Kaye replaces Laws

Instead we have got the other referee who allowed a game to be played on an unfit pitch, Alan Kaye from Wakefield, who incredibly gave the home game against Derby in October the all clear presumably because he wanted his television appearance.

This game, and the Laws inspired 19 minutes, have cost our club dearly forcing the urgent and temporary work to be done on the playing surface ahead of the summer.

Not as though he lasted much longer than Laws and although the game was completed Kaye called it a day after 22 minutes and was replaced by fourth official Lee Mason.

Kaye was the referee at the Turf last time we played Leicester on a night when we were somewhat unfortunate to lose 2-1 in a game that saw Leicester substitute Frank Sinclair put through his own goal.

In his last match he sent off Crewe’s Stephen Foster in their 3-0 defeat at Plymouth for a professional foul, it was the first time he had used his red card all season and that 22 minutes apart he is averaging a couple of yellow cards per game with 46 in 23 games.

Of those 19 have been given to home team players and the other 27 to away team players and in no game has he handed out more than four yellow cards.

All that and no mention of the 2000/01 game at Crewe when he gave four penalties in a dreadful performance.

He will be assisted tonight by Andrew Hutchinson (Cheshire) and Kevin Mattocks (Lancashire).

Previous Burnley games: