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Author Topic: The Emirates FA Cup - Finals at Wembley Stadium on Sat 18th MAY 2019  (Read 1747 times)

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bmb

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http://www.thefa.com/news/2019/apr/29/fa-cup-final-referee-kevin-friend-290419

Kevin Friend [Leicestershire & Rutland FA] has been appointed as referee for the showpiece fixture between Manchester City and Watford on Saturday 18 May.

He will be joined by assistant referees Constantine Hatzidakis [Kent FA] and Matthew Wilkes [Birmingham FA], fourth official Graham Scott [Berks & Bucks FA] and reserve assistant referee Edward Smart [Birmingham FA].

Andre Marriner [Birmingham FA] will be the video assistant referee [VAR] for the match. Marriner will be joined at Stockley Park by the assistant VAR Harry Lennard [Sussex FA].
« Last Edit: Mon 29 Apr 2019 15:57 by aaa »
Hajrá Lilák. Csak a Kispest. Hajrá Magyarok! Hajrá játékvezetői csapat! Soha ne add fel. Nincs sárga kérem!!! No Chris Kavanagh doesn't live in Ashton or even in the Greater Manchester area!!

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Welshexref

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Re: FA Cup Final
« Reply #1 on: Mon 29 Apr 2019 15:46 »
Pretty much the expected appointment and Kevin Friend has had a pretty good season.
Congratulations to all.

Readingfan

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I think that this is the 'right' appointment.

Friend has generally performed pretty well this season and has impressed me in the FA Cup games in particular.

I am surprised that Scott Ledger has never been appointed as an assistant to teh FA Cup final.

Hendo

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Firstly congratulations to all involved.

However I can’t help but think about the excellent refs in former years who never got the cup final - John Martin, Martin Bodenham, Lester Shapter, Mark Halsey and others - and wonder if Friend has been given the final not so much because of his own outstanding ability but because of the dearth of suitable candidates around at present.
 I don’t wish to dampen his appointment and agree he has had probably his best season after a few ropey ones  but I think it reflects as much on the current standard of refereeing in this country that a solid, unspectacular Ref such as Friend has been given what used to be seen as the pinnacle of a referees career. Is it maybe also a reflection on the perceived reduced status of the FA Cup from former years?

I am sure I will get criticism for these views but I felt it was worth making the point even if others do not agree.

RCG

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Certainly used to be that non FIFA refs had to wait for the miracle of a team from outside the top flight to get through.
If Friend is the top ranked referee of the list of those who have not had the final then well done and I hope his team have a great day (and Andre has very little to do)

Whistleblower

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Pleased for Kevin Friend, I believe he deserves the honour. As does Graham Scott.  Not quite so sure about Hatzidakis but I guess there are very few SG1 ARs who haven't had the honour. Scott Ledger seems to have been a good servant of the game so if he hasn't I am surprised.

Whistleblower

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Of the present SG1, seven have already received the honour of officiating in the Final. Atkinson, Dean, Marriner, Moss, Oliver, Probert and Taylor. I think it entirely probable that, excluding those, Friend is the next most deserving in terms of performances.

Over the next three years I would expect Pawson, Kavanagh and Tierney to feature, probably in that order and if a lean year comes along then Attwell might have a chance.

It is pure speculation but were Bobby Madley not to have departed the scene, so strongly did he appear to be backed, that I wouldn't have been surprised to see his name for this year's appointment.

For the future, were Ladbrokes to accept such a bet,  a modest wager on Robert Jones and Darren England for the Final one day would be a good investment barring any misfortune of injury or misdemeanour.

Retiredref

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Firstly congratulations to all involved.

However I can’t help but think about the excellent refs in former years who never got the cup final - John Martin, Martin Bodenham, Lester Shapter, Mark Halsey and others - and wonder if Friend has been given the final not so much because of his own outstanding ability but because of the dearth of suitable candidates around at present.
 I don’t wish to dampen his appointment and agree he has had probably his best season after a few ropey ones  but I think it reflects as much on the current standard of refereeing in this country that a solid, unspectacular Ref such as Friend has been given what used to be seen as the pinnacle of a referees career. Is it maybe also a reflection on the perceived reduced status of the FA Cup from former years?

I am sure I will get criticism for these views but I felt it was worth making the point even if others do not agree.

Fully agree. This is a pick from a very slim list of options.
I hope he has a good game, and I hope it's a great occasion for him, but that he should receive the highest refereeing honour in English football is in no way in keeping with his on-field ability.

Whistleblower

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If the practice of only receiving the honour once is maintained ( and I support that ) then the pool of candidates is going to be pretty restricted.

I agree that there were some fine referees who didn't ever receive the honour and I would agree with the names of John Martin and Martin Bodenham and also add the names of Ray Lewis, John Gow and John Homewood and of course going right back Ernie Crawford. However, in past years there were some who may be counted fortunate, of whom I would include Peter Willis and Keren Barratt so the appointment has, in history, sometimes had contention about it.
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reflector

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I agree with most of what has been said about Kevin Friend.  He was the most likely to receive the appointment and probably has the strongest claim which may perhaps not be the most ringing endorsement.

I just wonder however if refereeing the FA Cup Final is the honour that it once was.  In the days when the Final signalled the end of the season and the only one in the whole season that was televised live, it was very much more of an occasion and it was certainly true that the shops were almost empty on the Saturday afternoon of the Final, and the roads were strangely devoid of traffic as nearly everyone was at home watching it on TV and it was a real occasion for the whole country.

It was also probably the only occasion that the chosen referee would get to officiate at Wembley apart of course from the Charity Shield which rarely had the same competitive edge, and the FA Amateur Cup.  Then came the League Cup Final which gave another opportunity for an official to referee there and now of course we have the FA Cup semi finals and the the play off finals as well as the FA trophy etc, not to mention the recent use of the stadium for premier league matches, so that I suspect that by the time today's  referees get to officiate the Final, most will already have appeared there,  some several times. Of course, it is still an honour but I suggest not to the same degree as it was.
« Last Edit: Mon 29 Apr 2019 23:50 by reflector »
reflector
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flipmode

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I'm on my own in the surprised list with this appointment. In no way does it detract from what has been a steady, consistent season from Friend, however I feel there's more worthy than him for this pinnacle appointment this season.

Nevertheless, I wish him well and hope he oversees a City victory ;)
David Silva olé.

Whistleblower

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flipmode, who among those who have not already received the honour and thereby are the only contenders, would you consider more worthy?

Acme Thunderer

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I agree with most of what has been said about Kevin Friend.  He was the most likely to receive the appointment and probably has the strongest claim which may perhaps not be the most ringing endorsement.

I just wonder however if refereeing the FA Cup Final is the honour that it once was.  In the days when the Final signalled the end of the season and the only one in the whole season that was televised live, it was very much more of an occasion and it was certainly true that the shops were almost empty on the Saturday afternoon of the Final, and the roads were strangely devoid of traffic as nearly everyone was at home watching it on TV and it was a real occasion for the whole country.

It was also probably the only occasion that the chosen referee would get to officiate at Wembley apart of course from the Charity Shield which rarely had the same competitive edge, and the FA Amateur Cup.  Then came the League Cup Final which gave another opportunity for an official to referee there and now of course we have the FA Cup semi finals and the the play off finals as well as the FA trophy etc, not to mention the recent use of the stadium for premier league matches, so that I suspect that by the time today's  referees get to officiate the Final, most will already have appeared there,  some several times. Of course, it is still an honour but I suggest not to the same degree as it was.

I think that because this is a 'once and once only' appointment, it is still regarded as the ultimate honour for a referee in the English domestic game, notwithstanding that refs such as Kevin have already trod the Wembley turf before. If and when a ref is appointed to a second FA Cup Final, then yes, it will become just another game, but until then, it is a major honour, a fact which Kevin has already acknowledged in the media. I wish Kevin and his team all the very best and hope you have a great day out at Wembley.   

Readingfan

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I think that in terms of domestic appointments the FA Cup final probably has the biggest fanfare associated with it.

I would guess that for referees such as Friend, Probert, maybe Moss, it will probably go down as the highlight of their refereeing career.

JohnCoyle

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If the practice of only receiving the honour once is maintained ( and I support that ) then the pool of candidates is going to be pretty restricted.

I agree that there were some fine referees who didn't ever receive the honour and I would agree with the names of John Martin and Martin Bodenham and also add the names of Ray Lewis, John Gow and John Homewood and of course going right back Ernie Crawford. However, in past years there were some who may be counted fortunate, of whom I would include Peter Willis and Keren Barratt so the appointment has, in history, sometimes had contention about it.


You could argue that there was a bigger pool to choose from in the days of one National List. Nowadays the FA Cup Final is effectively restricted to SG1 referees. I shall be very surprised if any FIFA referees in the future don't get the honour, unless, like Bobby Madley, they leave the list early.
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