EXCLUSIVE: Whistle blown on 'unfit' Premier League referee Dowd

Last game? Dowd with Steven Gerrard in the FA Cup final

Phil Dowd, one of England’s top referees, is facing a sudden fight to save his career after it emerged on Tuesday night that he has failed a fitness test to continue next season.



The news hit the 49-year-old Staffordshire official within three weeks of his proudest achievement of taking charge of the FA Cup final at Wembley.



Dowd, who became a Football League referee in 1997, has just completed his 12th season in the Premier League. He must work to regain the rigorous fitness standards required of elite referees if he is to make a 13th campaign.



Referees are regularly tested on a series of timed runs in order to meet the strict criteria. Dowd’s bosses want him to continue and there is no question of his age being an issue since the relaxation of automatic retirement rules.



He has always had a naturally stocky build but has never previously struggled to hit the fitness mark. The fact that referees have to take the test in May, immediately on the back of a long and strenuous season, may now be called into question.



Instead of having a chance to recharge his batteries ahead of the test, Dowd will go on holiday knowing his future is under threat more than three months ahead of the start of next season.

Race against time: Dowd intervenes as Nani confronts Jamie Carragher in 2011

In the 2011-12 season Dowd presided over 38 games at all levels, including 28 in the Premier League. Only three select group referees took charge of more games.



The Stoke-on-Trent based official enjoyed a trouble-free Cup final despite the initial controversy over whether an Andy Carroll header had crossed the line as Liverpool looked for a late equaliser in their 2-1 defeat by Chelsea. Assistant referee Andrew Garratt was shown to have been correct in refusing to award a goal.



By contrast, Dowd’s other appearance in a domestic final - Manchester United’s 2-1 League Cup triumph over Aston Villa in 2010 - was marred by an early misjudgement.



Refereeing experts agreed with most pundits that United’s Nemanja Vidic should have been sent off after bringing down Gabby Agbonlahor and denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

