Howard Webb has ended his 25-year refereeing career after being appointed technical director of the official referees' association. Webb has officiated 500 Premier League and Football League matches and the 2010 World Cup final.
"I am very excited to start this new chapter in my career," said Webb.
"Refereeing has given me so much and I think it's important that match officials who have had the rewards remain in the game to pass on their knowledge," added.
As technical director of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), Webb will be responsible for overseeing the technical direction and standards which govern match officials.
"The current Select Group are the best referees this country has ever produced and I am thrilled that I not only get the chance to continue working with them but also the opportunity to help develop the next generation of Select Group officials," he explained.
"It's an incredibly positive working environment and we all have a common goal of improving refereeing."
