FA Cup Final for Chris Foy

This season�s FA Cup sponsored by E.ON Final will be officiated by Chris Foy, as The FA this morning announced his appointment to the pinnacle game of the domestic football season.

Foy, aged 47, will take his place in the middle for the showpiece event at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 15 May, when Chelsea take on Portsmouth.

The honour of refereeing The FA Cup Final is bestowed on an official once only during their career and recognises the quality and consistency of their performances throughout a season.

The Liverpool FA official, and Respect Ambassador, expressed his delight at the announcement, saying: �To get any appointment from The FA is always a great honour, but this surpasses anything that has happened to me in the past.

�I am happy, not just for my family and friends but also for the wider referee family. I think the foundation stones for times like this are set over a number of years and I�ve worked very hard during my career to better myself and to reach this stage. It�s a great honour.�

This season�s Assistant Referees are named as John Flynn (RAF FA) and Shaun Procter-Green (Lincolnshire FA), while the Fourth Official will be Andre Marriner (Birmingham FA) and the Reserve Official, Stuart Burt (Northamptonshire FA).

Foy has already officiated at Wembley having taken charge of the 2007 FA Carlsberg Trophy Final, whilst earlier this season he also took charge of The FA Community Shield sponsored by McDonald's, between Chelsea and Manchester United. Chris was also Fourth Official at the 2008 FA Cup Final.