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Featured Image Credit: Image: PA & Twitter
Topics: Manchester United, Premier League
Josh Lawless
Howard Webb emphatically denied any bias towards Manchester United and said he "never shared a bed with Sir Alex Ferguson" despite the jibes he received.
Webb was a Premier League referee for 11 years, taking charge of 296 games in the top flight and achieving the highest honour for an official when he was chosen for the 2010 World Cup final.
During his tenure as an official, there was a notion that Webb was essentially in United's back pocket and favoured them in matches.
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In January 2011, Liverpool winger Ryan Babel became the first Premier League player fined for his use of Twitter after he tweeted a photoshopped picture of Webb wearing a United shirt, complete with the caption: "And they call him one of the best referees? That's a joke. SMH [shake my head]."
Despite an apology for the post, which came after a 1-0 defeat to United, Babel was hit with a £10,000 fine for the improper conduct charge.
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Webb, meanwhile, addressed claims he supported United in his autobiography - revealing he is in fact a fan of Rotherham.
In The Man in the Middle, the former police officer wrote: “Let’s get something straight, once and for all.
“Contrary to what you might have seen on the internet, I never shared a bed with Sir Alex Ferguson.
“There is no statue of me outside Old Trafford. My kids are not called Rio, Wayne and Cristiano.
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“There is no Red Devil tattoo inked on my left buttock. The only United I have ever supported - hand on heart - is of the Rotherham variety.
“And that’s the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”
The jokes still haven't died though, with the news of Webb returning to take over from Mike Riley as chief refereeing officer in the Premier League being met with the same reaction.
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In an interview with The Athletic, Webb revealed the one decision he wishes he could change was a penalty he gave for United in a 5-2 win over Spurs.
It happened in 2009 and Webb said he "knew in the game I got it wrong". United, having been 2-0 down at half-time, scored the penalty through Cristiano Ronaldo and won comfortably.
He explained: "It was obvious within seconds I'd got the decision wrong. There was something more to this.
"I was left with the decision I had taken with no independent evidence that I'd got it wrong other than a gut feeling, and I was just hoping that Ronaldo would miss the penalty, but he didn't."