The card man of Dorset

So far this season, in just seven games he has handed out no fewer than thirty-five yellow and two red cards. Peterborough’s Dean Holden, in a 3-2 win at Bristol Rovers, and Ijah Anderson of Swansea in their 3-1 Carling Cup defeat at Reading, are the two players to have received the red cards.

Apart from that he has handed out three yellow cards in one game, four in another, five in each of three more, and six and seven in the other two and has already been the subject of a number of outbursts from various managers.

At least he hasn’t gone overboard with booking away players, although all five in the Sheffield United v Preston game went Preston’s way, and eighteen of those yellow cards have gone to home players and seventeen to away players.

Last season, his first on the list, he handed out just the one red card but went way over the hundred when it comes to yellow cards and there has not been a game yet where he hasn’t issued any cards.

We’ve not seen him before – so we have little idea on how he might perform, other than the fact that we can expect some cards.

He will be assisted by Kevin Barnes (Wiltshire) and Keith Buller (Somerset) and Richard Palmer (Somerset) will act as fourth official.