Dowd to referee Community Shield

The Football Association has announced that Phil Dowd will referee the Community Shield between Manchester City and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on 7 August.

It’s a quick return to Wembley for the 48-year-old from Stoke-on-Trent with Dowd having taken charge of the Championship Play-Off Final between Swansea City and Reading at the end of last season.

“The Community Shield will be my third game at Wembley Stadium and I’m really excited about it. It’s such a special place and you get a real buzz when stepping out on that pitch,” said Dowd, who also took charge of the League Cup Final between Aston Villa and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in 2010.

Refereeing in the Premier League and at Wembley Stadium is a far cry from Dowd’s previous career when he was a youngster back home: “I was a miner until the strikes kicked in and I started refereeing to give me something to do. That was around 1984 and I never thought it would lead to a life in football so I’ve been really lucky.”

Dowd admitted that he hasn’t had much of a summer holiday since the end of the domestic football season: “I had about a week off after the Championship Play-Off and then it was straight back into fitness training for the new campaign. I’m about two weeks in now and it’s all going to plan so I’m really looking forward to August and the Community Shield game.”

Joining Dowd at Wembley will be his Assistant Referees Simon Long (Cornwall FA) and Andrew Garratt (Staffordshire FA) while Kevin Friend (Leicestershire and Rutland FA) will be the Fourth Official.

Completing the match officials team lineup is Scott Ledger (Sheffield and Hallamshire FA) who will be Reserve Assistant Referee.