Phil Dowd to ref the final
http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/News/2012/Apr/final-phil-dowd-referee Chelsea v Liverpool
The FA Cup Final
5.15pm, Saturday 5 May 2012
Wembley Stadium
Live on ITV and ESPN
Winning club will receive £1,800,000 from The FA prize fund, runners-up will receive £900,000
Phil Dowd will referee the 2012 FA Cup with Budwesier Final between Chelsea and Liverpool on Saturday 5 May at Wembley Stadium.
The 49-year-old will be assisted by Stuart Burt (Northamptonshire FA) and Andrew Garratt (Staffordshire FA) along with Fourth Official Michael Jones (Cheshire FA) and reserve assistant referee Simon Long (Cornwall FA).
Dowd (Staffordshire FA) has previously refereed the 2010 League Cup Final and 2011 FA Community Shield and was Fourth Official at The 2006 FA Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
However, the former miner from Staffordshire says refereeing the final match of this year’s FA Cup, which kicks off at 5.15pm, will be something special.
“I was honoured and privileged when I found out,” he said. “You obviously hope as a referee that you might one day be considered for The FA Cup Final so it will certainly be the highlight of my career so far.”
“I would never have thought in my wildest dreams that when I first started refereeing [in 1984] that one day I’d be refereeing The FA Cup Final. Watching The Final as a boy was something I always loved to do.”
Dowd will treat the build-up to The Final the same as he does with any other game with the normal training routines, whilst spending time relaxing with the family. But the married father-of four will spare a thought on FA Cup Final day itself for his father who passed away three years ago.
“It was always an ambition of his to see me referee The FA Cup Final so I’ll have a special thought for him on the day,” he added.
David Elleray, FA Referees' Committee Chairman, said: “I would like to congratulate Phil and the team on their appointments for this year’s FA Cup Final, which is fully deserved.
"It is a huge honour to be selected as a match official for what remains the world’s most famous and best-loved Cup competition and I am sure Phil and the others will be really looking forward to both the build up to The Final and walking out onto the Wembley pitch on 5 May.”
Mike Riley, General Manager of Professional Game Match Officials Limited, said: “Phil’s appointment to The FA Cup Final is great recognition for his many years excellent service to refereeing. Phil has had a particularly strong year this season and in several high profile matches he has represented PGMOL superbly.
"His appointment is highly deserved.”
