What is Neil Swarbrick?
{{Use British English|date=October 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Infobox football official | name = Neil Swarbrick | image = Neil Swarbrick 2013.jpg | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|12|20|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Burnley|Preston]], [[Lancashire]], England | years1 = ? – ? | league1 = [[Northern Premier League]] | role1 = Referee | years2 = ? — ? | league2 = [[Football Conference|Conference]] | role2 = Referee | years3 = 2005—2011 | league3 = [[The Football League]] | role3 = Referee | years4 = 2011—2018 | league4 = [[Premier League]] | role4 = Referee }} '''Neil Swarbrick''' is an English retired [[Association football|football]] referee who officiated primarily in the [[Premier League]] having been promoted to the [[Select Group of Referees]] in 2011. He is based in [[Burnley|Preston]], Lancashire and a member of the [[Lancashire County Football Association]]. He was formerly the Head of VAR in the [[Premier League]] but will remain in his post until the end of the [[2022—23 Premier League season|2022/23 season]]. He was the Premier League Head of VAR since he retired as a referee in the Premier League at the end of the [[2017—18 Premier League season]]. ==Career== He took up refereeing relatively late, at the age of 29. Within six years, he was promoted to the National List of [[Assistant referee|assistant referees]]. He fulfilled this role for four years before being added to the Referees' List. He refereed in the [[Football Conference]] until moving up into [[the Football League]]. He has also officiated the [[FA Cup]] and [[EFL Cup]] matches. His first [[Premier League|PL]] appointment came in December 2010 when he took charge of a goalless draw between [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] and [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]]. During his second [[Premier League|PL]] appointment in February 2011, he issued his first red card in England's top division [[DJ Campbell]] of [[Blackpool A.F.C.|Blackpool]] as they lost 4–0 away to [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolves]]. He retired from refereeing at the