Meet The Ref - Latics v Stoke City

Latics are back at the DW Stadium on Wednesday, Stoke City are in town, with both clubs desperately needing the points it could be a feisty affair, the referee, who will be making his Championship debut, is West Riding official, Sam Barrott.

 

Sam Barrott

Barrott became a referee due to an injury playing football for Halifax Town Youth Team, his injury left him unable to do contact sport for 9 months. His granddad advised him to take the referee’s course whilst he was out injured and the rest, as they say, is history.

Previous Games

This is Barrott’s third season on the National List of referees having been promoted from the National League for the start of the 2020/21 season. So far he has taken charge of 85 games, issuing 275 yellow and 9 red cards, awarding 16 penalties.

He’s taken charge of five games involving the Latics; his last one being the 1:1 draw against Bolton at the DW in April earlier this year.

This will be Sam Barrott’s first Stoke City game.

He cites both Bobby and Andy Madley as his role models.

 

Last Game 

Barrott was in charge of the Hartlepool 2:1 Grimsby Town League Two game on Saturday, 29^th October, issuing 4 yellows, 2 to each side.

 

Sam Barrott’s Latics Games

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
02 Apr 2022	League One	Latics 1:1 Bolton	1Y
19 Jan 2022	League One	Morecambe 1:2 Latics	1Y
28 Sep 2021	League One	Latics 1:2 Sheff Weds	2Y
29 Dec 2020	League One	Burton 3:4 Latics	0
06 Oct 2020	EFL Trophy	Latics 1:3 Port Vale	0

 

Sam Barrott Card Watch 2022/23

Games – 16

Yellows – 43

Reds – 2

Penalty Awards – 5

 

Wigan Athletic v Stoke City
Referee – Sam Barrott
Assistants – Shaun Hudson and Matt Jones
Fourth Official – Geoff Eltringham

 

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

Any Previous? Latics v Watford

Wigan Athletic and Watford have met on 16 occasions down the years. It’s pretty even at the moment, the Hornets having won the fixture on just one more occasion than the Latics.

 

Our first meeting came in the FA Cup, a 3^rd round tie in 1990, Watford winning that game 2:0 at Vicarage Road.  

We met as equals for the first time in the 1997/98 season, Latics having gained promotion to the 3^rd tier by winning League Division 3 the season before, whilst Watford were in their 2^nd season at this level following relegation in ’96 from what is now the Championship.

The first meeting that season came on 29^th November 1997 at Vicarage Road, Watford coming out on top 2:1, all the scoring coming in the 1^st half, Graeme Jones putting the Latics in front on 11 minutes only for Dai Thomas to equalise a minute later, Tommy Mooney got a goal on the stroke of half-time to put the Hornets in front and, despite numerous chances at both ends, the scoring had finished and the game ended with a win for the home side.

The return fixture at Springfield Park on the 4^th April 1998 was a real entertaining affair, Latics raced into a 3:0 half time lead, Stuart Barlow (12), David Lowe (25) and Ian Kilford (40).

Foley (54) and Hyde (80) made it a tense finish but the Latics hung on for the 3 points against and a great 3:2 win over the club that would be crowned Champions in just 4 weeks time, we finished that season in a respectable 11^th spot.

Our last meeting with Watford came on the 17^th March 2015, a 0:2 defeat at the DW Stadium in a season where we accepted relegation without a whimper. 

Classic Encounter

22 March 2014 was the last time that Wigan Athletic beat Watford , a memorable season where we had had a European tour, reached the FA Cup semi-finals and also the playoff semi-final

Latics kept up their promotion push with a goal in each half from Jean Beausejour (40) and Martyn Waghorn (57) after falling behind on 36 minutes when Lewis McGugan had put the visitors ahead.

Latics – Al Habsi; Perch, Ramis, Boyce, Kiernan (Rogne 79), Beausejour; Gomez, McArthur; McClean (Powell 69), Fortune, Waghorn (Collison 61)

Unused Subs – Carson, Tunnicliffe, McManaman, Maynard

 Att – 14,556

Highlights – Latics 2:1 Watford

 

Watford Current Form

Watford currently sit 10^th in the Championship with 23pts from 16 games, their recent form is, WLLWLW.

Watford’s 7 away games so far this season in the league have brought 7 points, 1 win, 0:4 at Stoke, 4 draws and 3 defeats, scoring 8 goals and conceding 11.

In contrast the Latics home form at the moment is 8 games, 1 win, 1:0 v Blackburn, 3 draws and 4 defeats, scoring 6 goals whilst conceding 15, the worst home form in the Championship.

 

Player To Watch – Ismaila Sarr

Ismaila Sarr

 

24 year old forward, Ismaila Sarr is a player with Premier League quality.

Sarr joined Watford from French club Rennes in the summer of 2019, making his debut in the Premier League, he scored 5 times as the Hornets suffered relegation.

A Senegal international, Sarr has started this season in fine form, 5 goals and 4 assists so far from his 12 games making him Watford’s leading scorer and assister.

 

The Last Six Meetings

Date	Competition	Result
17 Mar 2015	Championship	Latics 0:2 Watford
13 Dec 2014	Championship	Watford 2:1 Latics
22 Mar 2014	Championship	Latics 2:1 Watford
28 Sep 2013	Championship	Watford 1:0 Latics
21 Feb 2007	Premier League	Watford 1:1 Latics
23 Sep 2006	Premier League	Latics 1:1 Watford

  

Full Record v Watford

Played – 16

Won – 5

Drawn – 5

Lost – 6

 

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