Meet The New Year Ref - Latics v Barnsley

Latics travel the six miles to the Toughsheet Stadium on Saturday to face local rivals Bolton Wanderers, scheduled to take charge of the game is Merseyside based referee, Ben Speedie. 

27 year old, Speedie, a former schoolteacher, made the step up from the National League to the EFL refereeing list ahead of the 2020/21 season.

Previous Games

During his first campaign in the EFL, Ben Speedie took charge of his first Latics game, a 1:1 draw away at Tranmere in the EFL Trophy, Harry McHugh scoring a 25-yard screamer and picking up the only yellow card of the tie.

Just one other Latics game under his belt which I will mention only in passing, our trip to Horwich earlier this campaign, can’t recall what happened that day to be honest, apart from Joe Hungbo picking up a yellow card and Paul Mullin producing a moment of magic and curling one in from just outside the box.

Speedie by name and ‘speedy’ by nature, the happy whistle blower made a rapid transit to the Select Group 2 of full-time refs and can now be found primarily plying his trade in the Championship.

Ben Speedie’s Latics Game

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
10 Nov 2020	EFL Trophy	Tranmere 1:1  Latics	1Y

20 Sep 2025

League One

Bolton 4:1 Latics

1Y

 

Ben Speedie Card Watch 2025/26

Games – 21

Yellows – 70

Reds – 3

Penalty Awards – 3

Wigan Athletic v Barnsley
Referee – Ben Speedie
Assistants – Mark Ryder and Matt Sowerby
Fourth Official – Declan Brown

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