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#Post#: 7341--------------------------------------------------
The Emirates FA Cup - Finals at Wembley Stadium on Sat 18th MAY
2019
DIR By: bmb
Date: April 29, 2019, 9:41 am
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HTML 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].
#Post#: 7342--------------------------------------------------
Re: FA Cup Final
DIR By: Welshexref
Date: April 29, 2019, 9:46 am
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Pretty much the expected appointment and Kevin Friend has had a
pretty good season.
Congratulations to all.
#Post#: 7344--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Emirates FA Cup - Finals at Wembley Stadium on Sat 18th
MAY 2019
DIR By: Readingfan
Date: April 29, 2019, 10:06 am
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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.
#Post#: 7353--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Emirates FA Cup - Finals at Wembley Stadium on Sat 18th
MAY 2019
DIR By: Hendo
Date: April 29, 2019, 10:52 am
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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.
#Post#: 7357--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Emirates FA Cup - Finals at Wembley Stadium on Sat 18th
MAY 2019
DIR By: RCG
Date: April 29, 2019, 11:15 am
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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)
#Post#: 7362--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Emirates FA Cup - Finals at Wembley Stadium on Sat 18th
MAY 2019
DIR By: Whistleblower
Date: April 29, 2019, 11:53 am
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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.
#Post#: 7372--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Emirates FA Cup - Finals at Wembley Stadium on Sat 18th
MAY 2019
DIR By: Whistleblower
Date: April 29, 2019, 2:03 pm
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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.
#Post#: 7375--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Emirates FA Cup - Finals at Wembley Stadium on Sat 18th
MAY 2019
DIR By: Retiredref
Date: April 29, 2019, 2:33 pm
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--- Quote from: Hendo link ---
>
> 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.
>
--- End Quote ---
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.
#Post#: 7377--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Emirates FA Cup - Finals at Wembley Stadium on Sat 18th
MAY 2019
DIR By: Whistleblower
Date: April 29, 2019, 3:17 pm
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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.
#Post#: 7385--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Emirates FA Cup - Finals at Wembley Stadium on Sat 18th
MAY 2019
DIR By: reflector
Date: April 29, 2019, 5:45 pm
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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.
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