RUFC - Ref Watch v Port Vale

The man in charge of our first ever Boxing Day game at the New York Stadium is ...

TREVOR KETTLE from Rutland

Rotherham United and Trevor Kettle have a bit of history - our last game at Oakwell, back in 2005, was one that most Millers fans will never forget. It was one of the most inept displays of refereeing I've ever seen (and I've seen some lately!). It started well for the Millers and Shaun Barker put them in the lead just after the half-hour mark. On fifty-six minutes Deon Burton received a second yellow card after he was brought down by Steve Watt (I kid you not!) and ten minutes before the end Lee Williamson also saw red, for what, no one really knows, leaving the Millers down to nine men. Mick Harford was sent from the dugout by Mr Kettle and, in the fourth minute of three added on, Barnsley's Steve Watt got an equaliser, though whether the ball actually crossed the line is still debatable. Skipper, Colin Murdock went to have words with the referee at the final whistle and he too was shown a red card. Even the Barnsley players and fans were bemused by what was going on.

Mr Kettle has been in charge of Millers games since then - the last time being at Northampton earlier this season. Chris Hacket put the Cobblers one-up in twenty-six minutes with Ben Pringle equalising three minutes before half-time. But a goal from Alex Nichols on eight-six minutes was enough to give the home side all three points.

In the twenty games Mr Kettle has been in charge of this season he has shown eighty-six yellow cards and five red cards


Running the line at the New York Stadium on Boxing Day will be...
Robert Atkin from Lincolnshire
and
Jason Tyas from West Yorkshire


The Fourth Official will be …
Richard Wigglesworth from South Yorkshire