Football SA Match Official Daniel Elder will become the fifth referee to reach 100 NPL SA Senior Grade matches as a referee, when he takes charge of the National Premier Leagues SA fixture between Adelaide Blue Eagles and Campbelltown City this evening.
He joins an exclusive group of referees in reaching a century of NPL SA matches refereed, following David Alberton (2017), Gary Mooney & Christian Verdicchio (2018), and Daniel Goodwin (2020).
Daniel began refereeing in 2008 as a fifteen-year-old, and made his Senior Grade debut in 2011. He was the winner of the Mike Ingham Referee of the Year award for three consecutive years (2015-2017), refereeing the NPL SA Grand Final in each of those seasons. He also controlled the 2019 FFA Cup SA Qualifying Final at Hindmarsh.
In addition to his achievements in South Australia, Daniel has also been an A-League Match Official since 2014. He was elevated to the Referee Panel for the 2016-17 season, and made his A-League debut in Perth in October 2016.
Daniel is currently a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Referee Academy, where he is part of a structured program that is focused on practical, theoretical, classroom sessions, technical education and fitness. He is also the Lead Instructor of the Football SA Referee Academy, passing along his knowledge and experience to the state’s best and brightest match officials through regular practical and technical sessions.
When asked to reflect on reaching this milestone, Daniel said:
“I am honoured to reach this milestone, and thank all my coaches and peers for their continued support in helping me achieve my refereeing goals. I am looking forward to continuing to give back to Football SA refereeing development through the Referee Academy.”
Football SA State Referees Committee Chair, Rick Schneider, said:
“Daniel has been one of the top referees in South Australia for many years, both with his match performances as well as the standards he sets at training and coaching. He has a strong desire to give back and improve refereeing in SA including his leadership of the Referee Academy, and is a role model for many Match Officials in SA.”