FA Cup Final honour for Asfordby ref John Brooks

Brooks has been appointed assistant referee for the showpiece final at Wembley Stadium between Crystal Palace and Manchester United.

He will work with Euro 2016-bound referee Steve Clattenburg at the match which will be watched by a TV audience of millions.

“I’m delighted and honoured to be appointed to the 2016 FA Cup Final,” he said.

“I’m really looking forward to the weekend and the match.”

Brooks began refereeing in Leicestershire grassroots football just over a decade ago and progressed through the system to earn promotion to the National List of Assistant Referees in 2011.

The following season he joined the Select Group of Assistant Referees, allowing him to work in the Premier League, and in 2015 was promoted to the FIFA List of Assistant Referees, making him eligible for UEFA Champions League and Europa League matches.

Brooks (25), who remains a member of the Melton branch of the county referees association, has twice officiated at Wembley, having run the line at the Championship Play-off final two years ago and last August’s Community Shield match.

Steve Bratt, Leicestershire and Rutland County FA referee development officer, said: “As a child you dream of playing in the FA Cup Final.

“When you become a referee the dream remains the same; you want to be able to take charge of the big games, be part of big occasions and officiate games in incredible stadiums.

“On Saturday, John has that opportunity and it comes off the back of years of hard work, commitment and dedication to his role as a referee.

“We’ll all be tuning in and we wish John and the team he’s part of the very best ahead of what promises to be an interesting FA Cup Final.”