Michael Salisbury will referee this weekend’s League One fixture between Tranmere Rovers and Gillingham at Prenton Park.
Mr Salisbury has been in charge of six matches so far this season, brandishing 13 yellow cards and two red cards.
Both of the sendings off came in the opening day fixture between Leyton Orient and Cheltenham Town in League Two, the Robins finishing the game with nine men.
I don’t know if you can read too much into results when a certain referee is in the middle, but our record when officiated by Mr Salisbury is less than impressive.
The last time he was in charge of a Tranmere game was back on New Year’s Day, overseeing our 1-1 draw at Macclesfield Town. That’s the only time we’ve picked up a ‘positive’ result in a game he has refereed, and you could argue that it wasn’t really that positive!
He has been in the middle for five Tranmere matches, and the other four have all resulted in defeats for Rovers!
Losses have come at home to Boreham Wood and Macclesfield Town in 2015-16, a 5-0 FA Cup defeat at the hands of Peterborough United in 2017-18 (sending off Jay Harris) and a 3-1 League Cup loss to Walsall in 2018-19.
Is he a jinx?! We sincerely hope not, as a win over Gillingham this weekend would be most welcome and would back up the positive point gained on the road last week at Rotherham United.
Mr Salisbury will be assisted by Alix Pashley and Wade Smith, while Steven Rushton will be on the touchline as the fourth official.
