By Andrew Atkinson
Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey attended a summer Technical Camp at San Miguel accompanied by physiotherapists Isabel Navajas Gonzalez and Andrés Torrecillas Gómez.
In 2009 he underwent chemotherapy treatment for a cancerous tumour in his throat, returning to refereeing in the top-flight in 2010, announcing his retirement at the end of the 2012-13 season.
Halsey played non-League football at Cambridge City and Hertford Town, prior to taking up the whistle in 1989.
In 2000, Halsey was added to the FIFA list of referees, officiating in the Toulon Tournament. In 2001, he refereed at the World Student Games in Beijing and in 2002 at the FIFA World Disabled Championships in Japan.
In 2002, he was appointed as fourth official to Mike Riley for the FA Cup final at the Millennium Stadium, where Arsenal defeated Chelsea.
Halsey’s first major FIFA appointment came in 2004 when he refereed a friendly match between Belgium and France in Brussels.
In August 2007 Halsey took charge of the FA Community Shield match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium.
In 2008 Halsey was appointed to referee the League Cup final between Spurs and Chelsea.
In 2009 Halsey announced he had been diagnosed with a non-Hodgkin lymphoma and had undergone surgery to remove a cancerous tumour in his throat.
Halsey relinquished his refereeing duties during his treatment, which included fortnightly chemotherapy and courses of radiation.
In March 2010 Halsey passed a referees’ fitness test, returning to the top flight in August 2010.
Halsey, 60, primarily refereed in the Premier League during 1999-2013 and was on the league’s list of Select Group Referees from its creation in 2001, until his retirement.
Halsey, who lives in La Regia, is still very much involved in football locally and still turns out on a regular basis for Orihuela Costa Veterans of which he is also the current manager.
