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DOWD READY TO SEIZE THE MOMENT

PHIL DOWD TALKS OF HIS JOY AT CARLING CUP APPOINTMENT

For Manchester United their appearance in the Carling Cup Final will be a case of déjà vu after winning the competition last season and for Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill it's the chance to get his hands on the trophy for a fifth time.

But for Phil Dowd this will definitely be a day to remember as he takes charge of his first major final and makes his first appearance at the new Wembley Stadium.

"It's something new and something I have hoped for and worked towards so I was pretty chuffed," Dowd told www.refworld.com.

The Staffordshire born Referee was the Fourth Official for the FA Cup Final in 2006, when Liverpool beat West Ham United, in the last final to be played at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium and after experiencing that, he has an inkling of just what to expect on February 28th.

Dowd has been on the League list since 1992 and joined the list of Referee's five years later before he was promoted to the Select Group in 2001 and although he prepares for every game the same, be it a pre-season match or a top Premier League clash he knows this one will be his biggest yet:

"Everyone always says treat it as a normal game but it's the Carling Cup Final, we know it is, we're going to go out and enjoy the day more than any other game I think because it is a prestigious final so you want to go out and try to remember it for a long time to come.

"I just want it to be remembered for a great final and people will probably not even remember who the referee was and that will do me."

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