World Cup final referee makes pub match comeback

Englishman Howard Webb, who refereed the 2010 World Cup final, returned to football action this season by taking charge of a pub match, a newspaper reported Tuesday.

The eyes of the world were on Webb as he dished out 14 yellow cards and one red as Spain beat the Netherlands 1-0 in Johannesburg in July.

But only a handful of fans and a dog witnessed his first game this season: Thrybergh Working Men’s Club versus Wickersley Social in the Rotherham Charity Cup.

He even had to help look for the ball after someone booted it off the pitch into long grass, The Sun newspaper’s pictures showed.

The 39-year-old volunteered to do the match, staged on the same Hollings Lane ground in Yorkshire, northern England, where he started his refereeing career 18 years ago.

“I needed a good game under my belt before I return to the Premier League next Saturday,” Webb said.

Wickersley won 3-0.

Webb earned 30,000 pounds (45,000 dollars, 35,000 euros) for taking charge of the World Cup final. This time he got 20 pounds, which he donated to charity.