Ref Watch – Millers Host Birmingham

Rotherham United welcome Birmingham City to the New York Stadium for this Sunday dinner time kick-off when Tim Robinson from West Sussex will be in charge.

Tim was last in the middle for a Millers game at the beginning of December when Brentford were in Rotherham. Marcus Foss gave the Bees the lead just before the hour mark with Ivan Toney scoring from the penalty spot in an incident that saw Mikel Miller get his marching orders, just ten minutes after coming off the bench, for the hosts to give Brentford a two-nil win.

March 2019 saw Tim, and Rotherham, at Pride Park in a game which saw seven goals. Martyn Waghorn scored a hat-trick for the hosts with goals from Bradley Johnson, Mason Mount and Duane Holmes making it six while Richard Wood scored one for the Millers. Earlier that season Tim was in charge of the Millers away at Elland Road. Despite Semi Ajayi giving Rotherham a first half lead, Leeds came back to get all three points with two goals from Mat Klich in the second forty-five minutes. Clark Robertson saw yellow for the visitors that afternoon.

In October 2018 when Bolton Wanderers were in town Tim was at the New York Stadium. Will Vaulks put the hosts in front on fifty-seven minutes with a Christian Doidge equaliser six minutes from the end of the game giving Bolton a share of the points.

Before this Tim was in the middle in May 2018 when Rotherham played at Glanford Park against Scunthorpe in the first leg of the League One Play-Off semi-final. The game ended two-all after Jon Taylor put the visitors in front only for a minute later an own goal from Michael Ihiekwe gave the Iron an equaliser. In the second half Joe Newell again put the Millers ahead but two minutes from time Cameron McGeehan equalised a second time for the hosts. Taylor, Richard Wood and Matty Palmer saw yellow that day for Rotherham with Scunthorpe’s Murray Wallace also booked.

Tim was in the middle for a Millers game on April Fools Day 2017 when Fulham were the visitors to the New York Stadium in the Championship with a Sone Aluko goal on sixty-six minutes giving the visitors all three points. Ben Purrington came off the bench and soon saw yellow for Rotherham with Stefan Johansen being booked for the Cottagers.

Earlier that season he was in the middle for our game at Hillsborough that saw a late winner from the penalty spot for the Owls. Richard Wood was sent off for ‘fouling’ Lucas Joao in the area but the decision was overturned three days later. The second penalty decision Mr Robinson got wrong for the Millers!

Before that he was last in charge of a Millers game in February 2016 when Rotherham were away at Turf Moor. A penalty when Lloyd Doyley tripped George Boyd just outside the box on twenty-seven minutes was neatly put away by Sam Vokes followed by a goal four minutes from Scott Arfield four minutes from time gave Burnley all three points. Chris Burke and Richie Smallwood saw yellow for the Millers that day with Andre Gray and Ben Mee getting the same for Burnley.

The other two games Tim was in the middle for involving Rotherham were firstly at the New York Stadium in November 2015 when Bristol City were in town. Jonson Clarke-Harris opened the scoring for the hosts on nine minutes and doubled his and the Millers score from the penalty spot eighteen minutes later (and what a thumper of a penalty it was!) The game was finally put to bed fifteen minutes from time with a goal from skipper Lee Frecklington making it a three-nil victory for Rotherham. Tim booked five players on the day – Kirk Broadfoot from the Millers and City’s Luke Ayling, Marlon Pack, Luke Freeman and Jonathan Kodjia.

March 2014 was the first time Tim was at the New York Stadium and it was a game of goals! Notts County were the visitors and the game was just twelve minutes old when James Tavernier put the hosts one up. Haris Vuckic made it two four minutes later with Alex Revell getting the third on twenty-six minutes. A Kieran Agard penalty made it four-nil going into half-time. Vuckic got his second and the Millers fifth on the hour mark with Tom Hitchcock coming off the bench to make it six-nil to the Millers. Just two yellow cards that day were shown to Hayden Mullins and Jack Grealish of County.

In the thirty-four games he has been in the middle for this season Tim has shown a whopping one hundred and three yellow cards and five red cards.

Running the line on Sunday we have Andrew Fox and Lee Venamore and the Fourth Official is David Webb.