Bates gets first home game

Last updated : 15 August 2008 By Tony Scholes
Bates is not a referee to cause us too many problems, one night at Leeds apart, but he's not a referee we associate with good results, although on his last visit to Burnley we did defeat Coventry 2-0.

This was just our second win in twelve games with him, the other coming in the last home game of the 2004/05 season when we beat Plymouth by the same 2-0 scoreline.

He's not a referee who is over enthusiastic with his cards although in all of those games we've had at least one card, and more often than not there's been more than one. Last season in 36 games he handed out 85 yellow cards and a couple of red cards.

I would suggest it is Ipswich who should be the more concerned regarding the yellow cards, Bates has a reputation for leaning towards the home side where cards are concerned and last season just 25 of those yellow cards went to home team players with 50 to away team players, and this despite a late rush on home bookings.

This season he's refereed two games. He started last Saturday with the League One game between Leicester and Franchise at the Crisp Bowl and in midweek took charge of the Carling Cup tie at Blundell Park as Grimsby defeated Tranmere. There has been just the one yellow card in those two games.

He will be assisted by Scott Ledger (South Yorkshire) and Garry Wallace (Tyne & Wear) with Ian Nolan (Lancashire) on duty as the fourth official.

Previous Burnley games:

Season

Opps

V

Res

Y

R

Burnley players carded

a

1997/98

Bristol City

a

1-3

3

0

Barnes, Beresford, Vinnicombe

1998/99

York

h

0-1

3

0

Scott, Neil Moore

2001/02

Bradford C

h

1-1

3

0

Gascoigne, Thomas

2002/03

Brighton

h

1-3

3

1

Gonhere(R)

2002/03

Nott'm Forest

a

0-2

2

0

Ian Moore, McGregor

2003/04

Millwall

h

1-1

2

0

West

2003/04

Coventry

a

0-4

2

0

Jensen, May

2004/05

Plymouth

h

2-0

4

0

Akinbiyi, Branch, Sinclair

2005/06

Leeds

a

0-2

5

0

Jensen, McGreal, Sinclair

2006/07

Southampton

a

0-0

3

0

Elliott Harley

2007/08

Scunthorpe

a

0-2

2

0

Jordan McCann

2007/08

Coventry

h

2-0

1

0

McCann