Mike Riley is one of the most senior referees in this country and was the man in the middle for last season's FA Cup Final. TheFA.com caught up with him to ask him how this season can live up to the last...

TheFA.com: Which official did you most admire as you were making your way through the refereeing ranks?

Mike Riley: There is no doubt that it has to be George Courtney. In his prime he was amazing and brilliant and one you could learn so much from. Quite an easy decision that one.
TheFA.com: What about the current crop of referees?

Mike Riley: There are two refs that stand out for me at the moment. I think the Italian Collina and the Swedish referee Frisk are outstanding.

TheFA.com: What qualities do they have that makes them so good in your eyes?

Mike Riley: All good referees have similar characteristics really. They all have what I call presence on the pitch and they have the ability to get the respect of the players on the field, which is a great skill to have. Like in most walks of life you have to earn people's respect. Being a ref is no different, so to get the respect of the players will see people get to the top of their game.

TheFA.com: Last season you refereed the FA Cup Final which means you are now excluded from doing any more FA Cup Finals. So what are your main aims this season?

Mike Riley: Really my aims are much the same as last season. I want to officiate to the best of my ability and perform to a satisfactory level. Last year I didn't aim for the FA Cup Final because there were so many others who could have got it but I did get it and it was a brilliant end of the season for me.

TheFA.com: You have refereed in Europe as well as the Premiership. What has been your biggest game?

Mike Riley: Walking out at Cardiff last season for the FA Cup Final was the highlight of my career. It was without doubt the biggest game of my career. It was the best stadium and with the support and the colour it was a memorable experience.

TheFA.com: And in Europe?

Mike Riley: The biggest game in Europe for me so far was when I went to Russia and refereed the game between Locomotive and Real Madrid. It makes me very proud to go abroad and represent my country and to officiate at a game with two teams of such quality. But the Cardiff experience was the best for me.

TheFA.com: The start of the season has brought with it some controversial decisions - what are relations like between players and referees?

Mike Riley: I think relations are very good. There is, believe it not, a lot of trust between players and referees. I officiate in the Premiership and I know the players and they know me well. Often a lot of things happen in the heat of battle when people say things and do things but afterwards we all have time to reflect and I genuinely believe that relations are very good.

TheFA.com: Referees have become high profile. How do you deal with it?

Mike Riley: Most people who recognise me want to talk about football. Most of the time it is good-humoured and good-natured. It's great for me because it gives me an opportunity to talk about my job from my perspective. There are often misconceptions from people and it allows me to give my side. We may not always agree with each other but by the end we have a better understanding of each other.

TheFA.com: What do you make of the Premiership so far this season?

Mike Riley: I find it fascinating this season. There are clubs who are performing better than expected and there are others who are doing less then they had hoped for. I think this season it is going to be very tight both at the top and the bottom.

TheFA.com: What advice would you give someone who is thinking of becoming a referee?

Mike Riley: You must join the Referees Association. You will get expertise, guidance and advice that are essential in your development. You need to work hard but also to enjoy it. Here in West Yorkshire we have a mentoring scheme where a senior referee will look after 2 young refs. There are now schemes in places where referees are given testing matches to see how they deal with it. Within the last few years there have been many initiatives to encourage refs and I think that is very important.