German referee Herbert Küppers, aged 86, was recently honored by his colleagues for his 65th anniversary as referee when he refereed a veterans’ match, especially organised for him, between SV St. Tönis and Teutonia St. Tönis. Some of his fellow referees joined the celebration and lined-up with both teams as the referee team arrived.
In 1956, referees were urgently needed at his club, SV St. Tönis, in the district of Viersen, so Herbert attended his first referee course at the age of 21 and passed his referee exam that same year. It quickly became his beloved and passionate hobby, which he has been practicing for 65 years. Herbert was able to meet many interesting people and clubs in his 65 years as an active referee and recalls many memories with pleasure. To this day, he regularly attends monthly referee sessions and enjoys additional training. Despite his 86 years, he also shows a great running disposition and good physical shape in his matches.
Source: Kempen-Krefeld