Sher-ref of Glamorgan

Clive also refereed at two World Cup Finals and in many European games and championships.

He was not everybody's favourite with a touch of arrogance and super confidence, much like we see nowadays in some of our top referees and, of course, one or two managers.

Clive, from the Rhondda Valley in Wales, will forever be remembered for blowing the final whistle in a World Cup game with Sweden leading Brazil and Brazil pushing forward for the equaliser.

They had a corner which was knocked into the net, but the roars of the crowd were silenced when they realised Clive had actually blown for time when the ball was in the air before it reached the penalty area.

I well remember being on the BBC Panel with Jock Stein and Bobby Charlton, with the producer demanding an arrow be produced for the action replay to show exactly where the ball was in flight when the whistle sounded.

It was a massive decision which Clive explained he had taken because Brazil had taken so long to take the corner while waiting for defenders to pile into the box. He had been strictly right according to the rules but was probably the only referee, before or since, that would have finished the game then.

He may have been right, according to the rulebook, but it effectively ended his international career.

It didn't help him that the head of FIFA was a certain Mr Havelange, who just happened to be a Brazilian.

Clive, along with the likes of Gordon Hill, Jack Taylor and little Roger Kirkpatrick was among a rare breed of referees.

Kirkpatrick looked like Mr Pickwick, but slightly heavier. He would walk down the steps from the dressing room at The Dell, pause at bottom with two linesman for effect and to ensure the crowd knew he had arrived.

He would then start to sprint towards the centre circle, lifting his chubby little knees as high as he could and, as the crowd cheered, he would turn and complete his run backwards.

Those were the days when a player could shout: "Hey, ref, that was a lousy decision" then that same ref would later get his own back by accusing the player of a lousy shot when he put the ball miles wide.

Gordon Hill would purposely run alongside a player to 'return the compliment.'

Managers could express their views while the game was going on and the referee was within earshot and expect to get a suitable answer.

The will-to-win was just as great as it is now, but the referee still had to be respected and often managers were able to vent their feelings after game which allowed the referee to give his explanations, and even on occasions hold his hands up to say that on reflection, he had made a wrong decision. Nowadays, of course, this would finish up as a headline on a back page.

So what happened to all these old characters?

Gordon Hill emigrated to America and got involved with Tampa Bay Rowdies on the commercial side.

He was behind some of the typical American slogans used like 'Soccer is a kick in the grass.'

Jack Taylor used to work for the sponsors of the managers' awards schemes while Clive, who in his refereeing days also served as general secretary of the Boys Clubs of Wales, went on have a successful office cleaning business which he sold.

This week he was given his highest honour when he was installed as the new High Sheriff of Mid Glamorgan.

I was invited to attend the ceremony along with many other sportsmen, not just from football but cricket, with Peter Walker, the ex-Glamorgan and England player, and some of the real legends of Welsh rugby like Phil Bennett, Gareth Edwards and JJ Williams.

In addition, well-known personalities like Max Boyce celebrated Clive's big day.