The Football Association have announced that Alan Wiley will take charge of this year’s FA Cup final between Liverpool and West Ham at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on May 13th.
Mike Dean had been pencilled in to be the man in black, but the FA have decided that because he comes from the Wirral, there may be extra pressure on him.
A statement from the FA read, “The decision was taken following Liverpool’s semi-final victory on Saturday.
“The FA has complete faith in Mike Dean’s refereeing ability, integrity and impartiality.
“However, given the huge interest in all aspects of the FA Cup final, the fact that he is from the Wirral might lead to comment and debate which would place him under undue additional pressure.
“The decision has been taken with the best interests of Mike Dean and the competition in mind.
“At the age of 37, Mike Dean is still young enough to referee a future FA Cup final.”
Alan Wiley recently took charge of Liverpool’s 5-1 thrashing of Fulham at Anfield.
Fan Comments