Fletcher for first time in over two years

He’s no stranger to this fixture and was the man in the middle the last time we met in the old Division Two, the 2-2 draw during our 1999/2000 promotion season. That day he awarded two penalties but gave out just one card.

Fletcher has been somewhat more prolific in his more recent Burnley games, in the last four there have been 22 yellow cards and one red, that to Arthur Gnohere in his last Burnley game, our 2-1 home defeat against Coventry in December 2003.

This is a referee who generally does like to make use of his cards and this season in 37 games Fletcher has handed out 129 yellow and 6 red cards. Of those yellow cards 55 of them have gone to home players and 74 to away players whilst four of the players he has sent off have been home players.

He had a decent game last time in that Coventry game but he’s had some bad ones refereeing Burnley – he’ll hopefully have a good day on what will probably be the last time he referees us.

He will be assisted by Gary Brittain (Yorkshire) and Roy Burton (Staffordshire) whilst the fourth official duties will be carried out by Jock Waugh (Yorkshire).

Previous Burnley games: