Jack Feavers, England

As you are one of the referees who hasn't refereed the FA cup final yet, is that something you are aiming to do this season?

I think that all referees dream of refereeing The FA Cup Final, and I’m no different. It would be a real honour and a privilege to be deemed worthy of refereeing such an important and historic match and I will work hard to try to make this possible at some point in the future.

Art Pieterman, Canada

In the game Arsenal/Liverpool, Kuyt and Gallas were having a shoving match during Arsenal's corner in the 82nd minute. What did you say to them, or more generally, what do you say to the players in those type of situations? This falls into man management, and I am trying to learn what to say to the players, instead of reaching for the book

Communication is a big part of a referee’s job. Not only the words that you actually speak, but the way you say them is crucially important in order to assert your authority on a match and, just as importantly, to gain the trust of the players. Always speak to players with respect and in the manner that you would like to be spoken to yourself. However, remember that you are not there to be the players’ friend, you are there to do a job, to be the referee, so be firm and concise. Let the players know that you are aware of what is happening and that you will take action if necessary. By doing this publicly, there are no surprises if you subsequently have to make a big decision.

Ken Stephenson, England

Howard, this week had a couple of high profile incidents involving yourself Arsenal v Liverpool (Adebayor's sending off) and Phil Dowd Everton v Chelsea (Terry's sending off). I think those two decisions enhanced the standing of referees they were excellent brave decisions. My question on this is is it more difficult (due to the nature of top matches) to send off high profile players?

Thanks for the positive feedback. I think it’s important that referees at all levels have courage and are prepared to make big decisions if necessary, no matter which players or teams are involved. Of course, we never want to be the centre of the attention, the game is all about the players and we are there to try to ensure that the players play within the Laws of the Game, but sometimes we have to make big calls, otherwise we are not doing our job properly.

Jack Wildman, England

Hi Howard, What was it like officiating on the Euro 2008 Tournament? How does it feel to get appointed to some of the 'big' games in the Premiership? You deal with the incidents so well, and there was one incident I remember that you stopped before anything came of it! I think this is important to keep the respect of the players!

It was a real honour to be selected to represent The Football Association and English refereeing at the Euro 2008 Finals tournament, and it was a real highlight of my career. The atmosphere within the referee camp in Zurich was excellent, with all the referees supporting each other. We felt proud to be part of the referee team which contributed in a positive way to an excellent tournament. Refereeing in the Premier League is also a great honour. The quality of the games is second to none and it’s fantastic to be involved in matches involving some of the best players in the World. Of course, we have to work hard all the time to maintain our standards of performance. This includes being pro-active to try to prevent problems on the field of play, trying to see problems before they actually happen. Thanks for your kind comments about the way I handle incidents, it’s also good to receive positive feedback.