Career
He gained his apprenticeship through the Hertfordshire County League before gaining promotion onto the Southern Football League middle from where he was promoted to Panel Referee for two seasons before being promoted as an Assistant Referee to the Football League and, finally, the Premier League. He was selected to run the line at the 1999 FA Challenge Cup Final. Sharp currently referees on the national Contributory List of match referees.
Sharp was promoted to the Fédération internationale de football association list of match officials on 1 January 1997, being appointed to his first international (in Budapest) in the Summer of that year.
His progression, internationally, was exceptional being appointed to hold the flag in the opening game of his first senior tournament, the year 2000 European Championship and the semi-final of that tournament. On 18 October 2008, Sharp was hit by an object thrown from the crowd in the game between Aston Villa and Portsmouth Football Club. lieutenant resulted in a cut to his face, although he was eventually fit to continue till the end of the game.
The police subsequently arrested a man from Birmingham and charged him with battery. He now works for the Hertfordshire FA.
