BLACKBURN referee Eddie Wolstenholme has been named in the first group of 24 elite football officials to benefit from the advent of professionalism.

The newly-formed Professional Game Match Officials Board has released the names of the Select Group of Referees, which includes Wolstenholme.

They will officiate in the FA Premier League, selected Football League games and major FA Cup matches and have the option of going fully professional. All selected referees could receive an annual retainer of £33,000 plus match fees of around £900 per game.

Specific training and development programmes over several days per month have also been introduced.

Referees' manager Philip Don said: "These new arrangements for our leading match officials have been designed to continue to improve the standard of refereeing, which is a priority for everyone. It will also enhance the status and standing of referees within the professional game both at home and abroad."

Select Group of Referees: G Barber (Hertfordshire), N Barry (Lincolnshire), S Bennett (Kent), M Dean (Wirral), P Dowd (Staffordshire), S Dunn (Avon), P Durkin (Avon), Andy D'Urso (Essex), D Elleray (Middlesex), C Foy (Merseyside), D Gallagher (Oxfordshire), M Halsey (Lancashire), P Jones (Leicestershire), B Knight (Kent), M Messias (North Yorkshire), G Poll (Hertfordshire), D Pugh (Merseyside), U Rennie (South Yorkshire), M Riley (Yorkshire), R Styles (Hampshire), A Wiley (Staffordshire), C Wilkes (Gloucestershire), J Winter (Cleveland), E Wolstenholme (Lancashire).