Dale will meet up with referee Dean Mohareb for the first time in league action when he takes charge of Saturday’s League Two fixture with Dagenham.
The Cheshire-based official, who is in his second season on the league list, refereed our JPT tie against Walsall last October and the FA Cup debacle at Bradford a month later, but Saturday will be his debut at a Dale league fixture.
Mr Mohareb refereed mainly in League 1 and League 2 last term, with the Championship fixture between Blackpool and Coventry thrown in for further experience.
He also took charge of Coventry earlier this week as they lost 4-1 at Shrewsbury, while he was the man in the middle for the remarkable Capital One Cup tie between Derby and Scunthorpe in August that finished 5-5!
Bobby Grant scored a penalty in that game and then another in the shoot-out which Scunthorpe won.
Altogether this term Dean he has overseen six games, showing 17 yellow cards, but as yet, no red.