30 December 2010
Last updated at 19:53 ET

Mr Webb took up refereeing in local Rotherham leagues in 1989

A policeman selected to referee the World Cup Final has been appointed MBE in the New Year Honours list.

Sgt Howard Webb, 39, from Rotherham, was honoured for services to football after he became the first Englishman to referee a World Cup final since 1974.

Mr Webb has been a Fifa-listed referee since 2005. He is currently on a five-year break from South Yorkshire Police.

This year he became the first person to referee the Uefa Champions League and Fifa World Cup finals in the same year.

Referring the World Cup final in South Africa developed into one of the most challenging matches of Mr Webb’s career.

Holland’s tactics against Spain led to him showing 14 yellow cards, and a red card for Everton’s Dutch defender Johnny Heitinga.

Speaking earlier this year, Mr Webb said he had been honoured to be chosen for the final, which was won by Spain, but disappointed at having to set an unwelcome record for cards.

“I look back on it as an amazing and memorable experience.

“It was a extremely challenging game, we had to show lots of cards.

“It wasn’t what we hoped for and that was a disappointment for us and made it very challenging.”

Mr Webb, the son of a Rotherham coal miner, took up refereeing in local Rotherham leagues in 1989.

Elsewhere across the county, South Yorkshire Police Deputy Chief Constable Robert Dyson has been awarded the Queen’s Police Medal.

Mr Dyson joined as a constable in 1976 and has worked a number of roles across the force including roads policing and head of community safety.

He was appointed deputy chief constable in 2007.

He said: “I’m pleased and proud to receive the Queen’s Police Medal.

“During my 34 years with South Yorkshire Police I’ve always considered myself fortunate to be doing a job that I love and to have worked with some amazing people who work hard to protect the public.”