Meet The Ref - Latics v Peterborough United

Latics are back in action at the Brick Community Stadium on Saturday when Peterborough United are in town for a League One fixture, the referee for the game is scheduled to be Berkshire official, Steve Parkinson.

Steve Parkinson started refereeing in the Bracknell Sunday League as a 16 year old and worked his way up through the ranks of the local leagues, the Welsh Leagues and onto the National League by 2023, making his debut in the EFL in January 2024 with the Crewe v Salford game at Gresty Rd.

Last season Parkinson had 10 EFL league games, including one in League One, Lincoln’s 1:1 home draw with Shrewsbury back in April this year.

Previous Games

Saturday will be Steve Parkinson’s first game this campaign and his first Latics game, he has previously officiated a Peterborough game though, their 2:0 home win over Stevenage in the Virtu Trophy Group Stage in October 2024.

Steve Parkinson Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 37

Yellows – 129

Reds – 7

Penalties – 13

Wigan Athletic v Peterborough United

Referee – Steve Parkinson

Assistants – Danny Guest & Sam Clayton

4^th Official – Andy Miller

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

Meet The Ref - Latics v Notts County

Latics are back in action on Tuesday evening with a Carabao Cup tie against Notts County at the Brick Community Stadium, the referee for the game is scheduled to be Staffordshire official, Oliver Yates.

Ollie Yates made it on to the National List of referees back in 2016, his first game coming in the League 2 meeting between Yeovil Town and Notts County on the 6^th August, since making his debut he has taken charge of over 250 games.

Previous Games

Yates has been in charge of five Latics games previously, the last of which was our 1:2 home defeat to Reading last season.

He has also refereed us away at Donny in the EFL Trophy back in 2024, a 1:1 draw on the night but going out the competition in a penalty shoot out.

The other three all came in League One, two away, Charlton and Wimbledon in the administration season and on the 7^th November 2023 Yates was at the DW Stadium for our 2:1 win over highflying Peterborough, Sessegnon, Lang and Godo picking up yellows in that game.

Ollie Yates’ Latics Games

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
01 Mar 2025	League One	Latics 1:2 Reading	0
16 Jan 2024	EFL Trophy	Doncaster 1:1 Latics	2Y
07 Nov 2023	League One	Latics 2:1 Peterborough	3Y
23 Oct 2021	League One	Wimbledon 0:2 Latics	3 Y
17 Oct 2020	League One	Charlton 1:0 Latics	4 Y

Oliver Yates Card Watch 2025/26

Games – 2

Yellows – 8

Reds – 0

Penalties – 1

Wigan Athletic v Notts County

Referee – Oliver Yates

Assistants – Dan Smith & Matt Jones

4^th Official – Mark Ryder

Grab a listen to the latest podcast featuring a preview of the Notts County game.

Meet The Ref - Orient v Latics

Latics travel down to Brisbane Road on Saturday to face Leyton Orient in our first away game of the 2025/26 season, scheduled to take charge of the game is Peterborough referee, Neil Hair.

The 44 year old was promoted onto the National List ahead of the 2018/19 season.

Hair had two seasons at Conference level, culminating with the National League play off final between Boreham Wood and Tranmere at Wembley, in May 2018. Just 47 seconds into the game Neil Hair showed his bottle by sending off Tranmere defender Liam Ridehalgh for serious foul play, a decision described as “both brave and correct”, Tranmere went on to win the game 2:1 and subsequently followed Hair into the Football League.

Previous Games

 Neil Hair has taken charge of two Latics game previously, both away days, the first was at Gillingham in the 2021/22 campaign, issuing Tom Naylor a yellow card, but, courtesy of goals from Max Power and Will Keane we ran out 0:2 winners. Last season’s final fixture at Sixfields, a 1:1 draw with Northampton saw Will Aimson pick up a red with virtually the last ‘kick’ of the game in the 102^nd minute! James Carragher and Baba Adeeko both picking up yellows, Dale Taylor with a 96^th minute equaliser giving us a share of the spoils.

Last Saturday saw Hair start his season off at Salford, a derby encounter against Crewe had the Cambridgeshire official reaching for his notebook on six occasions plus pointing to the spot to award Crewe a penalty

Neil Hair’s Latics Game

Date	Competition	Result	Latics Cards
02 Oct 2021	League One	Gillingham 0:2  Latics	1Y
03 May 2025	League One	Northampton 1:1  Latics	2Y 1R

 

Neil Hair Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 1

Yellows – 6

Reds – 0

Penalty Awards – 1

Leyton Orient v Wigan Athletic
Referee – Neil Hair
Assistants – Jonathon Block and Ross Murphy
Fourth Official – Zac Cunningham

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

Meet The Ref - Latics v Northampton Town

The new season is upon us, the first game of the 2025/26 campaign takes place on Saturday at the Brick Community Stadium, we welcome Northampton Town to kick it all off. The referee for the game is scheduled to be USA official, Alex Chilowicz. 

The 37 year old, relocated to the UK from the US in December 2023, Chilowicz spent six seasons officiating in the MLS and took charge of 237 games in the American top-flight, as well as stints as video ref (VAR) and 4^th official duties, including the MLS cup final in 2020.  

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 and just two yellow cards issued.

Previous Games

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

Alex Chilowicz Latics Games

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

Alex Chilowicz Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 34

Yellows – 109

Reds – 9

Penalty Awards – 9

Wigan Athletic v Northampton Town
Referee – Alex Chilowicz
Assistants – Alex Gray and Drew Dutton
Fourth Official – Greg Rollason

Grab a listen to the latest PWU Latics podcast featuring a preview of the season opener against Northampton.