Official Kicks: Charlotte Carpenter

Charlotte Carpenter, 26, from Newport on the Isle of Wight, has become Wales’ first female FIFA-level referee. She was coaching and looking to get more involved when she saw a course advertised in a local paper, and now officiates in the Women’s Welsh Premier League and the men’s Welsh League. Having played from five until the end of university, she believes it helps her understand the game from all perspectives, and calls officiating the best seat in the stadium. Her funniest experience came in a cup quarter-final, her first game wearing the FIFA badge, with the BBC filming and an assessor watching: back-pedalling after awarding a free kick she fell flat, legs in the air, got up, took a bow and carried on laughing. She is now monitored by UEFA.