Surrey official Craig Hicks, promoted onto the EFL list in 2017/18, takes charge of QPR for the first time on Wednesday night as the R’s head to Leyton Orient in the League Cup.

Referee >>> Craig Hicks (Surrey)

Assistants >>> Joseph Stokes and Nicholas Cooper (Suffolk)

Fourth Official >>> Sam Purkiss (London)

History

First QPR appointment.

Stats

Hicks started his season in League One with hot favourites Ipswich drawing 2-2 at home to newly promoted Morecambe thanks to a last minute equaliser from our loan striker, and former Orient hitman, Macauley Bonne. Five yellow cards in that one following a 2020/21 season when he booked 95 and sent four off in 34 games — a low average of 2.79 bookings a game. The league enjoyed his performances enough to give him the Lincoln 2-0 Sunderland play-off semi-final in May, and he made his Championship bow in March with Blackburn’s 0-0 draw at home to Bristol City. Eight yellows and a red in Sunderland’s 3-0 away win at Burton was his biggest single total. He refereed Orient twice last season, including at this stage of the League Cup when they won 2-1 away at Forest Green Rovers. He also oversaw a comfortable 2-0 home win over hapless League Two strugglers Southend. In 2019/20 he booked 90 (3.21) and sent four off in 28 games. That included Orient’s 4-0 League Two loss at Plymouth when they were four down by half time.

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Pictures — Action Images

Action Images

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