Mick
Life President
Saturday's referee is Dean Whitestone from Northampton, in his fifth season as a Football League referee, making his seventh visit to Roots Hall. He was here twice last season. Firstly, the Friday night 0-0 draw with Millwall, when he did pretty well in the face of some uncompromising football from the visitors; he cautioned 5 of theirs and, inevitably, Grant and Macca. He also did the home 1-1 draw with Wycombe, cautioning 3 of theirs and, yes you've guessed it, Macca.
Prior to that, his most recent visits were the season before last for the opening game win over Peterborough (when three visitors were cautioned) and later that season against Tranmere when we won 2-1 (again three visitors were cautioned). Before that was the 1-0 defeat against Carlisle three seasons ago in which his performance was probably better than the 8 cautions might imply. His other visit was in the previous season when he officiated in the Leicester home draw in which he sent off Richie Foran. Previously to these, he was in charge of the away draw at Coventry which I believe he refereed reasonably well.
He is an up and coming referee who had a spell in the the "talent group" and gets plenty of Championship appointments. His card count is on the lower side of average and he has just 7 yellows from 5 games this season.
Assistants are regular visitors Dave Bushell from London and Wes Linden from Middlesex. Fourth official will be the dimunutive Matt McLaughlin from Bedford.
Prior to that, his most recent visits were the season before last for the opening game win over Peterborough (when three visitors were cautioned) and later that season against Tranmere when we won 2-1 (again three visitors were cautioned). Before that was the 1-0 defeat against Carlisle three seasons ago in which his performance was probably better than the 8 cautions might imply. His other visit was in the previous season when he officiated in the Leicester home draw in which he sent off Richie Foran. Previously to these, he was in charge of the away draw at Coventry which I believe he refereed reasonably well.
He is an up and coming referee who had a spell in the the "talent group" and gets plenty of Championship appointments. His card count is on the lower side of average and he has just 7 yellows from 5 games this season.
Assistants are regular visitors Dave Bushell from London and Wes Linden from Middlesex. Fourth official will be the dimunutive Matt McLaughlin from Bedford.
