Two Suffolk referees are celebrating international call-ups, writes Nick Garnham.

East Anglian Daily Times: Abi Marriott, who has been appointed as an assistant referee for the Womens Under-19 European Championship Qualifying Round Group 8. Picture: SUFFOLK FAAbi Marriott, who has been appointed as an assistant referee for the Womens Under-19 European Championship Qualifying Round Group 8. Picture: SUFFOLK FA (Image: Archant)

Abi Marriott has been appointed as an assistant referee for the Women’s Under-19 European Championship Qualifying Round Group 8.

This is taking place in Austria from October 16th to 24th and will involve hosts Austria, Belgium, Croatia and FYR Macedonia.

The 25-year-old from Mildenhall was an assistant referee at last season’s SSE FA Women’s Cup Final between Manchester City and Birmingham City at Wembley Stadium.

Abi, a Level 3 referee, was an assistant referee at the UEFA Women’s Under-19 Championships in Bosnia and Herzegovina last November.

Emily Heaslip of Bury St Edmunds has been selected to take part in the first leg of a Referee Development Exchange with the Danish FA.

She will fly to Copenhagen on September 29th for three days where she will take part in some quality referee education and training at the Danish FA headquarters in Brondby.

The 23-year-old, who is a Level 5 referee, was selected to join Tier 1 of the new FA CORE programme last season, and will be participating on the Tier 2 programme this season.

The five-tier programme was set up to provide those referees involved with a season-long programme of quality training, education and development.

Both Abi and Emily are products of the Suffolk FA Youth Referees’ Academy sponsored by Globex Freight Management Ltd.

Academy Head Coach Trevor Pollard said of their appointments: “It is a great appointment for Abi and thoroughly deserved; I know she will represent her country and Suffolk with pride and passion.

“Emily will have a great weekend and certainly help with her refereeing development. It is a real achievement to be selected and a reward for her dedication.

“Both are good examples of what is achievable for female referees in Suffolk.”