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English FIFA listed referee Craig Pawson has received his very first Europa League appointment as referee - a first round qualifying match between Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles and Ferencvaros of Hungary, taking place on 2nd July. He will lead an all English team consisting of John Brooks & Harry Lennard as assistant referees and Robert Madley as 4th Official.
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The appointment shows that Pawson is making big strides both domestically and internationally, having settled in to life at the top with relative ease since his promotion from the National List. Clearly respected by the PGMOL, he was handed some testing fixtures in just his 2nd campaign last season. Pawson's appointment as 4th official to the 2014/15 FA Cup Final also suggests he is highly rated by the FA.
Pawson is currently a Category 2 FIFA referee in UEFA's groupings - the entry level for referees from England. He'll be looking to follow in the footsteps of Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor, both of whom have been promoted from Category 2 to Category 1 in recent years. From there, the Elite category is in sight - the pinnacle of European officiating, consisting of a very small group of referees considered to be the best in Europe. Martin Atkinson and Mark Clattenburg are currently the only 2 English officials on the Elite list following Howard Webb's retirement in 2014.