Mick
Life President
Tomorrow's referee needs little introduction; he is the youthful looking Gavin Ward from Oxted in Surrey.
His two most recent Southend matches were a couple of his better ones, taking charge of the entertaining home 0-0 with Port Vale early last season with 1 caution to us (Tomlin) and 2 to them. Later last season he refereed a rare home win against Oxford. This time three cautions (Clohessy, Timlin and Corr) for us and one for them.
Before those, his last match, or should I say half a match, was the ill-fated fixture at Aldershot on Boxing Day the season before last, when, in the eyes of some, he became a good referee because his bad decisions favoured us for once.
The previous one was the home game against Shrewsbury (3-0), also the season before last, which was his first return to Roots Hall for a League game since he mishandled the match against Gillingham nearly four years ago. He had returned since for a JPT match, against the same opposition the year before last, and that went much better; generally JPT games are lower key.
The Shrewsbury game was undoubtedly another one of his better ones with a couple of penalties going our way and just three yellows shaded by the Shrews.
This is his seventh season as a League referee. He has refereed 9 home matches. His first three games went pretty much okay. They were the JPT defeat on pens by Dagenham (oh dear!), the 2-1 win against Hartlepool (who had Sam Collins sent off in that match) and, five seasons ago, the 2-1 home win against Swindon.
The fourth one was also five seasons ago against Bristol Rovers when he declined to send off the opposing goalkeeper for a handball outside the area. Notwithstanding that decision, it wasn't the best of performances from Mr Ward.
The fifth home match was when he mishandled that Gillingham home game four seasons ago with an astonishingly inept display producing 9 yellow cards.
Since then he also took charge of our away win at Leyton Orient four years ago.
He was an absolutely first class linesman. Lined in numerous Premiership matches and some full internationals. He is looking to replicate that success in the middle and therefore will probably be disappointed that he has been deservedly overtaken in the pecking order by several younger officials (even if they don't look younger). He had been trying to card his way back into recognition; I don't think it worked and hopefully he is rethinking his strategy with a slightly below average yellow card count thus far this season. His 8 matches have produced 18 yellows and 2 reds.
Assistants are Nicholas Cooper from Ipswich and Stephen Daly from Middlesex with Ian Crouch once again at the Hall, this time doing the 4th official stuff.
His two most recent Southend matches were a couple of his better ones, taking charge of the entertaining home 0-0 with Port Vale early last season with 1 caution to us (Tomlin) and 2 to them. Later last season he refereed a rare home win against Oxford. This time three cautions (Clohessy, Timlin and Corr) for us and one for them.
Before those, his last match, or should I say half a match, was the ill-fated fixture at Aldershot on Boxing Day the season before last, when, in the eyes of some, he became a good referee because his bad decisions favoured us for once.
The previous one was the home game against Shrewsbury (3-0), also the season before last, which was his first return to Roots Hall for a League game since he mishandled the match against Gillingham nearly four years ago. He had returned since for a JPT match, against the same opposition the year before last, and that went much better; generally JPT games are lower key.
The Shrewsbury game was undoubtedly another one of his better ones with a couple of penalties going our way and just three yellows shaded by the Shrews.
This is his seventh season as a League referee. He has refereed 9 home matches. His first three games went pretty much okay. They were the JPT defeat on pens by Dagenham (oh dear!), the 2-1 win against Hartlepool (who had Sam Collins sent off in that match) and, five seasons ago, the 2-1 home win against Swindon.
The fourth one was also five seasons ago against Bristol Rovers when he declined to send off the opposing goalkeeper for a handball outside the area. Notwithstanding that decision, it wasn't the best of performances from Mr Ward.
The fifth home match was when he mishandled that Gillingham home game four seasons ago with an astonishingly inept display producing 9 yellow cards.
Since then he also took charge of our away win at Leyton Orient four years ago.
He was an absolutely first class linesman. Lined in numerous Premiership matches and some full internationals. He is looking to replicate that success in the middle and therefore will probably be disappointed that he has been deservedly overtaken in the pecking order by several younger officials (even if they don't look younger). He had been trying to card his way back into recognition; I don't think it worked and hopefully he is rethinking his strategy with a slightly below average yellow card count thus far this season. His 8 matches have produced 18 yellows and 2 reds.
Assistants are Nicholas Cooper from Ipswich and Stephen Daly from Middlesex with Ian Crouch once again at the Hall, this time doing the 4th official stuff.
