Scott Oldham referees Dale’s game against Accrington for the second time this season on Saturday.
The self-employed joiner from Poulton-le-Fylde, who is in his fourth season on the National List, was in charge of our 2-1 defeat at the Wham Stadium in October and, like Tom Nield last term, has also been handed the return fixture.
This will actually be Oldham’s third Dale appointment of the campaign as he refereed our FA Cup loss to Stockport in November.
Saturday will see Scott officiate Dale for the ninth time, the first of which came in October 2017 when he oversaw our 1-0 home win over Bristol Rovers, although on that occasion he was a late replacement for the aforementioned Tom Nield.
He returned to the Crown Oil Arena in March 2018 for the 1-1 draw with AFC Wimbledon and then three weeks later, he was an 11th hour replacement for Andy Haines in Dale’s thrilling, but ultimately frustrating 3-3 draw with Portsmouth.
Mr Oldham was back at Spotland in October 2018 for the 3-2 home loss to Doncaster, before taking charge at Walsall four months later where both Ethans — Ebanks-Landell and Hamilton — were on target in Dale’s 2-1 defeat of The Saddlers.
More recently, his last league appointment at the Crown Oil Arena was in November 2019 when Ipswich won 1-0 on their first-ever visit to this part of Lancashire.
This will be Scott’s 28th game of the season; the previous 27 have seen him show 52 yellow cards and, as yet, no reds.