Meet The Ref - Latics v Northampton Town

The new season is upon us, the first game of the 2025/26 campaign takes place on Saturday at the Brick Community Stadium, we welcome Northampton Town to kick it all off. The referee for the game is scheduled to be USA official, Alex Chilowicz. 

The 37 year old, relocated to the UK from the US in December 2023, Chilowicz spent six seasons officiating in the MLS and took charge of 237 games in the American top-flight, as well as stints as video ref (VAR) and 4^th official duties, including the MLS cup final in 2020.  

Chilowicz, became a National List official in December 2023, his first taste of the English whistle coming in the League Two encounter between Sutton United and Mansfield Town, the Stags winning 0:2 and just two yellow cards issued.

Previous Games

Alex Chilowicz’s has refereed the Latics twice previously, our 1:2 home defeat to Exeter City in February 2024, booking both Luke Chambers and Baba Adeeko, and our away win at Mansfield in the 3^rd Round of the FA Cup back in January earlier this year.

Alex Chilowicz Latics Games

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
10 Feb 2024	League One	Latics 1:2 Exeter City	2Y
14 Jan 2025	FA Cup	Mansfield Town 0:2 Latics	0

Alex Chilowicz Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 34

Yellows – 109

Reds – 9

Penalty Awards – 9

Wigan Athletic v Northampton Town
Referee – Alex Chilowicz
Assistants – Alex Gray and Drew Dutton
Fourth Official – Greg Rollason

Grab a listen to the latest PWU Latics podcast featuring a preview of the season opener against Northampton.

 

Meet The Ref - Northampton v Latics

Latics travel down to the Sixfields Stadium on Saturday to face Northampton Town in our final fixture of the 2024/25 season, scheduled to take charge of the game is Peterborough referee, Neil Hair.

 

The 44 year old was promoted onto the National List ahead of the 2018/19 season.

Hair had two seasons at Conference level, culminating with the National League play off final between Boreham Wood and Tranmere at Wembley, in May 2018. Just 47 seconds into the game Neil Hair showed his bottle by sending off Tranmere defender Liam Ridehalgh for serious foul play, a decision described as “both brave and correct”, Tranmere went on to win the game 2:1 and subsequently followed Hair into the Football League.

Previous Games

 Neil Hair has taken charge of one Latics game previously, our away day at Gillingham in the 2021/22 campaign, issuing Tom Naylor a yellow card, but, courtesy of goals from Max Power and Will Keane we ran out 0:2 winners.

Neil Hair’s Latics Game

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
02 Oct 2021	League One	Gillingham 0:2  Latics	1Y

 

 

Neil Hair Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 14

Yellows – 62

Reds – 6

Penalty Awards – 5

Northampton Town v Wigan Athletic
Referee – Neil Hair
Assistants – Jonathon Block and Andy Hickman
Fourth Official – Scott Williams

Grab a listen to the latest PWU Latics podcast featuring a preview of the Northampton game.

Meet The Ref - Burton v Latics

 

Latics are back at on Tuesday, a trip down the M6 and across the A50 to face Burton Albion at the Pirelli Stadium in a League One fixture, Lincolnshire based official, Darren Drysdale is scheduled to be in charge.

The 53 year old referee is a sergeant in the RAF and currently based at RAF Waddington. So he’ll be used to handing out the ‘marching orders’ if any player steps out of line, he does have a bit of a reputation as a tough man too.

A veteran of over 550 games, Drysdale is a vastly experienced referee.

Previous Games

This will be the 9^th Latics game for Drysdale, the last one coming earlier this campaign back in February, our 0:2 home defeat to Stockport County, Scott Smith picking up a yellow card

Darren Drysadale’s last Burton game came earlier this season, on the 4^th December2024, a 0:1 away win at Peterborough United, a game with just 20 free kicks, no cards and settled by a Mason Bennett goal on 64 minutes.

Darren Drysdale’s Last Six Latics Games

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
15 Feb 2025	League One	Latics 0:2 Stockport	1Y
29 Mar 2024	League One	Latics 1:1 Burton	1Y
29 Dec 2023	League One	Latics 2:0 Carlisle	3Y
26 Jan 2021	League 1	Latics 0:5 Blackpool	1Y
01 Dec 2017	FA Cup	AFC Fylde 1:1 Latics	0
22 Aug 2017	EFL Cup	Aston Villa 4:1 Latics	1Y

Darren Drysdale Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 29

Yellows –93

Reds – 4

Penalty Awards – 5

Burton Albion v Wigan Athletic
Referee – Darren Drysdale
Assistants – Grant Taylor and Tom Harty
Fourth Official – Elliott Swallow

Grab a listen to the latest PWU Latics podcast featuring a preview of the Burton Albion game.

Meet The Ref - Latics v Blackpool

Latics are back at the Brick Community Stadium on Saturday, Blackpool are the visitors for our final League One home fixture of the season, the referee for the game is scheduled to be, Matthew Russell.

Matt is in his first full season on the National List and he’s clocked up 7 League One and 5 League Two games so far this campaign.

His first 3 games came in the EFL Trophy before dipping his toe in league football with the League Two game between Wimbledon and Morecambe back on 22^nd October 2024.

Previous Games

Matt hasn’t taken charge of a Latics or Blackpool game as of yet and his total of 27 games this season include 6 outings in the National League and 8 in Premier League 2.

Matt Russell’s Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 27

Yellows – 85

Reds – 4

Penalties – 7

Wigan Athletic v Blackpool

Referee – Matt Russell

Assistants – Jack Forder-Hay & Bradley Hall

4^th Official – Andy Miller

PWU Player of the Season voting is now open

To vote, simply send an email with your player nomination to pwupots@gmail.com mark your email 2025.

Grab a listen to the latest podcast featuring a preview of the Blackpool game.

Meet The Ref - Latics v Rotherham

Latics are back at the Brick Community Stadium on Easter Monday, Rotherham United are in town for a League One fixture, the referee for the game is scheduled to be Wolverhampton lad, Greg Rollason.

In his early 30s, Greg has been refereeing in the National League for the past two seasons.

In his first season on the National List, Rollason has just 7 (seven) EFL games under his belt, 2 in League One and 5 in League Two, his other games this season have come in the National League (13) and one EFL Trophy game.

Previous Games

That one EFL Trophy game was the Chesterfield v Latics encounter back in December and it was his first game between two league sides.

It didn’t turn out too well for the Latics that evening, going down 3:2 and out the Trophy, Cal McManaman and Joe Hugill scoring and Chris Sze and Scott Smith picking up yellow cards.

A former Geography teacher now teaching PE & Sport, Rollason is also the director of operations at the Whistle Foundation.

Greg Rollason’s Latics Games

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
10 Dec 2024	EFL Trophy	Chesterfield 2:2 Latics	2Y

Greg Rollason’s Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 21

Yellows – 70

Reds – 2

Penalties – 8

Wigan Athletic v Rotherham United

Referee – Greg Rollason

Assistants – Drew Dutton & Mark Cunliffe

4^th Official – Declan Bourne

PWU Player of the Season voting is now open

To vote, simply send an email with your player nomination to pwupots@gmail.com mark your email 2025.

Grab a listen to the latest podcast featuring a preview of the Rotherham game.