Bernard Joy, in the 1960 publication "Association Football" (p.470), wrote: "The setbacks rattled the Yugoslavs, their behaviour got out of hand for a spell and they did not recover their rhythm.
By the start of the next season (1948–49) Ling had become a Football League referee, and within three years had been appointed to control an FA Cup Final.
[1] Ling refereed the FA Cup Final in 1951, in which Newcastle United beat Blackpool with two Jackie Milburn goals.
Willy Meisl observed, later, that it appeared that goal keeper Gyula Grosics had struck Ling following the final whistle.
Joachim Floryszak, a non-League German football referee and civil servant, starred as Ling after contacting the director Sönke Wortmann begging to be given a place in the film.