Starting his refereeing journey at just 14, RJ has quickly made a name for himself in the football community. The teenager, who is also a keen player, decided to take up refereeing to get more involved in the game he loves. 'I've just loved it ever since then,' RJ said. 'I like having the role of responsibility.'
RJ's achievement has been described as 'unique' by Somerset FA referee development officer Martin Peters, who noted it's unusual for someone of his age to be officiating adult matches. 'We have loads of 16-year-old referees, but not a lot of them want to go into the adult game,' Peters explained. RJ's confidence and discipline have impressed observers, including his PE teacher Daniel Chalk at Monkton Wood Academy, who described him as a 'confident' pupil who helps coach and referee football games at the school.