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 (2020) was refereed by Anthony Taylor, with Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn as assistant referees; Chris Kavanagh was fourth official and Lee Betts the reserve assistant referee.

Selection

Individuals may be appointed to referee an FA Cup Final only once, a rule that's been in practice since 1902, but they are allowed to have previously appeared as an assistant referee or fourth official.

Due to the Coronavirus crisis in 2020, 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, allowing friends and family to attend, along with the stadium full of fans present.

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

Prior to 1915

Year	Referee
1872	Alfred Stair
1873	Alfred Stair
1874	Alfred Stair
1875	Charles Alcock
1876	W.S. Rawson
1877	Sidney Havell Wright
1878	Segar Bastard
1879	Charles Alcock
1880	Francis Marindin
1881	William Peirce Dix
1882	Charles Clegg
1883	Francis Marindin
1884	Francis Marindin
1885	Francis Marindin
1886	Francis Marindin
1887	Francis Marindin
1888	Francis Marindin
1889	Francis Marindin
1890	Francis Marindin
1891	Charles J. Hughes
1892	Charles Clegg
1893	Charles J. Hughes
1894	Charles J. Hughes
1895	John Lewis
1896	William Simpson
1897	John Lewis
1898	John Lewis
1899	Arthur Scragg
1900	Arthur Kingscott
1901	Arthur Kingscott
1902	Tom Kirkham
1903	John Adams
1904	A. J. Barker
1905	Pat Harrower
1906	Fred Kirkham
1907	Nat Whittaker
1908	T. P. Campbell
1909	Jim Mason
1910	John Ibbotson
1911	John Pearson
1912	J. R. Schumacher
1913	Arthur Adams
1914	Herbert Bamlett
1915	Harry Taylor
1920 to 1939 Year Referee 1920 Jack Howcroft 1921 S. Davies 1922 J. W. P. Fowler 1923 D. H. Asson 1924 Bill Russell 1925 Noel Watson 1926 I. Baker 1927 William Frederick Bunnell 1928 T. G. Bryan 1929 Arnold Josephs 1930 Tom Crew 1931 Harry Kingscott 1932 Percy Harper 1933 Eddie Wood 1934 Stanley Rous 1935 Bert Fogg 1936 Harry Nattrass 1937 Reg Rudd 1938 Arthur James Jewell 1939 Tommy Thompson Post-World War II Year Referee 1946 Ernest Smith 1947 Jim Wiltshire 1948 C. Jack Barrick 1949 Reg Mortimer 1950 Harry Pearce 1951 Bill Ling 1952 Arthur Ellis 1953 Sandy Griffiths 1954 Arthur Luty 1955 Reg Leafe 1956 Alf Bond 1957 Frank Coultas 1958 Jack Sherlock 1959 Jack Clough 1960 Kevin Howley 1961 Jack Kelly 1962 Jim Finney 1963 Ken Aston 1964 Arthur Holland 1965 Bill Clements 1966 Jack Taylor 1967 Ken Dagnall 1968 Leo Callaghan 1969 George McCabe 1970 Eric Jennings 1971 Norman Burtenshaw 1972 David Smith 1973 Ken Burns 1974 Gordon Kew 1975 Pat Partridge 1976 Clive Thomas 1977 Bob Matthewson Year Referee Assistant referees Fourth official 1978 Derek Nippard J. Bent J. Lydon W. Cleere 1979 Ron Challis Keith Hackett H. Dempsey W. Harvey 1980 George Courtney Alan Robinson J. Byles J. Cunningham 1981 Keith Hackett A. Jones D. Hutchinson J. Penrose 1982 Clive White A. Hamil T. Mitchell R. Guy 1983 Alf Grey Colin Downey John Pardoe John Connock 1984 John Hunting A. Saunders N. Butler V. Wood 1985 Peter Willis Terry Holbrook D. Keen J. Harris 1986 Alan Robinson Robbie Hart Allan Gunn C. Topliss 1987 Neil Midgley R. Nixon J. Hodson D. James 1988 Brian Hill Mike Pierce G. Tyson David Redshaw 1989 Joe Worrall Mike Peck Arthur Smith Jeff Winter 1990 Allan Gunn L. Watson C. Reeve Roger Milford 1991 Roger Milford P. Brennan P. Newton Keren Barratt 1992 Philip Don Rob Harris John Hilditch Kelvin Morton 1993 Keren Barratt Roy Pearson Brian Wigginton Roger Dilkes 1994 David Elleray Paul Rejer Graham Barber Gerald Ashby 1995 Gerald Ashby Mark Warren Steve Bennett Steve Lodge 1996 Dermot Gallagher Anthony Bates Peter Walton Paul Durkin 1997 Steve Lodge David Crick David Horlick Peter Jones 1998 Paul Durkin Bill Jordan Phil Joslin Graham Barber 1999 Peter Jones David Babski Philip Sharp Mike Riley 2000–2017 Year Referee Assistant referees Fourth official/ Reserve assistant referee Ref(s) 2000 Graham Poll Darren Drysdale Graeme Atkins Alan Wiley 2001 Steve Dunn Mike Tingey Kevin Pike Steve Bennett 2002 Mike Riley Glenn Turner Ralph Bone Mark Halsey 2003 Graham Barber Nigel Miller Keith Stroud Mike Dean 2004 Jeff Winter Roger East Antony Green Matt Messias 2005 Rob Styles Jim Devine Paul Canadine Neale Barry [4] 2006 Alan Wiley[5] Ceri Richards[6] Darren Cann Phil Dowd [7] 2007 Steve Bennett Peter Kirkup Dave Bryan Howard Webb [8] 2008 Mike Dean Martin Yerby Trevor Massey Chris Foy [9] 2009 Howard Webb Dave Richardson Mike Mullarkey Martin Atkinson [10] 2010 Chris Foy John Flynn Shaun Procter-Green Andre Marriner Stuart Burt [11] 2011 Martin Atkinson Adam Watts Simon Beck Lee Probert Jake Collin [12] 2012 Phil Dowd Stuart Burt Andrew Garratt Mike Jones Simon Long [13] 2013 Andre Marriner Stephen Child Simon Long Anthony Taylor Gary Beswick [14][15] 2014 Lee Probert Jake Collin Mick McDonough Kevin Friend Simon Bennett [16] 2015 Jonathan Moss Darren England Simon Bennett Craig Pawson Harry Lennard [17] 2016 Mark Clattenburg John Brooks Andrew Halliday Neil Swarbrick Michael Salisbury [18] 2017 Anthony Taylor Gary Beswick Marc Perry Bobby Madley Adam Nunn [19] 2018–present (VAR) 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 [20] 2019 Kevin Friend Constantine Hatzidakis Matthew Wilkes Graham Scott Edward Smart Andre Marriner Harry Lennard [21] 2020 Anthony Taylor Gary Beswick Adam Nunn Chris Kavanagh Lee Betts Stuart Attwell Stephen Child [22] 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 References Elleray, David (2004). "The Cup Final". The Man in the Middle. London: Time Warner. pp. 110–119. ISBN 0-316-72714-8. Davies, Christopher (2006-04-25). "FA replace Cup final referee from the Wirral". London: The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2007-02-06. http://www.thefa.com/~/media/files/pdf/fa-competitions-1314/fa-cup/fa-cup-rules-2013-2014.ashx 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. http://www.thefa.com/news/the-fa-cup/2014/apr/final-referee-lee-probert Callow, James (21 April 2015). "Jon Moss will referee the 2015 FA Cup Final at Wembley". The FA. Retrieved 21 April 2015. http://www.thefa.com/news/the-fa-cup/2016/apr/mark-clattenburg-to-referee-2016-emirates-fa-cup-final http://www.cheshirefa.com/news/2017/apr/anthony-taylor-selected-for-fa-cup-final "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.