Howard Webb is now retired as a football referee and is now the technical director of the Professional Game Match Officials Board.
The 44 year old was one of the best referees who officiated primarily in thePremier League from 2003 to 2014, as well as for FIFA as a FIFA international referee from 2005 to 2014.
Webb is counted amongst the all-time top referees by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics and refereed a number of notable matches in England including the FA Cup final, the FA Community Shield and the final of the Football League Cup. In 2010, he became the first person to referee the finals of both the UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup in the same year.
During his career, he also faced a lot of criticism from many managers and football fans. The fans who dislike the former referee the most are Liverpool fans as they lost many games due to wrong decision from the referee. However, its part and parcel of game and Webb has admitted about one of his poor decisions against Liverpool was wrong.
Webb, speaking on BT Sports Fletch And Sav, said he “made a poor decision” against Liverpool in the fifth round of FA Cup 2013-14 while the Reds were facing Arsenal, which cost Liverpool the game and Arsenal made all the way to become champions.
‘I got @LuisSuarez9 penalty decision wrong’! @HowardMWebb on ‘that’ penalty at the Emirates. #FletchAndSav http://t.co/7GOPRuIsUe
— Fletch & Sav (@FletchAndSav) August 15, 2015
Webb said he knew he got it wrong pretty soon after the game had ended due to a text message from his mum.
But, isn’t it too late to be sorry for his decision? However, Liverpool fans did not welcome his statement at all.
Here are some tweets from Liverpool fans:
@FletchAndSav @LuisSuarez9 @HowardMWebb When did you come out of Fergie’s a*** you f****** abortion ?
— AnfieldRoadEnd (@RoadTripMoments) August 16, 2015
@FletchAndSav @btsportfootball @LuisSuarez9 @HowardMWebb that’s only one of many decisions against @LFC
— Ayan Chakraborty (@ayanc_99) August 15, 2015
@FletchAndSav @LuisSuarez9 @HowardMWebb haha brilliant. And that’s why Arsenal won the cup..
— David Selini (@DaveSelini) August 16, 2015
@FletchAndSav @RobbieSavage8 @LuisSuarez9 @HowardMWebb thank god the blind twats retired
— Scott MacDonald (@scottmac32) August 16, 2015
@FletchAndSav @RobbieSavage8 @LuisSuarez9 @HowardMWebb would love to have heard more…refereeing stories are so interesting
— Ben Norris (@Ben_Norris25) August 16, 2015
@DJLujoso just surprised he admitted that he was wrong!
— Farzy92 (@Farzy92) August 15, 2015
@FletchAndSav @RobbieSavage8 @LuisSuarez9 @HowardMWebb He may well have cost #LFC the #FACup
— Samuel Ball (@Leumas34) August 15, 2015
@FletchAndSav @premkop @LuisSuarez9 @HowardMWebb how much arsenal paid you for that match…
— Vanisha (@nivesh0403) August 15, 2015
@FletchAndSav @premkop @LuisSuarez9 @HowardMWebb what a shame to admit it later…
— Vanisha (@nivesh0403) August 15, 2015
@FletchAndSav : @HowardMWebb getting a decision against Liverpool wrong – surely not? At least he admits it now…. when it doesn’t matter
— James Leyland (@JayLeyland) August 15, 2015