Ref Watch ..... Rotherham H

[Mick]

We hold the narrowest of leads over Rotherham in competitive matches with 11 wins to their 10, with 7 draws. We haven't lost to them twice in the same season since 1979/80.

Referee in charge tomorrow is Brett Huxtable from Torrington near Barnstable, in Devon. This is his second season as a League referee and he has not previously refereed a Southend match, home or away. In his early 30s, he is a self-employed builder. He has officiated at Roots Hall once before when he was Fourth Official against Sheff Utd last season. He performed the same role earlier this year at our away match at MK Dons and in 2013/14 he ran the line in both the Bristol Rovers and Plymouth away matches.

I have never seen him referee but it's fair to say he's upset plenty of people in his short career thus far. He seems to like a card or two and not one of his 71 matches at this level has been cardless.

He has refereed 33 and a half matches this season - the half being the Exeter v Forest Green match he abandoned at half-time on Boxing Day - not unreasonably. These matches have produced a high 125 yellow and 7 red cards. His only previous Rotherham match was earlier this season at Bristol Rovers when he sent off now departed loanee Kiefer Moore. Match finished 2-1 to Bristol Rovers.

I am not expecting too much from Mr Huxtable so I may not be disappointed.

Assisting is poor non-league referee from Maidstone, Stuart Butler and not much better Nick Cooper from Ipswich. Fourth Official is the excellent non-league referee from Ely, Alan Young, who works as Referee Development Manager for the Cambridgeshire FA.

 

[Benfleet A1]

Kieffer Moore has gone? Things are looking up for this game.

 

[Mick]

Kieffer Moore has gone? Things are looking up for this game.

Yep. Ipswich recalled him as soon as they could and moved him on for 75 times what they paid for him ! Unsurprisingly the goals have dried up (2 in 17, after 13 in 20) and I expect him to be back in League One next season with his new team, Barnsley.

 

[Maidstone Shrimper]

A card happy, inexperienced ref and a couple of poor assistants .... sounds like tomorrow could be noisy and not much fun.

 

[mattitouk]

Sounds like there will be a few colours flashed around later, do we have any current players a card away from suspension?

 

[Mick]

Sounds like there will be a few colours flashed around later, do we have any current players a card away from suspension?

I don't think so. I know they keep changing it but I think the "cut off" this year for 10-yellow suspensions is after 37 matches which is exactly what we've played.

 

[Mick]

Here's Mr Huxtable:

https://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/2018/march/brett-huxtable-will-referee-his-first-blues-game-this-weekend/

..... and here he is again on Boxing Day:

https://twitter.com/FGRFC_Official/status/945693520400183296/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.itv.com%2Fnews%2Fwestcountry%2F2017-12-26%2Fexeter-city-v-forest-green-rovers-abandoned-because-of-waterlogged-pitch%2F

 

[shrimpled]

Thought he was excellent today.

 

[blake]

I thought he had a good solid game as did the assistants.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

Thought he was excellent today.

Yeah he wasn't too bad, but McL was very fortunate not to have been booked in the first half

 

[Tampa Blue]

Despite his girth, which suggested that he may struggle to keep up with play, i thought that he got most things absolutely spot on including the Fortune 'penalty' first half - very calm as well

 

[Magnum PI]

Ref did well. No complaints. Bit tubby and his top half didn’t quite match his bottom half

 

[Mick]

Well he didn't do badly at all in a match which was not overly difficult to referee. Few flash points or big decisions to make.

When players can't wait to get rid of the ball and there's lots of stop start, it's probably ideal for a referee of his "style". Generally okay on the fouls although he did give us a couple towards the end with seemed a little generous.

A far from athletic appearance but I did wonder if some of those around me who were shouting "sizist" abuse at him had to pass a stringent fitness test for their work !

Reminded me of Martin Bodenham in appearance!
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41650000/jpg/_41650256_bodenham_get_270.jpg

 

[OldBlueLady]

Yeah, he was ok though seemed to be slightly favouring them with fouls against us in the 1st. Expected a proliferation of cards following the write up, but got it about right.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Yeah, he was ok though seemed to be slightly favouring them with fouls against us in the 1st. Expected a proliferation of cards following the write up, but got it about right.

Have you ever seen a referee favour us?

 

[shrimpled]

Thought so at the time but didn't want to say for sure until I watched the reply, he was calling an advantage as McL scored the first. As Mick says, not an overly difficult game to referee but most games are pretty easy to referee unless you start to lose to control of them. He never did.

 

[jackj13]

Quick question regarding subs Mick. Has there been a change of rule where subs have to wear bibs prior to warming up down the touchline. On Saturday our boys were wearing yellow tracksuit tops and Rotherham red so now colour clash however the fourth official insisted on all subs having a bib on before they could warm up?

 

[Mick]

Quick question regarding subs Mick. Has there been a change of rule where subs have to wear bibs prior to warming up down the touchline. On Saturday our boys were wearing yellow tracksuit tops and Rotherham red so now colour clash however the fourth official insisted on all subs having a bib on before they could warm up?

Yes, I think there are some petty regulations regarding that sort of thing and the number of subs that can warm up at one time. This would be a competition rule rather than Laws of the Game.