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The referee for the Championship play-off final between Aston Villa and Fulham has been confirmed.

Anthony Taylor will oversee proceedings at Wembley on Saturday as the two sides face off for promotion to the Premier League.

Taylor, a Select Group official, has taken charge of matches in the top flight and Champions League this season.

Overall he has been the referee for 38 matches this term and dished out 140 yellow cards and five red cards in the process.

Taylor last took charge of a match involving Villa in April 2016 when they were beaten 3-2 by Watford in the Premier League and he sent off Aly Cissokho for the claret and blues as well as handing out bookings to Mark Bunn, Leandro Bacuna and Idrissa Gueye.

A statement on the EFL website added: "The Cheshire official has previous Wembley experience; his most recent appearance under the arch coming last month when taking charge of the FA Cup Semi-Final between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

"Gary Beswick and Dan Cook have been selected as the assistant referees for the Final on Saturday 26th May, with Kevin Friend named as the fourth official.

"Eddie Smart has been named as the reserve assistant referee."

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Aston Villa vs Fulham is going to be some match-up, writes Gregg Evans.

On the pitch that is, of course. Not in the stands.

There’s only ever one winner when these two fanbases go head-to-head.

In the West Side are the claret and blue army where every supporter had to attend a game this season to get a ticket.

In the East Side are the Fulham fans armed with their clappers and song sheets ‘in case they don’t know the words’ to some of the popular terrace chants.

This is an actual thing. One look at the Fulham forums and these kind of suggestions are cropping up daily.

One post suggested that the song lyrics should be posted online before Saturday’s play-off final for those who didn’t know how to join in. Another suggested printed song sheets.

Whether it happens is another matter.

But all of this stems from Fulham offering as many as FIVE tickets to each individual fan.

Without sounding all big-time - can you imagine what would have happened if Villa had done that? They’d have sold out in minutes!

Both clubs were allocated 38,000 tickets to sell to their fans but Villa allowed just one seat per booking reference.

And to be fair, there haven’t been too many complaints from fans who have missed out.

Put simply, if you attended a game this season and wanted to go to Wembley, chances are you’d have got a ticket.

Fulham fans, meanwhile, are auctioning off their ‘spare’ tickets to the highest bidders.

Incredible really, isn’t it?

I mean I can understand Fulham accepting the full allocation and distributing them out as they see fit.

After all, why would they want to disadvantage their own side by sending back a batch of tickets that would have inevitably been snapped up by Villa fans?

A greater claret and blue presence in the ground may have worked in Villa’s favour so that would have been a disastrous move by the west London outfit.

But let’s be honest, the developments in recent days look just as shabby.

I know a group of Villa-supporting friends who have purchased tickets in the East Stand at inflated prices.

Another friend tells me that he knows someone who has purchased 20 tickets together. Seriously.

Okay so they won’t have their clappers and song sheets but they will be mingling with the opposition supporters during the biggest game of the season. Hardly ideal is it?

That’s what happens when tickets for big games get in the hands of London touts, though.

And unfortunately by allowing Fulham fans five tickets each, that’s where a large proportion of these have ended up.

Of course it has had it’s advantages.

I know a Fulham fan who presents a podcast in the United States who has benefitted greatly.

He’s coming over for the game after a friend booked him a ticket under his reference. Face value, too. Job done.

His co-host managed to get four tickets for himself and his family after connecting with a Fulham fan who offered to purchase tickets on his behalf under his own reference.

Fulham fans helping Fulham fans. Happy days.

What doesn’t sit right is the huge spike in prices that touts - and even Fulham fans - are putting on the tickets.

This is a huge day out for all in attendance and the prize is a place in the Premier League and a whopping £170m.

There will only be one set of satisfied supporters on the final whistle, though, and it’s that hope and belief of being on the winning side that drives fans on to pay over the odds for tickets.

I just hope that the loyal supporters from both clubs have been rewarded and get a fair crack at enjoying the day.

And let’s also hope we’re talking about what happens on the pitch rather than in the stands at full time.