Dale’s first cup tie of the season at AFC Fylde on Saturday will be refereed by JAMIE O’CONNOR.
This will be the Chesterfield official’s third Dale game since our relegation to the National League, all of them taking place away from home.
Jamie was in the middle for our 2-0 defeat at Solihull Moors at the start of last October and then the 3-2 loss at Wealdstone six weeks later.
He was also due to referee Dale’s home fixture versus Boreham Wood in February, but the game was postponed and a different referee took charge of the rearrangement.
Mr O’Connor received a mid-season promotion to the National League in 2022/23 and went on to referee six fifth tier fixtures in the remainder of that campaign, as well as another 17 last term, including two at Fylde.
This season has seen him officiate only three games to date, the most recent being Dagenham v Solihull Moors a fortnight ago.