Drysdale was bad news last season

Last updated : 22 September 2006 By Tony Scholes
Drysdale is now in his third season on the league list and it was in January this year when our paths first crossed at Ninian Park. He had a poor game and Steve Cotterill commented after the game that he had had a good game – for Cardiff.

He ridiculously yellow carded Ade Akinbiyi that afternoon and that was the booking that took him to a suspension forcing him to miss the Preston game a week later and so bringing to an end his Burnley career. At Easter he took charge of our game at Hull and confused the crowd with a string of baffling decisions, and at times looking as if he'd never been near a football game before.

Last season he averaged not far short of four yellow cards per game and also sent off nine players – this season he has started a little more quietly with thirteen yellow cards and just the one red card in his five games to date. As was the case last season, although it didn't apply in our games, there is no bias towards home players with the cards and seven of those thirteen have gone to the home teams.

This will be his first Championship game of the season having previously refereed two games in each of League One and League Two as well as the League Cup tie at Elland Road on Tuesday when Leeds beat Barnet.

Following the sad and untimely death this week of former referee Peter Foakes, Darren Drysdale will wear a black arm band throughout the game tomorrow as will all officials at all Premiership and Football League games.

He will be assisted by Jason Tyas (Yorkshire) and Jim Waring (Lancashire) and Ian Nolan (also Lancashire) will act as the fourth official.

Previous Burnley games:

Season

Opps

V

Res

Y

R

Burnley players carded

a

2005/06

Hull

a

0-0

4

0

Branch J O'Connor McCann Sinclair

2005/06

Cardiff

a

0-3

3

0

Akinbiyi McGreal