Mick
Life President
In regular League games we have a slight edge over Doncaster with 13 wins to their 12 from 30 games. We haven't won there since 1989 though when a Dave Crown penalty was enough to secure the points.
Man in charge is fourth year League referee, Darren Handley from Bolton who made it on to the League list in 2014 after 6 years of Conference officiating. He is 40 and a PE teacher at Tottington High School.
He has refereed Southend four times before. Firstly the 2014/15 home 0-0 draw with Plymouth when there was just one yellow for them. He did okay in that game.
Then he brought the curtain down on his first season with our late, late 1-0 win at Exeter. Just one caution again, this time for Barrett.
Next came the 2015/16 2-2 draw at Coventry when he cautioned White, Atkinson, Hunt and Mooney (the latter two also being our goalscorers) and a couple of home players.
And finally, also in 2015/16 he took charge of our fine 2-0 win at Barnsley who went on to get promoted. A very early goal from Payne and a very late one from Timlin clinched matters. Two yellows apiece, Bentley and Wordsworth for us.
We didn't see him last season although he was in charge of that vital game between Bristol Rovers and Millwall on the last day of the season. I blame the "lino" more than him.
His card showing is the right side of average with 30 yellows and just 1 red to show for his season so far. His games this season have been predominantly League Two and Checkatrade but he did get a few Championship games before the full-time referees took over.
Assisting will be Richard Bartlett, a Civil Engineering Consultant from Sale and Richard Wild from Rochdale, a former employee of both Rochdale FC and Blackpool FC (not as a player). Fourth official will be another League referee Sebastian Stockbridge, previously from Sunderland but now from Gateshead.
Man in charge is fourth year League referee, Darren Handley from Bolton who made it on to the League list in 2014 after 6 years of Conference officiating. He is 40 and a PE teacher at Tottington High School.
He has refereed Southend four times before. Firstly the 2014/15 home 0-0 draw with Plymouth when there was just one yellow for them. He did okay in that game.
Then he brought the curtain down on his first season with our late, late 1-0 win at Exeter. Just one caution again, this time for Barrett.
Next came the 2015/16 2-2 draw at Coventry when he cautioned White, Atkinson, Hunt and Mooney (the latter two also being our goalscorers) and a couple of home players.
And finally, also in 2015/16 he took charge of our fine 2-0 win at Barnsley who went on to get promoted. A very early goal from Payne and a very late one from Timlin clinched matters. Two yellows apiece, Bentley and Wordsworth for us.
We didn't see him last season although he was in charge of that vital game between Bristol Rovers and Millwall on the last day of the season. I blame the "lino" more than him.
His card showing is the right side of average with 30 yellows and just 1 red to show for his season so far. His games this season have been predominantly League Two and Checkatrade but he did get a few Championship games before the full-time referees took over.
Assisting will be Richard Bartlett, a Civil Engineering Consultant from Sale and Richard Wild from Rochdale, a former employee of both Rochdale FC and Blackpool FC (not as a player). Fourth official will be another League referee Sebastian Stockbridge, previously from Sunderland but now from Gateshead.
