World Cup Final ref goes back to Yorkshire grass roots

However, yesterday he was back in his home town of Rotherham to pull on his black shirt once again – in order to oversee the Rotherham Charity Cup clash between Thrybergh Working Men's Club and Wickersley Social.

While the crowd at the World Cup Final included a clutch of celebrities and dignitaries, those who saw Webb in action yesterday extended to around 100 friends and family of the teams, who braved the windy conditions to spend their Sunday morning at the playing fields in Hollings Lane, Thrybergh.

But if the graffiti-covered changing block was a shock after the glamour of world-class stadiums, Webb didn't show it as he declared himself "humbled" by the players' enthusiastic welcome.

The 39-year-old said: "I needed a good game under my belt and this has been a great first game back.

"I'm very touched by the kind welcome I've got here. I'm happy that the players are proud of me – I'm just a Rotherham lad who started out in the leagues that they're playing in.

"Without the Rotherham Sunday league I wouldn't be where I am now."

Webb, who is currently on a five-year sabbatical from his career as a sergeant with South Yorkshire Police, took up refereeing in Rotherham in 1989.

His first game overseeing top-flight football came in 2003 and, in July this year he became the first Englishman to take charge of a World Cup Final since Jack Taylor in 1974.

Webb said: "This game has fit in quite nicely with my extended pre-season break, as I don't start back for the Premier League until next Saturday.

"I was looking around for some friendly games anyway, so I thought 'why not?'. When I'm at that first Premier League game, I'll hit the ground running."

Yesterday's fixture also held some special memories for Webb, who took charge of the Rotherham Charity Cup

final back in 1995 when it was held at Millmoor – "the first

honours game of my career", he said.

"I did my first ever assessed game right here on this pitch, in 1991," Webb said. "But it's totally different, refereeing a game at this level.

"I find refereeing this sort of match more difficult than I did 10 years ago, because you get into the groove of refereeing football of a certain type. No disrespect to the people playing football at this level, but Premiership football is definitely easier to read.

"Also, your job there is not just to referee the game on the day, but also to make sure you've got the decision right for the television."

Webb added that, with the benefit of hindsight, he would have given Netherlands player Nigel de Jong a red card in the World Cup Final – rather than a yellow one – for his "kung fu" kick on Spain's Xabi Alonso. He said: "When I looked back at the game I could see that on another day, from another angle, I would have sent off the Dutch player."

Yesterday's game also bore very little similarity to the World Cup Final in Johannesburg for another reason – the lack of bookings.

At Soccer City Webb handed out 14 yellow cards and one red but yesterday both cards stayed firmly in his pocket until the end of the match, when he gave them as souvenirs to young autograph-hunters.

Wickersley Social's player-manager Chris Shaw said Webb's presence led to far more discipline than was usually seen on the pitch. The 33-year-old said: "He was certainly a lot better than the referees we usually have, especially with the control he kept of the game.

"People realised that, with having a top official, they couldn't get away with the sort of things they might do usually. There was much more respect."

Chris Eyre, secretary of the Rotherham Charity Cup, added that Webb refereeing the game gave the competition "much more prestige".

While Webb may be a familiar face to millions, however, at the playing fields yesterday all eyes were firmly on the game – which ended 3-0 to Wickersley Social.

Mr Shaw added: "I'm very happy with the result, as they're a fair few leagues above us. We're aiming for promotion to division three of the Rotherham Sunday league now."