What is Lee Mason?
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Infobox football official | image = Lee mason.jpg | image_size = 150px | name = Lee Mason | caption = Mason issues a red card during a match in 2010 | fullname = Lee Stephen Mason | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|10|29|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Bolton]], [[Lancashire]], England | years1 = 1992–1996 | league1 = [[North West Counties Football League|North West Counties League]] | role1 = Assistant referee | years2 = 1996—1998 | league2 = North West Counties League | role2 = Referee | years3 = 1998—2000 | league3 = [[The Football League]] | role3 = Assistant referee | years4 = 2000—2002 | league4 = [[Premier League]] | role4 = Assistant referee | years5 = 2002—2006 | league5 = The Football League | role5 = Referee | years6 = 2006–2021 | league6 = [[Premier League]] | role6 = Referee | years7 = 2021—2023 | league7 = Premier League | role7 = [[Video assistant referee|VAR]] }} '''Lee Stephen Mason''' (born 29 October 1971) is the English professional [[referee]] who was [[video assistant referee]] primarily in the [[Premier League]]. He was born in [[Sunderland]]. He was sacked as [[video assistant referee]] after incorrectly allowed [[Ivan Toney]]'s goal in the [[Premier League]] match on 11th February 2023 and it was [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] versus [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]]. Mason is a former chairman of Sunderland’s Referees' Society and is associated with the [[North East County Football Association]]. ==Education and family== He attended Thornleigh College in Bolton and then the [[Liverpool Hope University|Liverpool Institute of Higher Education]] between 1990 and 1993, living in Newman Hall, where he gained his degree. Whilst there he played for his college football team as well as being a regular compere, hosting a variety of social events at a [[students' union]] club. Mason's younger brother, [[Andy Mason|Andy]], is a former professional footballer who was a trainee at [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]], and played professionally for [[Hull City A.F.C