James Linington turned to refereeing at the age of fifteen when he was released from a club for not being strong enough. His initial aim was to return to playing as he got older and stronger but has remained as a referee.
He became a Select Group Assistant Referee in 2006 and during the same year was appointed as an Assistant Referee in the FA Challenge Vase Final and the League One Play Off Final between Swansea and Barnsley at the Millennium Stadium
He joined the National Group as a Referee in 2008 and made his debut in the 1-1 draw between Wycombe and Morecambe on 9 August 2008.
He had an eventful Carling Cup match earlier in the season between Swansea and Scunthorpe when Swansea was reduced to six players when Besian Idrizaj went off injured. But he advised the Swansea Manager Paulo Sousa for the Austrian to return to the field so the game could be concluded. He had already sent three Swans players off while Stephen Dobbie had gone off injured with no substitutions left. A Football Association spokesman said they were "satisfied" with the referee’s performance after reading his report.
In March 2014 Seething Birmingham boss Lee Clark has accused the referee of teasing one of his players.
Clark claims the official goaded his captain, Paul Robinson, when the Blues went 2-1 down against Burnley, a thrilling Championship clash that eventually finished 3-3.
In November 2014 there was a comical incident where he lost his red card when he was trying to send off Reading defender Alex Pearce against Cardiff.
The Royals centre-back was eventually given his marching orders after he had to borrow the card from the linesman.
His last match was a 1-0 home win for Yeovil against York on 2 January 2016. His last Robins match was a 3-1 defeat at Luton on 11 August 2015.
Career record:
|
Season: |
Matches: |
Yellow Cards: |
Red Cards: |
|
2015/16 |
22 |
65 |
3 |
|
2014/15 |
38 |
107 |
10 |
|
2013/14 |
37 |
109 |
7 |
|
2012/13 |
16 |
37 |
1 |
|
2011/12 |
38 |
130 |
8 |
|
2010/11 |
37 |
107 |
7 |
|
2009/10 |
33 |
75 |
2 |
|
2008/09 |
20 |
58 |
3 |
James Linington & PNE
|
Date: |
Match: |
PNE Goalscorers: |
Cards: |
PNE Cards: |
|
21/10/14 |
Gillingham 0 PNE 1 |
Huntington |
2 Y |
Buchanan |
|
02/05/10 |
Reading 4 PNE 1 |
Wallace |
4 Y |
Wallace; Parkin |
|
26/09/09 |
Leicester 1 PNE 2 |
Mellor; Chaplow |
3 Y |
None |
His assistants will be Adam Bromley and Brian Durie. The fourth official will be Brendan Malone from Wiltshire.