Meet The Ref - Latics v Blackpool

Blackpool are the visitors at the Brick Community Stadium on Saturday for a lunch-time League One fixture. The referee for the game will be Select Group 2 official, John Busby.

 

The Oxfordshire based whistle blower became a National List ref in 2016 after serving as an EFL Assistant Referee for eight seasons, he was promoted to the Select Group 2 refereeing list for season 2021/22 and now spends most of his time refereeing in the Championship.

In his EFL career John Busby has taken charge of almost 400 games. 

Previous Games

Busby has four Latics games under his belt, his first coming in our League One title winning campaign in the 2017/18 season, a home meeting with Southend United, we won that game 3:0, Busby issuing just one card, a straight red to Southend’s Jermaine McGlashan for a two footed lunge on Callum Elder.

John Busby ref’d us twice in our last Championship season, 22/23, once at the DW Stadium when we entertained Bristol City, that game ending 1:1, Busby booking Joe Bennett who was lucky not to get a red card and our 3:0 away defeat to Burnley, sending off Omar Rekik and issuing five yellows in that game.

Busby’s most recent Latics game came in February 2024, our one-nil home win over Bolton, Stevie Humphries scoring and Josh Magennis, Matt Smith and Scott Smith all ending up with yellow cards and current Blackpool boss, Ian Evatt making a turkey out of himself, as usual, with some after match antics on the pitch. 

Of John Busby's 12 games so far this season, 7 have come in the Championship, 2 in League One and 3 EFL Cup games.

 John Busby Latics Games

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
27 Feb 2024	League One	Latics 1:0 Bolton	3Y
11 Mar 2023	Championship	Burnley 3:0 Latics	5Y &1R
13 Aug 2022	Championship	Latics 1:1 Bristol City	1Y
14 Oct 2017	League One	Latics 3:0 Southend	0

John Busby Card Watch 2025/26

Games – 12

Yellows – 53

Reds – 2

Penalty Awards – 4

Wigan Athletic v Blackpool
Referee – John Busby
Assistants – Sam Lewis and Mark Dwyer

Fourth Official – Scott Jackson

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

Meet The Ref - Huddersfield Town v Latics

Latics are back in League One action on Saturday, an early drive up the M62 to Huddersfield for a 12:30 kick off at the Accu Stadium, Lincolnshire based official, Darren Drysdale is scheduled to be in charge.

 

The 54 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 11^th Latics game for Drysdale, the last coming in September this year, our 0:2 home defeat to Cardiff City, Matt Smith picking up a yellow card, Morgan Fox receiving a red for a shirt pull late in the game which also resulted in a penalty for Cardiff.

Drysdale’s last Huddersfield game came early on this season, their 1:0 home win over Stevenage in August.

Darren Drysdale’s Last Six Latics Games

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
27 Sep 2025	League One	Latics 0:2 Cardiff	1R 1Y
29 Apr 2025	League One	Burton 1:1 Latics	0
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

Darren Drysdale Card Watch 2025/26

Games – 15

Yellows – 44

Reds – 3

Penalty Awards – 2

Huddersfield Town v Wigan Athletic
Referee – Darren Drysdale
Assistants – Thomas Cooke and Mark Cunnliffe

Fourth Official – Zac Kennard-Kettle

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

Meet The FA Cup Ref - Latics v Barrow AFC

Latics are back at the Brick Community Stadium on Saturday, FA Cup fever gripping the fans with Barrow in town for a 2nd round tie, the referee for the game is scheduled to be Durham based official, Martin Coy.

Coy joined the National List of referees in August 2017, he is a former PE and Maths teacher. 

Previous Games

Martin Coy has seven Latics games under his belt so far, his most eventful one came in March 2022, our 2:0 home win over Fleetwood, issuing 3 yellows, all to our lads, Darikwa, Shinnie and Power and he also issued straight reds to both James McClean and Fleetwood's Joe Garner. 

His last Latics game came last season, our Boxing Day 0:1 away win over Rotherham, Baba Adeeko on the scoresheet, Jensen Weir picking up our one yellow card.

A word of caution, Martin Coy refereed one previous FA Cup game for the Latics, that too was a home tie, our defeat at the hands of Chorley back in November 2020, two goals up and cruising, it all fell apart with a red card for Adam Long and a team-talk devoid of any inspiration whatsoever by then manager, John Sheridan.

Martin Coy’s Last Six Latics Games

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
26 Dec 2024	League One	Rotherham 0:1 Latics	2Y
13 Apr 2024	League One	Lincoln 0:1 Latics	5Y
01 Mar 2022	League One	Latics 2:0 Fleetwood	3Y & 1R
10 Aug 2021	EFL Cup	Hull City 1:1 Latics	0
08 Nov 2020	FA Cup 1st Rd	Latics 2:3 Chorley	2 Y & 1R
10 Oct 2020	League One	Crewe 3:0 Latics	0

Martin Coy Card Watch 2025/26

Games – 13

Yellows – 36

Reds – 2

Penalties – 1

Wigan Athletic v Barrow AFC

Referee – Martin Coy

Assistants – Jacob Lehane & Lewis Raper

4^th Official – Robert Claussen

Grab a listen to the latest podcast featuring a preview of the Barrow cup tie.

 

Meet The Ref - Latics v Burton Albion

Latics are back in action on Tuesday, Burton Albion are the visitors to the Brick Community Stadium for a League One game, the referee appointed for the fixture is Lancashire based official, Martin Woods.

Woods is in his fourth season on the National List.

Previous Games

Martin Woods has taken charge of two Latics games previously, our 2:0 defeat away at Reading in December 2023, issuing 5 yellow cards to Latics players including Stevie Humphrys for asking the assistant “was that not our throw-in”.

Woods also took charge of our FA Cup 1^st round win away at Carlisle last November, Scott Smith and Jonny Smith on the scoresheet in extra-time to give us a 0:2 win. Olakigbe and Rankine picking up the yellows.

Martin Woods Latics Games

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
23 Dec 2023	League One	Reading 2:0 Latics	5Y
02 Nov 2024	FA Cup 1st Rd	Carlisle 0:2 Latics	2Y

Martin Woods Card Watch 2025/26

Games – 15

Yellows – 61

Reds – 3

Penalty Awards – 7

Wigan Athletic v Burton Albion
Referee – Martin Woods
Assistants – Richard Wigglesworth and Kevin Mulraine
Fourth Official – Mike Barlow

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