Declan Bourne will referee Dale’s first league game at Barrow for over 50 years on Saturday.

The Nottinghamshire official is in his second season on the National List and this will be his third Dale appointment.

Last November, he was the man in the middle versus AFC Wimbledon at Spotland, where a customary injury-time goal for The Dons gave them a 1-0 victory.

Two months later, Declan refereed Dale’s trip to Bristol Rovers, where a brace of goals from Alex Newby handed Dale a 2-1 win.

His first match at EFL level was Port Vale v Tranmere in the PJT in September 2020, before he refereed Oldham v Leyton Orient on the opening day of the last league season.

Altogether last term, Bourne oversaw 30 games, including Barrow v Oldham. This season, he has refereed nine matches, showing 41 yellow cards, ten of them in the Scunthorpe v Forest Green fixture. His last appointment was Harrogate v Tranmere on 19th October.

Photo: Action Images

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