Source: FOOTYMAD
Bates is tonight's referee
Tony Bates from Stoke is the man in charge tonight for our home game against Hull and, no matter what happens, he can't possibly do a worse job than Scott Mathieson did on Saturday in our 0-0 draw against Bristol City. It's just over two years since he refereed a game at Burnley and that was on a day when he found himself with a decision that doesn't come around very often. That was whether and when to start the game against Ipswich once a parachutist had landed on the cricket field stand roof.That was his last Burnley league game, home or away, but he's twice refereed us in the FA Cup since, in the third round in each of the last two seasons. He took charge of the first match against QPR at Loftus Road in January 2009 and earlier this year was the man in the middle when we beat Milton Keynes Franchise. That win was good news too, we've not won too many of our games when he's refereed previously.He's certainly not a demonstrative referee and he's not one to make excessive use of his cards. Last season he did reach 106 yellow cards in 36 games, just under three per game, but there was only one red card all season.The yellow card count so far this season is similar with 22 in 8 games, but the red card count has been beaten already with players sent off in each of his last two games.Of those 22 yellow cards, 7 have gone to home team players and 15 to away team players. He sent off Lincoln's Scott Kerr in their 3-1 defeat at Accrington. That red card was for a bad challenge and the same can be said for his second of the season.That came last Saturday when he dismissed James Vaughan as Crystal Palace lost 5-0 at Derby. There were four yellow cards too in that game - Dean Moxey and Robbie Savage (Derby) and Edgar Davids and Paddy McCarthy (Palace).Tony Bates is currently in tenth place in the RATE THE REF Table.The assistant referees tonight are Paul Curry (Northumberland) and Scott Oldham (Lancashire). The fourth official is Andrew Hutchinson (Cheshire). Previous Burnley games:SeasonOppsVResYRBurnley players cardeda1997/98Bristol Citya1-330Barnes Beresford Vinnicombe1998/99Yorkh0-130Scott N Moore2001/02Bradford Cityh1-130Gascoigne Thomas2002/03Brightonh1-331Gnohere(R)2002/03Nottm Foresta0-220I Moore McGregor2003/04Millwallh1-120West2003/04Coventrya0-420Jensen May2004/05Plymouthh2-040Akinbiyi Branch Sinclair2005/06Leedsa0-251Jensen McGreal Sinclair2006/07Southamptona0-030Elliott Harley2007/08Scunthorpea0-220Jordan McCann2007/08Coventryh2-010McCann2008/09Ipswichh0-310.2008/09QPRa0-000.2009/10MK Franchisea2-120.
