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Howard Webb is set to become the new chief refereeing officer of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) – the body responsible for match officials in the Premier League.
Webb, who officiated 296 Premier League games between 2003 and 2014, hung up his whistle eight years ago to become the technical director of PGMOL. He has also refereed the finals of the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup.
Since 2017, Webb has been working with the Professional Referee Organisation (PRO) in the United States. After initially joining as VAR operations manager, he became the general manager in 2018.
Speaking to ESPN, Howard Webb expressed his excitement at the prospect of his new role with PGMOL in England. He elaborated:
"I am looking forward to returning to England and starting this new challenge when I have fulfilled my contract with PRO – it's an excellent opportunity for me. I am very proud of what has been achieved during my tenure here, and I aim to have a similar impact with the PGMOL, using the Elite Referee Development Plan as a real driving force."
He continued:
"I know I will be inheriting a strong foundation laid by a lot of good work over a number of years. It is about maintaining these standards and then enhancing them to grow and positively impact the game in England."
Mike Riley, who is set to step down as the managing director of PGMOL, also extended his support to Howard Webb. He said:
"Howard's return is a major coup. I am looking forward to working with him and providing as much support as possible before handing on the baton to both Howard and the new Chief Operating Officer later this season."
Howard Webb opens up about alleged Manchester United favouritism
During his refereeing career in England, Howard Webb was often accused of favouring Manchester United. In his autobiography titled 'The Man in the Middle', he addressed the claims and revealed that he's a Rotherham United supporter. He wrote:
"Let's get something straight, once and for all. Contrary to what you might have seen on the internet, I never shared a bed with Sir Alex Ferguson. There is no statue of me outside Old Trafford. My kids are not called Rio, Wayne and Cristiano."
He added:
"There is no Red Devil tattoo inked on my left buttock. The only United I have ever supported – hand on heart – is of the Rotherham variety. And that's the whole truth and nothing but the truth."
