 6ft 4 inches tall.

Wharton took up refereeing at the age of 21 and had reached Class One status within 3 years. He refereed many a high-profile game, including League Cup Finals and Scottish Cup Finals.

Recognition of his refereeing abilities was not solely noticed in Scotland, but also abroad as he officiated in 16 international matches, as well as 24 international club games, including the 1962 European Cup Winners Cup Final between Atletico Madrid and Fiorentina at Hampden Park.

After retiring as a referee, Wharton was Chairman of the SFA’s Referee Supervisors Committee between 1976 and 1990, and also served in FIFA’s Referees committee between 1981 and 2000.

In 1990, he was awarded the OBE for services to Scottish Football and two years later was awarded FIFA’s Order of Merit. The first time that a former referee had ever been given the honour.

The Beginning

Tom Wharton was born in the East End of Glasgow in 1927 and went to Newlands Public Primary School and Riverside Secondary School. Due to health issues at an early age, he was medically unfit for National Service. So he went to the Royal Technical College of Glasgow to study engineering.

He worked for the Engineering firm of Redpath Brown, before managing the small steel firm, Scottish Fabrications in the Gorbals, which he later owned.

Refereeing

In 1946, after a referee failed to turn up to a game that Wharton was due to play, he volunteered to stand in, and never looked back. At the age of 24 he qualified as a referee and by the age of 24 he had become a Class One official.

Wharton was not as fast as many referees, but he slated any criticism of him by saying, “If you can’t see a foul from 20 yards, you can’t see it from two yards!”

Wharton was reluctant to send players off and when he did so it was done kindly. In the New Year derby match between Celtic and Rangers in 1965, Wharton wrapped his arms round the tiny figure of Jimmy Johnstone before sending him off for a kick at Rangers’ inside forward Theorolf Beck.

After he retired from the game, as we touched on earlier, Wharton became Chairman of the SFA’s Refereeing Supervisor Committee. But in 1990 he was given the role of Deputy Chairman of the Football Trust and stayed in the position until 2000.

Wharton died just five years later on May 9th 2005, with the world of football mourning the death of one of British football’s most recognisable referees. But not everyone mourned his passing.

Wharton robs Killie of Cup Glory

Kilmarnock started the game well, but lacked a certain cutting edge to their game especially in the final third. Half way through the first half and it was Hearts who took the lead as Norrie Hamilton headed home for the Jambos.

Into the second half and Kilmarnock looked the sharper of the two sides as they pushed for an equaliser. But once again there was no imagination nor any cutting edge.

As the final whistle approached Jim Richmond sent a free kick into the Hearts box and Frank Beattie headed home an equaliser. But to the astonishment of the 51,280 fans at Hampden that day, Wharton disallowed the goal. A decision that angered the Killie players and then manager Willie Waddell.

Wharton had spotted a foul that no one else had noticed. He consulted his linesman after Killie players and officials urged him too. But his decision stood, as he believed that Beattie had handled the ball as the cross came in. And with the equaliser chalked off, Hearts held on to lift the cup.

And with that Tony was forever the panto-villain amongst the Killie fans. There were also claims from Celtic fans that Wharton was a Mason, and that he favoured Rangers in the Old Firm battles. But the players respected Tiny, even Bertie Auld who called Wharton during a match, an arsehole. Well told Wharton he thought he was anyway.

Despite moments of controversy, Wharton was Scotland’s leading officials of his generation and much respected by many in the footballing fraternity.

Sadly the current crop of whistlers in our game fail to measure up, when compared to Tiny. Both in refereeing terms and in stature.