Howard Webb Retires from Refereeing
Howard Webb has retired from refereeing after being appointed technical director of the official referees’ association.
In his 25-year career, the 43-year-old officiated 500 Premier League and Football League matches and the 2010 World Cup final. He began his career in 1989 and was involved in nine major international tournaments, the Champions League final and also officiated in every major domestic final.
During this year’s World Cup in Brazil, he refereed the Group C match between Colombia and Ivory Coast, and the first knockout match between Brazil and Chile. In 2011, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to football.
“Refereeing has given me so much and I think it’s important that match officials who have had the rewards remain in the game to pass on their knowledge,” he said.
As technical director of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), Webb will be responsible for overseeing the technical direction and standards that govern match officials.
“The current Select Group are the best referees this country has ever produced and I am thrilled that I not only get the chance to continue working with them but also the opportunity to help develop the next generation,” he added.
“It’s an incredibly positive working environment and we all have a common goal of improving refereeing.”