Howard Webb will referee this season's FA Cup Final.
Chelsea v Everton
The FA Cup Sponsored by E.ON 2009 Final
3pm, Saturday 30 May 2009
Wembley Stadium

Webb (Sheffield and Hallamshire) has been appointed for the showpiece Final next month along with Assistant Referees Michael Mullarkey (Devon) and David Richardson (West Riding), with Martin Atkinson (West Riding) the Fourth Official.

The 37-year-old, who has officiated at the highest level of European and international football, said that The Final will be the culmination of a lifelong dream.

"When I started out as a referee 20 years ago The FA Cup Final was the absolute pinnacle even though it was a very distant dream," Webb explained.

"Realistically when I started out it was very unlikely to ever happen, but the fact that it has is the realisation of a dream. I'm thrilled to bits."

Webb will have the experience of being Fourth Official at the first Final back at Wembley two years ago, and also of refereeing the West Brom v Portsmouth Semi-Final last season.

"I'm lucky enough to have been there twice before," Webb said. "Looking back on The Final in 2007, it was the perfect way to get an introduction to the stadium. I was a step removed from the heat of the action and I was able to fully absorb an incredible day.

"That was a great grounding for me, and then to come back last year at the Semi-Final stage was another tremendous moment with a full house and a great atmosphere. Hopefully I will see the benefit of those experiences come Saturday 30 May.

"Wembley is an awesome stadium. I have been lucky enough to referee in some amazing grounds, the Nou Camp, the Bernabeu, Allianz Arena, but when it comes to the real home of football - Wembley is it."

A FIFA referee since 2005, Webb was involved at Euro 2008 last summer and will also take the whistle this summer at the Confederations Cup in South Africa. The Yorkshire official believes that his experiences can serve as an inspiration to young aspiring referees.

Webb reflected: "I was talking at a refereeing conference recently and there were some youngsters there, in their late teens and early twenties, and I told them that someone is going to be refereeing the FA Cup Final 2025, and the World Cup in 2030 - why can't it be you?

"I would never have dreamed in 1989 when I started that by 2009 I would referee in The FA Cup Final. There is nothing wrong with having dreams and every boy and girl who starts refereeing needs to set some realistic goals but they also need to have the mind that anything is possible, and think 'why shouldn't it be me?'."