In his early career, from 2001, Madley refereed in the Wakefield and District League and then the West Yorkshire Association Football League. In 2010, he joined the National List of referees who officiate in the Football League. In 2012 Madley was added to the FIFA fifth officials' list. In April 2013 he took charge of his first Premier League fixture, between Southampton and West Bromwich Albion at St Mary's Stadium. Madley sent off three players during the game, one from each team for violent conduct, and later a second Southampton player for serious foul play. "All three red cards were correct," the West Brom manager Steve Clarke said after the game, which his team won 3–0. In June 2013, Madley was promoted to the panel of Select Group Referees who officiate all fixtures in the Premier League. In April 2015, Madley was selected to officiate both legs of the FA Youth Cup final between Manchester City and Chelsea. Madley was promoted to the FIFA referee list in January 2016. On Sunday 6 August 2017 Madley was the referee of the FA Community Shield2017 match between Arsenal and Chelsea. Madley endured a difficult 2017–18 season and was adjudged to be making too many dubious decisions by a number of former Premier League referees including Keith Hackett, Graham Poll and Mark Halsey. Madley quit suddenly in August 2018, when he "decided to relocate due to a change in his personal circumstances", according to a statement by PGMOL. He later revealed, in December 2019, that he recorded a video 'mocking' a disabled person and sent it to a friend who subsequently forwarded it to his employers, for which he was dismissed and left the ranks of PGMOL referees. He subsequently moved to Norway where he officiated in lower league matches. In 2019, Madley signed on to referee in the 6-a-side World Cup, explaining how much he enjoyed the 6-a-side football game. He also refereed the 6-a-side World Cup final in Crete in 2019, as Russia beat Poland. He also mentored other referees during the tournament. On 13 February 2020, following discussions with the PGMOL, it was announced that Madley would return to refereeing in English football, initially at grassroots level, before joining the National List of referees, enabling him to officiate League One and League Two matches, for the 2020–21 season.
