Meet The Ref - Latics v Wycombe Wanderers

Latics are back at the DW Stadium on Saturday when high flying Wycombe Wanderers are in town, the referee for the game will be Wakefield official, Bobby Madley. 

It feels like he’s been around for years, but surprisingly, Bobby Madley is still only 39. Following a break from the game, he is making his way back to the top of his profession, he was back in the Premier League for a couple of games last season and of his ten so far this campaign, nine have come in the Championship.

Madley became one of the youngest ref’s to make it to the top, when in April 2013, aged just 27, he took charge of the Premier League game between Southampton and West Brom, this came less than two years after he made his debut in the Football League in the PNE v Notts County League One game in August 2011.

The 2013/14 season saw Bobby make it to the Select Group of referees and officiate in five top flight games, though he ended the campaign in the bottom tier with a League 2 encounter between Burton and Chesterfield. 

At the end of the 2017/18 season, Madley was taken off the referees list following some personal issues, he subsequently returned in October 2020 and has made his way back up the ranks.

Previous Games

Madley has taken charge of ten Latics’ games previously, our first encounter was the first game of our FA Cup winning run, Bournemouth at the DW in January 2013 and the latest encounter was in April 2023, a 2:1 home win in the Championship over Millwall, James McClean picking up a yellow that day.

Bobby Madley Last 6 Latics Games

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
22 Apr 2023	Championship	Latics 2:1 Millwall	1Y
30 Jul 2022	Championship	Latics 0:0 Preston	2Y
12 Mar 2022	League One	MK Dons 1:1 Latics	3Y
30 Nov 2021	EFL Trophy	Accrington 1:1 Latics	1Y
07 Aug 2021	League One	Sunderland 2:1 Latics	4Y
01 May 2021	League One	Hull City 3:1 Latics	2Y

 

Bobby Madley Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 10

Yellows – 30

Reds – 1

Penalties – 2

 Wigan Athletic v Wycombe Wanderers

Referee – Bobby Madley

Assistants – Darren Williams & Hugh Gilroy

4^th Official – Oliver Mackey

Grab a listen to the latest podcast featuring a preview of the Wycombe game

PWU Latics Podcast - Episode 22 - Carlisle FA Cup Reaction

The latest Progress with Unity Podcast is now available.

 

The episode is hosted by Barry Worthington with co-hosts Charlie Keegan and Paul Thorp and focuses on the 1^st round FA Cup tie away at Brunton Park against League Two side, Carlisle United.

The episode contains all the reaction to what eventually turned out to be a pulsating tie with a little controversy thrown in to the mix.

There is a discussion around the FA succumbing to pressure from the Premier League to scrap replays and go straight to extra-time and then penalties to settle the tie on the day.

Latics Women were back in action and this particular episode finishes off with a look at their result away at Fleetwood Wrens on Sunday.

Latics players after Jonny Smiths late goal settles the tie

 You can listen to the podcast by clicking play on the embedded player below.

Meet The FA Cup Ref - Carlisle United v Latics

Latics travel back up the M6 on Saturday, destination Brunton Park to face Carlisle United for the second time in three weeks, on this occasion it’s the FA Cup 1^st round and, the referee appointed for the tie is Lancashire based official, Martin Woods.

 

Woods is in his third season on the National List, his overall record reads – 65 games, 239 yellow cards, 10 reds and he has awarded 15 penalties.

Previous Games

Martin Woods has taken charge of just one Latics game previously, our 2:0 defeat away at Reading last December, issuing 5 yellow cards to Latics players including Stevie Humphrys for asking the assistant “was that not our throw-in”.

The other players that ended up in the book were Sean Clare, Charlie Wyke, Callum Lang and Cal McManaman.

Woods last Carlisle game also came last season, their 0:1 home defeat to Portsmouth in February, Josh Vela picking up a yellow for the Cumbrians.

Martin Woods Latics Games

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
23 Dec 2023	League One	Reading 2:0 Latics	5Y

Martin Woods Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 9

Yellows – 32

Reds – 0

Penalty Awards – 2

Carlisle United v Wigan Athletic
Referee – Martin Woods
Assistants – Simon Clayton and Natalie Aspinall
Fourth Official – Mark Bell

Grab a listen to the latest PWU Latics podcast featuring a preview of the Carlisle cup tie.

Meet The Ref - Blackpool v Latics

Latics are back on the road and head off up the M6 to face Blackpool in a League One fixture, scheduled to be the referee for the game is London official, Farai Hamall.

 

Hamall is in his first full season on the National List, he is based at Wembley Stadium and works full time for the FA Centre of Refereeing Excellence, he was also in the Stevenage FC academy as a player but released in 2012.

Previous Games

Hamall hasn’t officiated either a Latics or Blackpool game previously, in fact he has only been in charge of one previous game at League One level, that came earlier this season at London Road, Peterborough United 3:2 Bristol Rovers.

Farai Hamall Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 13

Yellows – 30

Reds – 1

Penalty Awards – 1

Blackpool v Wigan Athletic
Referee – Farai Hamall
Assistants – Graeme Fyvie and Thomas Cooke
Fourth Official – Edward Duckworth

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