Rotherham United travel to the CBS Arena for a Tuesday night clash with Coventry City when the referee is Anthony Backhouse from Cumbria.
Anthony began his refereeing at the tender age of fourteen in Cumberland rising to officiating in the Blue Square Premier League in 2012, being promoted to the National List of Referees for the start of the 2017/18 season.
The Millers and Anthony last met in March 2022 at the New York Stadium when Shrewsbury were in town. The Shrews went one-up on thirty-six minutes and two minutes later Angus McDonald and Luke Leahy went up for the same ball the Town man falling in a heap and Mr Backhouse showing a straight red to McDonald. Down to ten and already one down it was going to be difficult for the hosts to get anything and two further goals for the Shrews in the second half gave them a three-nil win.
Earlier that season, again at the New York Stadium, Anthony was in charge when Rotherham and Portsmouth met. Rotherham went in at half-time one up thanks to a twenty-ninth minute goal from Michael Smith. Pompey equalised four minutes into the second half but another goal from Smith and one each from Richard Wood and Ben Wiles gave the Millers a four-one win. Anthony booked four players that day, two for the visitors and Michael Ihiekwe and Ollie Rathbone of the Millers.
An FA Cup tie at the New York Stadium in January 2020 when Hull City were the visitors also saw Anthony in charge. Former Miller Tom Eaves scored a hat-trick for the visitors in a three-two win where Michael Smith and a stunning goal from Kyle Vassell were the scorers for the hosts.. Rotherham went down to ten men on twenty-four minutes when Mr Backhouse sent off Adam Thompson on just twenty-four minutes for a lunge.
Earlier that season Anthony had been in the middle for a Millers game at the Greenhous Meadow in the August in the EFL Cup which saw a four-nil victory for the Millers over Shrewsbury. Matt Crooks and Kyle Vassell put Rotherham two up in three minutes with Freddie Ladapo adding a third on the stroke of half-time and Richard Wood scoring another six minutes from time.
Before this Anthony had twice been in charge of Millers firstly in our Checkatrade Trophy game when a Manchester City U21 side came to the New York Stadium which saw David Ball put the Millers ahead only for a Benjamin Garre goal sending the tie to penalties in the last minute of the game. The young City side won the shoot-out four-two. The other being the only time that Anthony and Rotherham have met in the league which was on Boxing Day in 2017 when the Millers travelled to Gigg Lane to take on Bury. David Ball put the visitors in front on five minutes with Lee Frecklington doubling the score five minutes later. Will Vaulks gave the Millers a three-nil away win with seven minutes to go. Anthony showed yellow cards to Anthony Forde and Ryan Williams that afternoon as well as two Bury players.
In the nineteen games he has been in the middle for this season Anthony has shown eighty-nine yellow cards and one red.
Running the line on Tuesday night we have Nigel Lugg and Andrew Dallison and the Fourth Official will be John Busby.
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