Alan Kelly named Referee of the Year; Corey Parker named Assistant Referee of the Year
NEW YORK, NY (Monday, Nov. 9, 2015) – Major League Soccer announced today that Alan Kelly has been named the MLS Referee of the Year and Corey Parker the Assistant Referee of the Year.
In his second season refereeing matches in Major League Soccer, the Ireland-native Kelly was the center official for 21 MLS regular season matches in 2015, which was second most among PRO referees. He received more than 50 percent of the votes from media and club executives, and 49 percent of the votes from current MLS players.
NEW YORK, NY (Monday, Nov. 9, 2015) – Major League Soccer announced today that Alan Kelly has been named the MLS Referee of the Year and Corey Parker the Assistant Referee of the Year.
In his second season refereeing matches in Major League Soccer, the Ireland-native Kelly was the center official for 21 MLS regular season matches in 2015, which was second most among PRO referees. He received more than 50 percent of the votes from media and club executives, and 49 percent of the votes from current MLS players.
While this is Kelly’s first MLS Referee of the Year Award, he is not new to this type of recognition. Having officiated over 350 match in Ireland’s SSE Airtricity League, he won the inaugural Players’ Football Association of Ireland’s Referee of the Year Award in 2006 and went on to claim the honor in four other seasons.
Kelly became a FIFA referee in 2002 and has officiated in Europa and UEFA Champions League matches, as well as in FIFA World Cup qualifying matches prior to the 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
Parker receives his first Assistant Referee of the Year Award after being named a finalist in 2012. In his fifth year running the sidelines, Parker was an assistant referee for 19 MLS regular season matches this year, also second-most among all assistant referees. Prior to this season, Parker was one of 24 U.S. officials named to the 2015 FIFA List of Officials who are eligible to officiate FIFA sanctioned matches. He made his FIFA debut in January at the 2015 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship in Jamaica and has also been part of the officiating crews for two 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in the CONCACAF region in June and September.
The awards were voted on by MLS club management, media, and MLS players. Below is a breakdown of the voting results for Referee and Assistant Referee of the Year:
Referee
% of Club Votes
% of Media Votes
% of Player Votes
Weighted Total
Alan Kelly
58.19
54.93
48.86
161.98
Baldomero Toledo
21.82
26.76
16.48
65.06
Jair Marrufo
20.00
11.27
18.75
50.02
Assistant Referees
% of Club Votes
% of Media Votes
% of Player Votes
Weighted Total
Corey Parker
34.55
25.35
38.64
98.54
Peter Manikowski
38.18
23.94
21.02
83.14
George Gansner
23.64
32.39
18.75
74.78
Referee of the Year Winners:
2015: Alan Kelly
2014: Mark Geiger
2013: Hilario Grajeda
2012: Silviu Petrescu
2011: Mark Geiger
2010: Kevin Stott
2009: Alex Prus
2008: Jair Marrufo
2007: Brian Hall
2006: Brian Hall
2005: Brian Hall
2004: Abiodun ‘Abbey’ Okulaja
2003: Brian Hall
2002: Kevin Terry
2001: Paul Tamberino
2000: Paul Tamberino
1999: Paul Tamberino
1998: Paul Tamberino
1997: Esse Baharmast
Assistant Referee of the Year Winners:
2015: Corey Parker
2014: Paul Scott
2013: Kermit Quisenberry
2012: Ian Anderson
2011: Corey Rockwell
2010: Craig Lowry
2009: Greg Barkey
2008: Kermit Quisenberry
Kelly became a FIFA referee in 2002 and has officiated in Europa and UEFA Champions League matches, as well as in FIFA World Cup qualifying matches prior to the 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
Parker receives his first Assistant Referee of the Year Award after being named a finalist in 2012. In his fifth year running the sidelines, Parker was an assistant referee for 19 MLS regular season matches this year, also second-most among all assistant referees. Prior to this season, Parker was one of 24 U.S. officials named to the 2015 FIFA List of Officials who are eligible to officiate FIFA sanctioned matches. He made his FIFA debut in January at the 2015 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship in Jamaica and has also been part of the officiating crews for two 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in the CONCACAF region in June and September.
The awards were voted on by MLS club management, media, and MLS players. Below is a breakdown of the voting results for Referee and Assistant Referee of the Year:
Referee
% of Club Votes
% of Media Votes
% of Player Votes
Weighted Total
Alan Kelly
58.19
54.93
48.86
161.98
Baldomero Toledo
21.82
26.76
16.48
65.06
Jair Marrufo
20.00
11.27
18.75
50.02
Assistant Referees
% of Club Votes
% of Media Votes
% of Player Votes
Weighted Total
Corey Parker
34.55
25.35
38.64
98.54
Peter Manikowski
38.18
23.94
21.02
83.14
George Gansner
23.64
32.39
18.75
74.78
Referee of the Year Winners:
2015: Alan Kelly
2014: Mark Geiger
2013: Hilario Grajeda
2012: Silviu Petrescu
2011: Mark Geiger
2010: Kevin Stott
2009: Alex Prus
2008: Jair Marrufo
2007: Brian Hall
2006: Brian Hall
2005: Brian Hall
2004: Abiodun ‘Abbey’ Okulaja
2003: Brian Hall
2002: Kevin Terry
2001: Paul Tamberino
2000: Paul Tamberino
1999: Paul Tamberino
1998: Paul Tamberino
1997: Esse Baharmast
Assistant Referee of the Year Winners:
2015: Corey Parker
2014: Paul Scott
2013: Kermit Quisenberry
2012: Ian Anderson
2011: Corey Rockwell
2010: Craig Lowry
2009: Greg Barkey
2008: Kermit Quisenberry
By: Editor
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