Meet the referee: Boro v Bolton

Last updated : 25 March 2006 By Reggie Holdsworth
Howard Webb (South Yorkshire)
b. 14-7-1971

Mr Webb makes his fourth trip to the Riverside this season, the first being the home defeat by Sunderland, the second was the Carling Cup game against Crystal Palace and the last was the 3-3 draw with Tottenham just before Christmas.

So far this season he has booked 96 players and sent off four, in 36 games. Last season he was in charge of four Boro games, when he booked ten players, while over the whole season he refereed 34 games, booking 100 players and sending off just two.

Mr Webb has progressed through the ranks of assistant referees and was appointed to the national list of referees in 2000, he was then promoted to the Premier League list in 2003.

He refereed the League 1 Play-off Final between Cardiff and QPR in 2003 and he was in charge of this years Community Shield match between Chelsea and Arsenal, both at the Millennium Stadium.

He officiated in four Boro games last season, two at home and two away. The home games both resulted in victories for Boro, Norwich 2-0 and West Brom 4-0. The away games, both on Merseyside resulted in two defeats, 1-0 at Everton and 2-0 at Liverpool in the Carling Cup.