Arthur Roston Bourke was an association football

referee A referee is an official, in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The official tasked with this job may be known by a variety of other title ...

in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was vice-president of the

London Football Association The London Football Association (LFA) is the regional Football Association for inner areas of London. The London FA was established in 1882 and is affiliated to The Football Association. The London FA administers all levels of men's, women's and ...

until October 1900, and principal of Holloway College in London. He was involved in the founding of the first Referees' Association and was appointed as the organisation's first honorary secretary in 1893. As well as officiating football games Bourke ran his own team, known as A. Roston Bourke's XI. Roston Bourke's XI were the first team to face

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on their new

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ground in 1896. He was initially suspended by the

Football Association A football association, also known as a football federation, soccer federation, or soccer association, is a governing body for association football. Many of them are members of the sport's regional bodies such as UEFA and CONMEBOL and the world gov ...

for playing this match as his team was not FA-registered, but the suspension was later overturned. Arthur was the son of William Roston Bourke who was a member of the

London School Board The School Board for London, commonly known as the London School Board (LSB), was an institution of local government and the first directly elected body covering the whole of London. The Elementary Education Act 1870 ( 33 & 34 Vict. c. 75) was ...

, representing

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from 1882 to 1897, and

headmaster A headmaster/headmistress, head teacher, head, school administrator, principal or school director (sometimes another title is used) is the staff member of a school with the greatest responsibility for the management of the school. Role While s ...

of Holloway College.

References

English football referees English sports executives and administrators {{England-footy-bio-stub