Referees after 10 years away from Higher Ed

Now that I've been in the UK long enough to qualify for home fees, I'm starting to look into going for my PhD.  The biggest thing that worries me is the references requirement.  I completed my masters degree in 2003 in the US, and haven't been in touch with any of my professors since then.  Plus, I was a good but not great student, and I'm concerned that if I try to contact them to ask for references, they will a) not remember me after all this time, or b) remember me, but not favourably enough to write a reference.  My favourite professor, the one who brought out the best in me as a student, has long since retired and I don't know if I can track him down.  Even if I could, he is in his eighties by now and I'm not sure what his memory is like. 

Does anyone know what universities are hoping to learn from referees?  All my former professors could really attest to is what I was like in my early twenties studying a subject that I enjoyed but wasn't passionate about.  Now I'm ten years older and have found something I genuinely love and want to study.  I don't think that who I was then is in any way relevant to who I am now and what kind of student I would be.  I understand that referees don't have to be academic ones, but then how would my colleagues be able to speak to my abilities as a student when they only know me from work?  Is it worthwhile to try to track down my favourite professor in the hope that he will remember me, or will colleague references be enough?  Is it important for referees to be distinguished/successful people?  Anyone who got into a PhD programme in the UK after 10+ years away from higher ed, what referees did you use?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

I think that they are looking for a few things, most of which could be answered  by non-academics:
1) Can you work on your own and complete tasks? What sort of responsibilities are you comfortable with?
2) Any sort of research/data analysis experience--this does NOT have to be in academia, but any sort of project where you were tasked with gathering information, analysis, and then reporting on it.
3) How do you work in a group? (This is more important if you are joining a lab as opposed to a work-on-your-lonesome type programme).
The only issue I could see is you showing a more current awareness of your research area, but I think that could be easily addressed in a personal statement.
I wasn't as long away (about six years?) but I had no academic references at al (just a former headteacher or two)--and managed to get a postdoc position w/o a PhD (going through the process of getting one via papers now..)
Good luck!

Thanks, Jennie, that's very helpful!  And congratulations on the postdoc!  I think I'll not bother to try digging up my old professor.  One of the unis I'm interested in told me that the references are not hugely crucial, but I really don't want to take any silly chances. 

Ugh, I've just taken a closer look at the requirements for referees at the university I'm applying to, and it says very clearly that the first referee should be a faculty member or adviser from your last course of study.  I really don't want to have to go begging people who haven't seen or probably thought of me for ten years to give me a reference.  They'd have to write a letter, too, not just fill in a form!  How can they possibly expect people to remember someone from so long ago?  Will they consider the fact that so much time has passed and I am a completely different person now?  Why do they care more about me at 22 than today? 

Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, UGH!!!!! I hate asking for references for ANYTHING!!!  It seems so presumptuous and I hate presuming.  But imposing on people in this manner is the absolute worst.  I have people at work who would be glad to do it, but old professors I cannot guarantee.  Does anyone else have any input on how important these bloody things are?  I would hate to be refused due to a hazy memory of my twentysomething self.  Help? 

It may be a long shot, but maybe you could contact someone at the university and have a chat about it?  Maybe it is one of those things that appears very strict on paper but if you had a conversation with someone, you may find they will have some exceptions they don't like to broadcast too loudly.  I'm looking into HPC registration and it originally appeared I wouldn't have any chance going by their website application requirements, but a few calls to the registration department had me feeling a lot more confident about a potential application.  Worst they can say is reaffirm what you think?

Make a contact within the dept you want to study in snd ask them about your specific issues.

I agree with balmerhon. Most of those applications are filled out by students who have just left school, so they are tailored to that market. Give someone a ring and ask them about your application, I'm sure you're not the only one they've ever had to deal with!

Oh, and good luck!!   

I'll be in a similar situation in a few years *gulp* 

While it's not the same level of study, I feel that I can sort of relate to your issue, historyenne.

When I applied for my master's programme, I'd only been out of undergrad for a year. I went to a huge state school and just never really developed any relationships with any professors. I would turn up to class, do my work, and that was that. The Glasgow Uni application wanted 2 academic referees and I just didn't have them. I mean, I did very well in many classes, but I never talked to the professors so they would only know a name on the paper and my history of grades and nothing else. I could hardly ask them to write me a letter.

I managed to get one academic referee from the one professor I had talked to a bit and then the other one came from my boss. I had talked to the department I was applying to and they said for mature students, it's not crucial that they be academic references, and since I was 24 and wasn't coming immediately out of undergrad, that it would be fine.

I can only imagine that you, being 10 years out of your last academic experience, would probably find similar leniency. Definitely talk to them about it. Like others have said, the applications are generally geared toward people who have been on a consistent academic path and haven't taken any time away.

Good luck!!! 

Thanks, everyone.  I have e-mailed the admissions office, and if nothing comes of that, I will try calling or see if I can find someone else to contact.  This school is very frustrating because while it has the best sounding programme, trying to get useful information out of its website is like falling into Kafka, and there's very little contact info--they obviously want you to do it all online.  Frustrating.  Also, the website is where I found that even applicants who have been out of education for a long time need one reference from a former professor and one professional one.  It makes me cross because I have always found this insistence on references pointless.  It's like people can't be bothered to form their own opinions about an applicant, so they borrow someone else's opinion instead.  But who are those people?  Can they be trusted?  Really, we should have references for the references.  And then where does the madness end? 

Sorry.  I just really hate references.  I have worked on a couple of hiring committees and I never even read the reference letters for those candidates.  Interviews and personal statements are much more useful.     

Have you made any contact with the professors in the group you'd like to join? Often they are better for a "real" opinion of how it works as admissions will be more likely to just be reading off the application form in most cases, I think.
Are you comfortable telling us what area it is or which school? It might be that one of us in higher ed may have a contact you could use.