Rotherham United travel to the Abbey Stadium on Saturday to take on Cambridge United when the referee is Trevor Kettle from Rutland. (And I can see eyes rolling from here!)
Mr Kettle was last in charge of a Millers came in August 2017 when Charlton Athletic were the visitors to the New York Stadium. Patrick Bauer gave Charlton the lead on sixteen minutes with Josh Magennis making it two-nil in the second half to give Athletic all three points. Joe Mattock, Michael Ihiekwe, Darren Potter and Will Vaulks were booked that afternoon with Magennis and Ricky Holmes getting yellow for the visitors.
Rotherham United and Trevor Kettle have a bit of history – at Oakwell back in 2005, was one that most Millers fans will never forget. It was one of the most inept displays of refereeing I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen some lately!). It started well for the Millers and Shaun Barker put them in the lead just after the half-hour mark. On fifty-six minutes Deon Burton received a second yellow card after he was brought down by Steve Watt (I kid you not!) and ten minutes before the end Lee Williamson also saw red, for what, no one really knows, leaving the Millers down to nine men. Mick Harford was sent from the dugout by Mr Kettle and, in the fourth minute of three added on, Barnsley’s Steve Watt got an equaliser, though whether the ball actually crossed the line is still debatable. Skipper, Colin Murdock went to have words with the referee at the final whistle and he too was shown a red card. Even the Barnsley players and fans were bemused by what was going on.
In August 2013 at the New York Stadium a League One game against Preston North End ended goalless. Kari Arnason, Craig Morgan and Michael O’Connor saw yellow for the Millers with Paul Huntingdon also being booked for the visitors.
The 2012/13 season saw Mr Kettle in charge of two Millers games – the first one being at Northampton when Chris Hacket put the Cobblers one-up on twenty-six minutes with Ben Pringle equalising three minutes before half-time. But a goal from Alex Nichols on eight-six minutes was enough to give the home side all three points. He was also in the middle for our Boxing Day game at the New York Stadium against Port Vale. Louis Dodds and former Miller Tom Pope put the visitors two-up with Kieran Agard who had come off the subs bench earlier getting a consolation goal for the Millers. Mr Kettle booked Michael O`Connor (somewhat harshly it was thought) and Alex Revell that day plus four Vale players.
March 2012 was another game Mr Kettle was in the middle for away at Oxford. Scott Rendell and Asa Hart put the hosts in front with a Lewis Grabban penalty seven minutes from time giving the Millers a consolation goal.
The season before that Mr Kettle reffed Rotherham at the New Meadow which Shrewsbury won one-nil.
An away game at Crewe saw the Millers get all three points in October 2009. Crewe went ahead on nine minutes with a Steven Schumacher goal with Kevin Ellison replaying for the visitors six minutes later. In the second half Calvin Zola put the hosts ahead again but an Adam Le Fondre penalty seven minutes later saw the Millers draw level again. With five minutes to go Drew Broughton got the winner for Rotherham. Mr Kettle booked Ian Sharps and Nick Fenton that day.
This season Mr Kettle has shown sixty-six yellow cards in seventeen games and six red cards.
Running the line on Saturday will be Michael Webb and Aaron Farmer with the Fourth Official being Ollie Williams.
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