By Roy Ward
AFTER 371 AFL games with six grand finals among them, former umpire Darren Goldspink needed time away from football.
Since retiring from AFL umpiring, Goldspink has spent the past four years working at his family owned newsagency and taking his wife and kids to the football.
Now he’s ready to return to the sport and has taken up an offer to become umpiring manager for the South East Juniors Football League.
He comes in mid-season after the former head Tim O’Meara was unable to continue in the role due to his work commitments as a teacher.
Goldspink, who joined his first training session with the league last Tuesday, said he looked forward to testing himself out in the role over the final three months of the season.
“I thought it was time to come back to football and this was an opportunity to put my toe in the water.
“They all seem pretty keen and from what I hear there are some good umpires in this group. There is a fair spread of experience with some of the boundary umpires 12 or 13 years old and one of the senior umpires having done around 1000 games.”
Goldspink admitted he was exhausted when he left the AFL but said he was now looking forward to a new role in the game.
And with his family selling its newsagency last month, Goldspink will also be able to devote time to the role.
SEJFL general manager Shaun Connell said the league was excited to get such an experienced replacement to take on the umpires position.
“We approached AFL Victoria for assistance and when we found out Darren was available we were really keen to get his services,” Connell said. “He was keen to get back into football so it was a good fit.
Goldspink will work with umpires two nights a week and during the league’s weekly Sunday matches.
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