FA Cup Final referees

In English football, the FA Cup Final, the deciding match of the FA Cup competition, is considered the highest domestic honour for referees to be appointed to officiate.

The FA Cup

The most recent final (2023) was refereed by Paul Tierney, with Neil Davies and Scott Ledger as assistant referees. Peter Bankes was fourth official and David Coote served as the video assistant referee.

Selection

By modern tradition, individuals are appointed to referee an FA Cup Final only once, a rule that has been in practice since 1902. They may have previously appeared as an assistant referee or fourth official.

However, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the tradition was broken when Anthony Taylor became the first referee for over a century to officiate a second cup final. This was decided to allow a referee who would be officiating in a maiden final to experience the occasion as intended, with friends and family present and a stadium full of fans. In 2021, with the same crowd restrictions in place, Michael Oliver also refereed a second final.

David Elleray commented on his selection for the 1994 FA Cup final:[1]

Whatever else anyone might claim, it is the biggest match of your career as you only referee the final once, you are desperate not to make a mess of it. People are often surprised to learn that you can only do it once but I thoroughly approve of the principle. It is such a special occasion that [...] it would never be as good the second time round. I strongly believe that no one should have all the big games and those who have shown themselves capable of refereeing at the highest level should receive the highest accolade of doing the Cup Final.

Referees and assistants are chosen by the Football Association for their impartiality and their assessed performance scores for previous seasons. Only one referee has ever been replaced under the impartiality rule; Mike Dean agreed to pull out following questions in the media about him being able to referee a Cup Final involving Liverpool as he is from the Wirral, a peninsula situated near the city. Alan Wiley took his place.[2]

Officials are informed of the appointment by the FA Referees' Secretary and sworn to secrecy until a public announcement can be made, usually the following day. There then follows a period of media attention resulting in interviews and features appearing in the national press.

Traditions

When the Cup Final is held at Wembley Stadium, traditions include the "Eve of the Final" rally at a central London location, where the match officials are guests of honour at a meal provided for by the Referees' Association.[1] Many members of the Association including serving and past Cup Final referees also attend.

Speeches are made and the officials are presented with mementos of the occasion and invited to autograph their refereeing colleagues' Cup Final programmes. The referees usually sleep at White's Hotel, with FA protocol stating that they should not leave the grounds.

On the morning of the Cup Final, the officials take a pre-match walk through Hyde Park before travelling by limousine to Wembley.[1] Once there they are obliged once more to autograph Cup Final programmes and are invited to join any VIPs in the banqueting hall.

Fees

For the 2013-14 season the officials' fees for the Cup Final were: referee and assistant referees £375 each; fourth official £320 and a souvenir medal each, plus travelling expenses.[3]

Referees

1872–1977

Year Referee
1872Alfred Stair
1873
1874
1875Charles Alcock
1876W.S. Rawson
1877Sidney Havell Wright
1878Segar Bastard
1879Charles Alcock
1880Francis Marindin
1881William Peirce Dix
1882Charles Clegg
1883Francis Marindin
1884
1885
1886
1887
1888
1889
1890
1891Charles J. Hughes
1892Charles Clegg
1893Charles J. Hughes
1894
1895John Lewis
1896William Simpson
1897John Lewis
1898
1899Aaron Scragg[4]
1900Arthur Kingscott
1901
1902Tom Kirkham
1903John Adams
1904A. J. Barker
1905Pat Harrower
1906Fred Kirkham
1907Nat Whittaker
1908T. P. Campbell
1909Jim Mason
1910John Ibbotson
1911John Pearson
1912J. R. Schumacher
1913Arthur Adams
1914Herbert Bamlett
1915Harry Taylor
1916–1919no finals
1920Jack Howcroft
1921S. Davies
1922J. W. P. Fowler
1923D. H. Asson
1924Bill Russell
1925Noel Watson
1926I. Baker
1927William Frederick Bunnell
1928T. G. Bryan
1929Arnold Josephs
1930Tom Crew
1931Harry Kingscott
1932Percy Harper
1933Eddie Wood
1934Stanley Rous
1935Bert Fogg
1936Harry Nattrass
1937Reg Rudd
1938Arthur James Jewell
1939Tommy Thompson
1940–1945no finals
1946Ernest Smith
1947Jim Wiltshire
1948C. Jack Barrick
1949Reg Mortimer
1950Harry Pearce
1951Bill Ling
1952Arthur Ellis
1953Sandy Griffiths
1954Arthur Luty
1955Reg Leafe
1956Alf Bond
1957Frank Coultas
1958Jack Sherlock
1959Jack Clough
1960Kevin Howley
1961Jack Kelly
1962Jim Finney
1963Ken Aston
1964Arthur Holland
1965Bill Clements
1966Jack Taylor
1967Ken Dagnall
1968Leo Callaghan
1969George McCabe
1970Eric Jennings
1971Norman Burtenshaw
1972David Smith
1973Ken Burns
1974Gordon Kew
1975Pat Partridge
1976Clive Thomas
1977Bob Matthewson

1978–2009: Fourth official era

Year Referee Assistant referees Fourth official Ref(s)
1978Derek NippardJ. Bent
J. Lydon
W. Cleere
1979Ron ChallisKeith Hackett
H. Dempsey
W. Harvey
1980George CourtneyAlan Robinson
J. Byles
J. Cunningham
1981Keith HackettA. Jones
D. Hutchinson
J. Penrose
1982Clive WhiteA. Hamil
T. Mitchell
R. Guy
1983Alf GreyColin Downey
John Pardoe
John Connock
1984John HuntingA. Saunders
N. Butler
V. Wood
1985Peter WillisTerry Holbrook
D. Keen
J. Harris
1986Alan RobinsonRobbie Hart
Allan Gunn
C. Topliss
1987Neil MidgleyR. Nixon
J. Hodson
D. James
1988Brian HillMike Pierce
G. Tyson
David Redshaw
1989Joe WorrallMike Peck
Arthur Smith
Jeff Winter
1990Allan GunnL. Watson
C. Reeve
Roger Milford
1991Roger MilfordP. Brennan
P. Newton
Keren Barratt
1992Philip DonRob Harris
John Hilditch
Kelvin Morton
1993Keren BarrattRoy Pearson
Brian Wigginton
Roger Dilkes
1994David EllerayPaul Rejer
Graham Barber
Gerald Ashby
1995Gerald AshbyMark Warren
Steve Bennett
Steve Lodge
1996Dermot GallagherAnthony Bates
Peter Walton
Paul Durkin
1997Steve LodgeDavid Crick
David Horlick
Peter Jones
1998Paul DurkinBill Jordan
Phil Joslin
Graham Barber
1999Peter JonesDavid Babski
Philip Sharp
Mike Riley
2000Graham PollDarren Drysdale
Graeme Atkins
Alan Wiley
2001Steve DunnMike Tingey
Kevin Pike
Steve Bennett
2002Mike RileyGlenn Turner
Ralph Bone
Mark Halsey
2003Graham BarberNigel Miller
Keith Stroud
Mike Dean
2004Jeff WinterRoger East
Antony Green
Matt Messias
2005Rob StylesJim Devine
Paul Canadine
Neale Barry[5]
2006Alan Wiley[6]Ceri Richards[7]
Darren Cann
Phil Dowd[8]
2007Steve BennettPeter Kirkup
Dave Bryan
Howard Webb[9]
2008Mike DeanMartin Yerby
Trevor Massey
Chris Foy[10]
2009Howard WebbDave Richardson
Mike Mullarkey
Martin Atkinson[11]

2010–2017: Fourth official and reserve assistant referee era

Year Referee Assistant referees Fourth official/
Reserve assistant referee
Ref(s)
2010Chris FoyJohn Flynn
Shaun Procter-Green
Andre Marriner
Stuart Burt
[12]
2011Martin AtkinsonAdam Watts
Simon Beck
Lee Probert
Jake Collin
[13]
2012Phil DowdStuart Burt
Andrew Garratt
Mike Jones
Simon Long
[14]
2013Andre MarrinerStephen Child
Simon Long
Anthony Taylor
Gary Beswick
[15][16]
2014Lee ProbertJake Collin
Mick McDonough
Kevin Friend
Simon Bennett
[17]
2015Jonathan MossDarren England
Simon Bennett
Craig Pawson
Harry Lennard
[18]
2016Mark ClattenburgJohn Brooks
Andrew Halliday
Neil Swarbrick
Michael Salisbury
[19]
2017Anthony TaylorGary Beswick
Marc Perry
Bobby Madley
Adam Nunn
[20]

2018–present: VAR and AVAR era

Year Referee Assistant referees Fourth official/
Reserve assistant referee
VAR/
AVAR
Ref(s)
2018Michael OliverIan Hussin
Lee Betts
Lee Mason
Constantine Hatzidakis
Neil Swarbrick
Mick McDonough
[21]
2019Kevin FriendConstantine Hatzidakis
Matthew Wilkes
Graham Scott
Edward Smart
Andre Marriner
Harry Lennard
[22]
2020Anthony TaylorGary Beswick
Adam Nunn
Chris Kavanagh
Lee Betts
Stuart Attwell
Stephen Child
[23]
2021Michael OliverStuart Burt
Simon Bennett
Stuart Attwell
Dan Cook
Chris Kavanagh
Sian Massey-Ellis
[24]
2022Craig PawsonDan Cook
Edward Smart
David Coote
Dan Robathan
Paul Tierney
Simon Bennett
[25]
2023Paul TierneyNeil Davies
Scott Ledger
Peter Bankes
Adrian Holmes
David Coote
Simon Long
[26]

Referees with more than one final

Referee Number of finals Years
Francis Marindin 9 1880, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890
Alfred Stair 3 1872, 1873, 1874
Charles J. Hughes 3 1891, 1893, 1894
John Lewis 3 1895, 1897, 1898
Charles Alcock 2 1875, 1879
Charles Clegg 2 1882, 1892
Arthur Kingscott 2 1900, 1901
Anthony Taylor 2 2017, 2020
Michael Oliver 2 2018, 2021

References

  1. Elleray, David (2004). "The Cup Final". The Man in the Middle. London: Time Warner. pp. 110–119. ISBN 0-316-72714-8.
  2. Davies, Christopher (25 April 2006). "FA replace Cup final referee from the Wirral". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 7 April 2008. Retrieved 6 February 2007.
  3. "The website for the English football association, the Emirates FA Cup and the England football team".
  4. "The death of Aaron Scragg". Runcorn Guardian. 18 August 1909.
  5. FA Cup Final 2005, report: TheFA.com website.
  6. Original referee Wirral-based referee Mike Dean was removed from the final after Liverpool made it through to the final. He was replaced by Premier League Select Group Referee, Alan Wiley.
  7. Original assistant referee Peter Kirkup woke up with a stye in his eye on the morning of the match, which affected his vision. He was replaced by Premier League Select Group Assistant Ref, Ceri Richards.
  8. "FA replace Cup final referee from the Wirral": Telegraph.co.uk website.
  9. "Bennett chosen for Final". TheFA.com. The Football Association. Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  10. "Dean gets Final spot". TheFA.com. 7 April 2008. Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  11. Mawhinney, Stuart (21 April 2009). "Webb appointed for The Final". TheFA.com. The Football Association. Archived from the original on 23 April 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  12. "FA Cup Final for Foy". TheFA.com. The Football Association. 13 April 2010. Archived from the original on 15 April 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  13. "Atkinson takes Cup Final whistle". TheFA.com. The Football Association. 19 April 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  14. "Phil Dowd to referee FA Cup final". The Daily Telegraph. London. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  15. "Marriner to referee FA Cup final". ESPNFC. 17 April 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
  16. "Man City 0 - 1 Wigan". bbc.com. BBC. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  17. "Lee Probert to take charge of the FA Cup Final at Wembley".
  18. Callow, James (21 April 2015). "Jon Moss will referee the 2015 FA Cup Final at Wembley". The FA. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  19. "Mark Clattenburg to referee the 2016 Emirates FA Cup Final".
  20. "Sorry. Something's wrong with the pitch. - Cheshire FA".
  21. "Michael Oliver on FA Cup Final appointment". The Football Association. 24 April 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  22. "KEVIN FRIEND WILL REFEREE 2019 EMIRATES FA CUP FINAL". The Football Association. 29 April 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  23. "REFEREE ANTHONY TAYLOR AND HIS TEAM WILL TAKE CHARGE OF THE HEADS UP FA CUP FINAL". The Football Association. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  24. "THE LINEUP OF MATCH OFFICIALS FOR THE 2021 EMIRATES FA CUP FINAL HAS BEEN SELECTED". The Football Association. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  25. "MATCH OFFICIALS CONFIRMED FOR THE EMIRATES FA CUP AND VITALITY WOMEN'S FA CUP FINALS".
  26. "THE TEAM OF MATCH OFFICIALS FOR THE EMIRATES FA CUP FINAL HAS BEEN CONFIRMED".
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