The mixed fortunes of the Millers will seem a million miles away to accountant and referee Mike Riley as he walks out on to the turf of Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium to take charge of Chelsea and Arsenal in the FA Cup Final on Saturday May 4.

“Last year, I watched the final on the TV at home,” he said. “I was nursing my daughter at the time because she was ill. I had no idea that, 12 months later, I would be out there as referee.”

The players will have to watch out. This is one referee who won’t be expecting a great deal of flak back home if he gets out too many yellow and red cards.

The staff and students at the Lancashire college are more likely to get emotional about Barnsley and Blackburn. Luckily for Mr Riley, the two seldom play each other.

Mr Riley, 37, who lives in Leeds, joined the college six years ago, and works part-time to accommodate the physical training and match preparation which goes with being a top-level referee.

“Being picked for this match is the greatest honour you can have in English football - probably in world football. You never really have the FA Cup Final as an objective in this job because obviously so few people actually get to do it,” he said.

“I’m very grateful to Kath Belton, our principal, who has shown a great deal of flexibility in allowing me to put in the time which has been needed to get me to this stage in my career.”

His training for the big day consists of plenty of aerobic exercise. Referees need endurance levels at least as good as the average Premiership player.

“The referee covers more ground than the players during a match,” he said, “so the exercise we do is mostly to do with the heart rate.

“I’m loyal to Rotherham because it’s my home team, so I have to declare an interest in that one.I wouldn’t do a Rotherham match.”

Mr Riley is on a select list of 24 referees which is drawn up by the Football Association, the Football League and the Premier League.