Meet The Ref - Carlisle v Latics

The Latics head off up the M6 on Tuesday for a Bristol Street Motors Trophy group game against Carlisle United, scheduled to be the referee for the tie is Wallasey official, Steve Copeland.

Copeland, a detective with Merseyside Police, can usually be found officiating in the National League, he’s yet to referee an EFL league game, though he does have considerable experience running the line as an assistant as high up the pyramid as the Championship.

Previous Games

This will be Steve Copeland’s first involvement with Wigan Athletic in any official capacity, as previously stated he has yet to referee a league game in the top four divisions and only broke into the National League in August 2019.

Copeland was given an EFL Torphy game last September, Port Vale 1:0 Crewe Alexandra, which produced 5 yellows and 1 red card, he also has an impressive card watch record this season!

Steve Copeland Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 5

Yellows – 37

Reds – 3

Penalty Awards – 5

Carlisle United v Wigan Athletic
Referee – Steve Copeland
Assistants – Matt Sowerby and Paul Newhouse
Fourth Official – Steve Lawson

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

 

Meet The Ref - Stockport v Latics

The Latics are on the road for a Greater Manchester derby on Saturday with our first visit to Edgeley Park for a league game for 21 years. Stockport County will be our hosts and the referee is scheduled to be Hastings official, Carl Brook.

 

Carl Brook

The 49 year old is in his 5^th season as a Football League ref, though he has been a referee for 30 seasons in the lower leagues of the football pyramid, he only made the graduation to the big time in the 2020/21 campaign.

During his National List career, Brook has taken charge of 128 games, issued 513 yellow cards, 18 reds and awarded 33 penalties.

Previous Games

Brook has taken charge of four Latics’ games previously, three of those came in 2021 but they were spread over two seasons.

Away at Bristol Rovers in the admin season, Scott Wooton's last gasp winner, Burton at the DW on St Andrews Day 2021, Jonny Smith seeing red for a chest high challenge on Curtis Tilt and our 2^nd round FA Cup win away at Colchester in early December.

Brook’s last Latics game came last season, away at Cheltenham back in November, Liam Shaw, Omar Rekik and Jordan Jones all picking up yellow cards in a 1:1 draw.

Brook was at Edgeley Park on two occasions last season, Stockport’s goalless draw with Swindon and their 5:0 demolition of Wrexham.

Carl Brook Latics Games

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
11 Nov 2023	League One	Cheltenham 1:1Latics	3Y
05 Dec 2021	FA Cup	Colchester Utd 1:2 Latics	1Y
30 Nov 2021	League One	Latics 2:0 Burton	2 Y
23 Feb 2021	League One	Bristol Rovers 1:2 Latics	3Y

Carl Brook Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 6

Yellows – 22

Reds – 0

Penalty Awards – 1

Stockport County v Wigan Athletic
Referee – Carl Brook
Assistants – Steve Durnall and Paul Stonier
Fourth Official – Elliott Swallow

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

Meet The Ref - Latics v Peterborough

The Latics are back at the Brick Community Stadium on Tuesday when Peterborough United will be the visitors, the referee for the match will be Hampshire official, Andy Davies.

 

Andy Davies

Davies is a very rare breed in the referee circles having been a professional football player for Gillingham, Portsmouth and Yeovil, before injury forced him to retire at the tender age of 28.

Not one to feel sorry for himself, Andy immediately through himself into becoming a ref and he graduated rapidly onto the National List in 2012 and

Previous Games

Davies has taken charge of fourteen Latics’ games previously, five of which came in our last season in the Championship, 2022/23, there were three wins, Birmingham and Rotherham away and Blackpool at the DW Stadium plus the defeat away at Sheffield United on Good Friday, and a draw in our final away day at Reading which effectively relegated us.

Davies last refereed Peterborough last season, a 5:0 defeat away at Oxford back in April.

Andy Davies’ Last Six Latics Games

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
29 Apr 2023	Championship	Reading 1:1Latics	3Y
07 Apr 2023	Championship	Sheff Utd 1:0 Latics	1Y
13 Feb 2023	Championship	Latics 2:1 Blackpool	3Y
01 Oct 2022	Championship	Rotherham 0:2 Latics	1Y
20 Aug 2022	Championship	Birmingham 0:1 Latics	2Y 1R
11 Dec 2019	Championship	Latics 1:1 West Brom	1Y

Andy Davies Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 6

Yellows – 24

Reds – 0

Penalty Awards – 1

Wigan Athletic v Peterborough United
Referee – Andy Davies
Assistants – James Wilson and Darren Williams
Fourth Official – Paul Marsden

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

Meet The Ref - Latics v Exeter

The Latics are back in action on Saturday when Exeter visit the Brick Community Stadium, the referee for the match will be Stoke official, Scott Simpson.

 

Scott Simpson

Simpson is in his 2^nd season as an EFL referee, and this will be his 2^nd Latics game.

He was promoted to the National List of Ref’s in the summer of 2023 following a baptism of fire the previous April in his first EFL game, the League Two encounter between AFC Wimbledon and Swindon Town, which finished 1:5 in Swindon’s favour, 8 yellow cards, 1 red and 2 penalties awarded!

Previous Games

Scott Simpson has refereed the Latics once previously, our Bristol Street Motors Trophy win over Leicester City U21s last season, the game finished 7:1 in our favour.

Scott Simpson’s Latics Game

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
19 Sep 2023	BSM Trophy	Latics 7:1 Leicester U21	3Y

Scott Simpson Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 6

Yellows – 23

Reds – 0

Penalty Awards – 1

Wigan Athletic v Exeter City
Referee – Scott Simpson
Assistants – Conor Brown and Adam Burgess
Fourth Official – Darren Drysdale

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