Frankland is in charge

Last Updated : 15-Feb-2002 by

Frankland is now in his 7th season on the Football League referees list and this season to date he is averaging just under three yellow cards per game. In 25 games so far this season he has issued 72 yellow cards and just two red.

One of those red cards came on the opening day of the season when he sent off Tranmere's Seyni N'Diaye in their 2-1 home defeat against Bury. His only other red card came in the 0-0 draw between Stoke and Oldham in November when he sent off Stoke's Allan Smart. At the time Smart was on loan from Watford but he has now signed on a permanent basis for Stoke's opponents that day Oldham Athletic.

An away team player is much more likely to see yellow this season from Frankland, 28 of the yellow cards have been issued to home team players and 44 to away team players. He has just the one clean sheet this season in the 3rd Division game between Scunthorpe and Southend and his busiest days have seen six yellow cards which he has achieved on three occasions.

He has already been in charge of one Turf Moor game this season, the home draw with Portsmouth and the only yellow card that day was given to Portsmouth's David Waterman. He has booked Robbie Blake though, the week before our game against Portsmouth his was the only yellow card in Bradford's 2-2 draw at Crewe.

Last season he was in charge of our FA Cup 3rd Round tie against Scunthorpe. In the 2-2 draw at the Turf there was one yellow per side, Paul Cook getting ours. He didn't take charge of the replay at Scunthorpe.

In the promotion season it was another home draw, this time the 2-2 draw with Brentford. Yes it was Frankland who got in the way of a John Mullin pass and to Brentford's Paul Evans for the equaliser. Just one Brentford player was booked in that game.

The home draws continue into the 1998/99 season and the 1-1 scoreline against Wigan Athletic. On that occasion Chris Scott was the only Burnley player booked alongside four Wigan players. He has seen a Burnley win though, just a month after that Wigan game he was in charge of the 1-0 home win against Oldham when Glen Little was the only Burnley player in the four booked.