Mick
Life President
Dagenham and Redbridge visit Roots Hall on the back of three straight defeats but they will be looking for their third consecutive win at Roots Hall. One of those two previous wins was refereed by tomorrow's man in the middle.
He needs little introduction; he is the youthful looking Gavin Ward from Oxted in Surrey who will be making his second visit of the season.
His last one, the defeat against Walsall in the League Cup, wasn't really very good, failing to dismiss an opposing player for a blatant DOGSO and displaying a lot of inconsistency and randomness in his 6 cautions (Prosser, Atkinson & Coker for our three).
Prior to that his four most recent Southend matches were definitely some of his better ones, taking charge of the entertaining home 0-0 with Port Vale early the season before last with 1 caution to us (Tomlin) and 2 to them. Later that same season he refereed a rare home win against Oxford. This time three cautions (Clohessy, Timlin and Corr) for us and one for them. Then more recently when we crashed out of the JPT last year at home to Dagenham (3 yellows for us, 2 and a red for them) followed by later last year, the 3-2 home defeat by Exeter in the match featuring Jason Williams' turn of speed and sleight of hand. Just one yellow for Freddie.
Before those, his last match, or should I say half a match, was the ill-fated fixture at Aldershot on Boxing Day 2011/12, 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 2011/12, which was his first return to Roots Hall for a League game since he mishandled the match against Gillingham nearly five years ago. He had returned since for a JPT match, against the same opposition 2010/11, 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 eighth season as a League referee. He has refereed 12 of our home matches. His first three games went pretty much okay. They were the JPT defeat on pens by Dagenham, the 2-1 win against Hartlepool (who had Sam Collins sent off in that match) and, six seasons ago, the 2-1 home win against Swindon.
The fourth one was also six 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 the one referred to earlier, the Gillingham home game five seasons ago with an astonishingly inept display producing 9 yellow cards.
Since then he also took charge of our away win at Leyton Orient five years ago.
He was an absolutely first class linesman/assistant referee. Lined in numerous Premiership matches and some full internationals. He had been 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). His card count is on the high side with 69 yellows and 3 reds from 18 matches.
Assistants are Carl Brook from St Leonards in East Sussex and Nicholas Cooper from Ipswich. For those who like their assistants differentiated, last time I saw Cooper (running the line at the Concord/Mansfield replay) he was sporting a decidedly dodgy 'tache - but it was Movember so, if he's got any sense, that could well be gone!
Fourth Official is Robert Hyde from East London.
He needs little introduction; he is the youthful looking Gavin Ward from Oxted in Surrey who will be making his second visit of the season.
His last one, the defeat against Walsall in the League Cup, wasn't really very good, failing to dismiss an opposing player for a blatant DOGSO and displaying a lot of inconsistency and randomness in his 6 cautions (Prosser, Atkinson & Coker for our three).
Prior to that his four most recent Southend matches were definitely some of his better ones, taking charge of the entertaining home 0-0 with Port Vale early the season before last with 1 caution to us (Tomlin) and 2 to them. Later that same season he refereed a rare home win against Oxford. This time three cautions (Clohessy, Timlin and Corr) for us and one for them. Then more recently when we crashed out of the JPT last year at home to Dagenham (3 yellows for us, 2 and a red for them) followed by later last year, the 3-2 home defeat by Exeter in the match featuring Jason Williams' turn of speed and sleight of hand. Just one yellow for Freddie.
Before those, his last match, or should I say half a match, was the ill-fated fixture at Aldershot on Boxing Day 2011/12, 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 2011/12, which was his first return to Roots Hall for a League game since he mishandled the match against Gillingham nearly five years ago. He had returned since for a JPT match, against the same opposition 2010/11, 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 eighth season as a League referee. He has refereed 12 of our home matches. His first three games went pretty much okay. They were the JPT defeat on pens by Dagenham, the 2-1 win against Hartlepool (who had Sam Collins sent off in that match) and, six seasons ago, the 2-1 home win against Swindon.
The fourth one was also six 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 the one referred to earlier, the Gillingham home game five seasons ago with an astonishingly inept display producing 9 yellow cards.
Since then he also took charge of our away win at Leyton Orient five years ago.
He was an absolutely first class linesman/assistant referee. Lined in numerous Premiership matches and some full internationals. He had been 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). His card count is on the high side with 69 yellows and 3 reds from 18 matches.
Assistants are Carl Brook from St Leonards in East Sussex and Nicholas Cooper from Ipswich. For those who like their assistants differentiated, last time I saw Cooper (running the line at the Concord/Mansfield replay) he was sporting a decidedly dodgy 'tache - but it was Movember so, if he's got any sense, that could well be gone!
Fourth Official is Robert Hyde from East London.
