Good Friday Ref Watch

Rotherham United begin their Easter programme with a trip to the Den to take on Millwall on Friday when the referee will be John Brooks from Melton Mowbray

John came through the ranks as an Assistant Referee before becoming the man in the middle in the Conference in 2014 and reffed the 2016 Football Conference Play-Off between Braintree and Grimsby. When he was an Assistant Referee he caused a bit on controversy at The Emirates when he urged the visiting Manchester City team to go to their fans and ‘thank them for coming and paying £62 for the privilege’. He was dropped for his next game. (Personally, I think that was a bit harsh on him – a team shouldn’t need telling to go and thank their fans in my opinion).

The start of the 2016/17 season saw him move up to the Football League with the only other time he and the Millers have met being at the New York Stadium in September 2017 when Oldham were on the end of a five-one thumping. Michael Ihiekwe scored the hosts first on just eight minutes with Craig Davies replying for the visitors thirteen minutes later. But two second half goals from Kieffer Moore and one each for Anthony Forde and Jerry Yates saw the Millers win five-one. The only Miller booked that day was Jon Taylor.

In the twenty-five games John has been in the middle for this season he has shown eighty-six yellow cards and three red cards.

Running the line will be Nick Greenhalgh and Akil Howson while the Fourth Official is Tim Robinson.