Summary
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 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 edit
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 edit
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 edit
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 edit
1872–1977 edit
1978–2009: Fourth official era edit
2010–2017: Fourth official and reserve assistant referee era edit
| Year | Referee | Assistant referees | Fourth official/ Reserve assistant referee |
Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Chris Foy | John Flynn Shaun Procter-Green |
Andre Marriner Stuart Burt |
[12] |
| 2011 | Martin Atkinson | Adam Watts Simon Beck |
Lee Probert Jake Collin |
[13] |
| 2012 | Phil Dowd | Stuart Burt Andrew Garratt |
Mike Jones Simon Long |
[14] |
| 2013 | Andre Marriner | Stephen Child Simon Long |
Anthony Taylor Gary Beswick |
[15][16] |
| 2014 | Lee Probert | Jake Collin Mick McDonough |
Kevin Friend Simon Bennett |
[17] |
| 2015 | Jonathan Moss | Darren England Simon Bennett |
Craig Pawson Harry Lennard |
[18] |
| 2016 | Mark Clattenburg | John Brooks Andrew Halliday |
Neil Swarbrick Michael Salisbury |
[19] |
| 2017 | Anthony Taylor | Gary Beswick Marc Perry |
Bobby Madley Adam Nunn |
[20] |
2018–present: VAR and AVAR era edit
| Year | Referee | Assistant referees | Fourth official/ Reserve assistant referee |
VAR/ AVAR |
Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Michael Oliver | Ian Hussin Lee Betts |
Lee Mason Constantine Hatzidakis |
Neil Swarbrick Mick McDonough |
[21] |
| 2019 | Kevin Friend | Constantine Hatzidakis Matthew Wilkes |
Graham Scott Edward Smart |
Andre Marriner Harry Lennard |
[22] |
| 2020 | Anthony Taylor | Gary Beswick Adam Nunn |
Chris Kavanagh Lee Betts |
Stuart Attwell Stephen Child |
[23] |
| 2021 | Michael Oliver | Stuart Burt Simon Bennett |
Stuart Attwell Dan Cook |
Chris Kavanagh Sian Massey-Ellis |
[24] |
| 2022 | Craig Pawson | Dan Cook Edward Smart |
David Coote Dan Robathan |
Paul Tierney Simon Bennett |
[25] |
| 2023 | Paul Tierney | Neil Davies Scott Ledger |
Peter Bankes Adrian Holmes |
David Coote Simon Long |
[26] |
Referees with more than one final edit
| 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 edit
- ^ a b c Elleray, David (2004). "The Cup Final". The Man in the Middle. London: Time Warner. pp. 110–119. ISBN 0-316-72714-8.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "The website for the English football association, the Emirates FA Cup and the England football team".
- ^ "The death of Aaron Scragg". Runcorn Guardian. 18 August 1909.
- ^ FA Cup Final 2005, report: TheFA.com website.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "FA replace Cup final referee from the Wirral": Telegraph.co.uk website.
- ^ "Bennett chosen for Final". TheFA.com. The Football Association. Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
- ^ "Dean gets Final spot". TheFA.com. 7 April 2008. Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Atkinson takes Cup Final whistle". TheFA.com. The Football Association. 19 April 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
- ^ "Phil Dowd to referee FA Cup final". The Daily Telegraph. London. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
- ^ "Marriner to referee FA Cup final". ESPNFC. 17 April 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
- ^ "Man City 0 - 1 Wigan". bbc.com. BBC. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
- ^ "Lee Probert to take charge of the FA Cup Final at Wembley".
- ^ Callow, James (21 April 2015). "Jon Moss will referee the 2015 FA Cup Final at Wembley". The FA. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
- ^ "Mark Clattenburg to referee the 2016 Emirates FA Cup Final".
- ^ "Sorry. Something's wrong with the pitch. - Cheshire FA".
- ^ "Michael Oliver on FA Cup Final appointment". The Football Association. 24 April 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
- ^ "KEVIN FRIEND WILL REFEREE 2019 EMIRATES FA CUP FINAL". The Football Association. 29 April 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "MATCH OFFICIALS CONFIRMED FOR THE EMIRATES FA CUP AND VITALITY WOMEN'S FA CUP FINALS".
- ^ "THE TEAM OF MATCH OFFICIALS FOR THE EMIRATES FA CUP FINAL HAS BEEN CONFIRMED".