Simon Mather will take charge of Dale’s first home midweek league game of the season when we host Leyton Orient on Tuesday.

Mr Mather was promoted to the National List in the summer of 2021 and had a busy first campaign with 32 matches at all points of the EFL compass!

His first game was Northampton v Port Vale and other appointments took him from Farnworth to Leyton Orient, Barrow, Sutton, Hartlepool MK Dons, Forest Green, Crawley and AFC Wimbledon, amongst others.

He also travelled to Swindon to referee Dale’s 2-2 draw with The Robins, a game which featured only three yellow cards.

I say ‘only three’ because, all told last term, Simon showed 137 yellow cards and 10 reds in those 32 appointments, suggesting he has a low bar when it comes to on-field tolerance!

On Saturday he was due at Mansfield v Bradford, but before then, his four appointments this season had yielded 19 yellow cards, but no reds…

Photo: Action Images

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