Meet The Ref - Northampton Town v Latics

Easter Monday sees the Latics make a trip to Sixfields Stadium to face Northampton Town in our fight against the dreaded drop. The referee for the game is scheduled to be USA official, New Jersey’s very own, Alex Chilowicz. 

The 39-year-old, relocated to the UK from the US in December 2023, he spent six seasons officiating in the MLS taking charge of 237 games in the American top-flight.  

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.

Previous Games

Alex Chilowicz’s has refereed the Latics three times previously, our 1:2 home defeat to Exeter City in February 2024, booking both Luke Chambers and Baba Adeeko, our away win at Mansfield in the 3^rd Round of the FA Cup back in January 2025.

Chilowicz was also in charge of our opening game this campaign against, ironically enough, Northampton Town, a Fraser Murray double and a Jenson Weir goal saw the Latics start the season off in great form and register our highest position in the table reaching the dizzy heights of 3^rd.

Alex Chilowicz Latics Games

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
02 Aug 2025	League One	Latics 3:1 Northampton	0
10 Jan 2025	FA Cup	Mansfield Town 0:2 Latics	0
10 Feb 2024	League One	Latics 1:2 Exeter City	2Y

Alex Chilowicz Card Watch 2025/26

Games – 30

Yellows – 104

Reds – 2

Penalty Awards – 6

Northampton Town v Wigan Athletic
Referee – Alex Chilowicz
Assistants – Kevin Howick and Keiran Forrest
Fourth Official – Darren Wilding

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

Meet The Ref - Latics v Orient

Latics are back at the Brick Community Stadium on Thursday, a League One game against Leyton Orient, the referee for the game will be Birmingham based official, Tom Reeves.

On the National List since the 2021/22 season, Reeves, a graduate of Warwick University, spent five years as a PE Teacher before joining Coventry City’s Community team in 2018.

He is currently the PL Sport Manager working alongside former Sky Blues centre back and Head of Community, David Busst.

Previous Games

Tom Reeves has refereed the Latics six times previously, two of those games were against Crewe, a 2:0 defeat in the Pizza Trophy at Gresty Rd in October 2021, and a 2:0 win over the Railway Men in a League 1 fixture that same season, that game came in February 2022.

Back in August 2023, Tom, along with the Latics enjoyed a visit to the Toughsheet Stadium in Horwich, a four goals to nil victory for us that day. Reeves’ last Latics game came earlier this campaign in the Carabao Cup, a 1:0 home victory over Stockport.

Since that first game against Crewe in 2021, Tom Reeves next five Latics’ games have all ended in victories without us conceding a goal.

Tom Reeves 6 Latics Games

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
26 Aug 2025	EFL Cup	Latics 1:0 Stockport	0
23 Nov 2024	League One	Barnsley 0:1 Latics	3Y
20 Jan 2024	League One	Latics 1:0 Reading	2Y
19 Aug 2023	League One	Bolton 0:4 Latics	1Y
15Feb 2022	League One	Latics 2:0 Crewe	1Y
05 Oct 2021	EFL Trophy	Crewe 2:0 Latics	3Y

Tom Reeves Card Watch 2025/26

Games – 32

Yellows – 98

Reds – 1

Penalties – 6

 Barnsley v Wigan Athletic

Referee – Tom Reeves

Assistants – Joe Larkin & Steve Durnall

4^th Official – Mark Cunliffe

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

Meet The Ref - Reading v Latics

Latics travel down to Royal Berkshire on Saturday to face Reading at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, Gary Caldwell looking for his first away win in a League One fixture since returning to the club, scheduled to take charge of the game is Wallasey based referee, Steve Copeland.

 

Copeland, a police detective by trade, made his debut in the EFL last season, clocking up 3 League Two games and the Lincoln City v Cambridge United 1:1 draw at Sincil Bank in February 2025.

So far this season, Detective Steve has been in charge of 18 first class games, 8 in League Two and 7 in the National League, Saturday will be his first at League One level this campaign, though he did take charge of Doncaster’s 3:1 home win over Bradford in the EFL Trophy, and Lincoln’s away defeat via penalties to Salford in the FA Cup 1^st round, 9 yellows and a red card in that particular encounter.

Previous Games

Saturday will be the first time that Steve Copeland has taken charge of either a Latics or Reading game, though he was the 4^th Official for our 1:0 away defeat at Cardiff in January, what an enthralling affair that was.

Steve Copeland Card Watch 2025/26

Games – 18

Yellows – 64

Reds – 1

Penalty Awards – 3

Reading v Wigan Athletic
Referee – Steven Copeland
Assistants – Dan D’Urso and Richard Morris
Fourth Official – Alan Creswell

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

Meet The Ref - Latics v Exeter City

Latics are back in action at the Brick Community on Saturday when Exeter City will be the visitors for a League One fixture, the referee for the game will be Preston based official, Ed Duckworth.

 

A graduate of Myerscough College, Ed has also held positions with the Cheshire FA as their Referee Development Officer and National Referee Manager for the Football Association. Duckworth was promoted to the National List of Referees in August 2023.

 Previous Games

This will be Ed Duckworth’s third Wigan Athletic game having been in charge of our 3:0 home win over Fleetwood Town back in November 2023

In that game Duckworth booked Latics striker, Josh Stones along with four Fleetwood players, plus he brandished a red card to the Cod Army’s defender Josh Earl right on half-time.

Duckworth also took charge of our 3^rd round Carabao cup tie earlier this campaign, a two-nil defeat at home to Wycombe, Dara Costelloe and Callum Wright picking up yellow cards.

Ed Duckworth last took charge of an Exeter game in August, the Grecians suffered a 2:0 away defeat to Northampton in a league match.

Ed Duckworth’s Latics Games

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
23 Sep 2025	EFL Cup	Latics 0:2 Wycombe	2Y
28 Nov 2023	League One	Latics 3:0 Fleetwood Town	1Y

 

Ed Duckworth Card Watch 2025/26

Games – 31

Yellows – 120

Reds – 7

Penalty Awards – 4

Wigan Athletic v Exeter City
Referee – Ed Duckworth
Assistants – Grant Taylor and Anthony Moore
Fourth Official – Will Davis

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