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LOL Cussons, one of Yorkshire's best-known football referees, who achieved fame with his unusual and humorous way of dealing with dissent, has died suddenly following a heart attack. He was 80.
Mr Cussons refereed in York area football for 55 years and became a living legend as he always kept a packet of Polo mints in his pocket and would offer one to any player who complained to him about a decision.
"They used to rush up to me when they disagreed with a free kick for a foul, but I just used to smile, ask them to cool down and offer them a Polo which seemed to do the trick," he said.
Mr Cussons was born in York and attended Knavesmire Primary and Nunthorpe Grammar Schools, living much of his life in the South Bank area of York.
He worked at Terry's chocolate factory and played for the company's football team at Bustardthorpe. When the club disbanded, he took up refereeing in 1953 and progressed via the York and District and York Sunday Football Leagues to becoming a Football League linesman for six years.
He was then promoted to the full League referee's list, spending the 1967-68 and 1968-69 seasons in charge of many top matches, including Manchester United versus Newcastle United at Old Trafford when Denis Law, the famous Scottish international striker, signed his programme as a memento with the words: "I hate bloody refs." In that game he offered George Best a mint, but the player refused, saying he would rather have a drink.
His final match at the top level came in April 1969 when he had charge of the Newcastle versus Chelsea match at St James' Park.
After only two years on the full list, he received a letter from the Football League in June 1969 saying he had been taken off. "I never found out the reason why, although I have my suspicions, which I would prefer not to go into," he said some years later.
Mr Cussons was so disappointed that he gave up refereeing for a short spell, but then missed the game so much that he returned to officiating in the local leagues, receiving an FA certificate for 50 years' service to football. He continued to referee until two years ago when, at the age of 79, the early stages of Alzheimers Disease was diagnosed.
He was also a keen horse racing enthusiast – he had a two year spell as a bookmaker in Acomb, York – and liked a daily bet.
He had recently become co-owner of a racehorse called Gadabout Dancer and Beverley trainer Ian McInnes had hopes of it winning a race on a Yorkshire track in the next few weeks. It had impressed him on the gallops where Mr Cussons saw the horse in action a few hours before his death.
He was on his way to the betting shop in Bishopthorpe Road when he collapsed outside Southlands Chapel and died a short time later.
A widower, Mr Cussons leaves three children, Peter, David and Wendy. The funeral service is at St Chad's Church, Campleshon Road on Thursday, May 28 at 12 noon.
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