RUFC – Ref Watch v Rochdale

The man in charge of our game at the New York Stadium on Saturday will be . . . .

Graham Salisbury from Lancashire

Graham started refereeing in 1985 progressing through the West Lancashire and Northern Premier Leagues to reach National List status thirteen years later being promoted to the Referees’ List in 2001.

This will be the second time Graham has been in the middle for a Rotherham game, the first one being at the end of December when the Millers were away at Walsall. Semi Ajayi opened the scoring in the first minute for the visitors only for Joe Edwards to equalise eleven minutes later. But a David Ball goal thirteen minutes into the second half gave the Millers all three points. Adam Chambers of Walsall and the Millers’ Joe Mattock and Richard Wood saw yellow that afternoon.

The time before that Graham was in charge of a Millers game was in April 2015 in the Championship which saw Reading at the New York Stadium. Matt Derbyshire and Lee Frecklington made it two-nil to the Millers in the second half with Oliver Norwood getting a consolation for the visitors in the final three minutes. Matt Derbyshire was the only booking of the evening.

Earlier in the season Graham was again at the New York Stadium for our one-nil win against Wolves with Ryan Hall scoring the goal fourteen minutes from time. Graham showed five yellow cards that afternoon one to Kirk Broadfoot, Craig Morgan and Ben Pringle for the Millers with Scott Golbourne and Danny Batth getting carded for the visitors.

Last season Graham was in charge of our home game against MK Dons when Matthew Kennedy put the visitors in front on nine minutes. A few minutes into the second half Kieran Agard got the ball down the right and was pushed and pulled all the way by Brendon Galloway who eventually hauled the Millers striker down just outside the area. Mr Salisbury showed Galloway a second yellow and he went for an early bath. On the seventy-second minute the visitors doubled their lead after Izale McLeod chipped Adam Collin. Michael O’Connor made it two-one seven minutes later and an Alex Revell goal in time added on gave the home side a point from the game.

The Millers had a visit to Selhurst Park on a Tuesday night in October 2002 when they faced Wimbledon who were camping out there for a while. Neil Shipperley and David Connolly scored for the ‘home` side with Alan Lee getting a consolation for the visitors in the final minute of the game.

September 2004 saw the Millers in the Championship and Graham was in charge for our game at Millmoor against Crewe. Mark Burchill opened the scoring on seventeen minutes but Dean Ashton got an equaliser two minutes later from the penalty spot. Kenny Lunt put the visitors ahead just after the hour mark with Ashton getting his second and Crewe`s third ten minutes later. Shaun Barker scored three minutes from time to make it an interesting last few minutes but Crewe went home with all three points.

New Year`s Eve 2005 saw Doncaster Rovers visiting Millmoor and Graham officiating. Paul Heffernan received his marching orders for a second yellow card on sixty-eight minutes and a last gasp goal from Lee Williamson gave Rotherham the win.

November 2007 saw Rotherham travel to Brunton Park which ended one-one. Delroy Facey had put the visitors in front on twenty-one minutes but Kevin Gray equalised mid-way through the second half. Graham booked Paul Hurst from Rotherham and Carlisle`s Chris Billy that day.

Graham was also in charge of our game the following season at Millmoor against Chester which also ended one-all. Chris O`Grady put the hosts in front on fifty-seven minutes but a goal fourteen minutes later from Kevin Roberts gave the visitors a point.

In October 2008 Rotherham entertained Barnet at Don Valley and it was a game that, for a neutral, had everything in it with seven goals, a red card and penalties. Nick Fenton opened the scoring for the Millers but Luke Medley found an equaliser with his first goal of the season. Ten minutes later Alex Rhodes received a fantastic ball from Mickey Cummins and as he was about to take aim and shoot he was knocked to the ground by Max Porter who Mr Salisbury sent for an early bath. Mark Hudson took the resulting spot-kick but fluffed his lines and hit it straight at Harrison in the Bees` goal. The Millers were made to pay for that miss six minutes later when Albert Adomah put the visitors in front. The second half saw ten-men Barnet further their lead when Cliff Akurang made it three-one then four-one after he latched onto a terrible back-pass from Fenton and stuck it into the net. Ian Sharps pulled one back for Rotherham before Reuben Reid got himself into the box in the eightieth minute and after being pulled back the hosts got their second penalty of the afternoon which Mark Burchill took and scored to make the final score four-three to Barnet.

Later on in that same season Graham was in charge of our one-nil win, thanks to a Micky Cummins goal, at Lincoln.

The 2009/10 season saw Graham twice referee the Millers. The first time was our two-one win against Grimsby at Blundell Park when an Adam Le Fondre penalty and Micky Cummins got the Rotherham goals and later in the season at Don Valley when goals from Danny Harrison, Adam Le Fondre (penalty) and Drewe Broughton gave the Millers a three-one win over Macclesfield.

Graham was in the middle for two of our games the following season – and saw some goals! Our game against Burton at Don Valley ended three-all with the host`s goals scored by Kevin Ellison, Ryan Cresswell and Adam Le Fondre in the first thirty-eight minutes while Shaun Harrad got a second-half hat-trick for the visitors. Graham was at Don Valley again on New Years Day when goals from Nicky Law, Will Atkinson, Mark Randall and two from Ryan Taylor saw the Millers win five-nil. Stuart Tomlinson, Vale`s ‘keeper, saw red in the first half.

September 2011 saw Graham in charge of our four-nil loss away at Southend. The following season he was at the New York Stadium for our three-one win over Oxford. Sean Rigg gave the visitors an early lead but a penalty and then a goal from Michael O`Connor plus a Jason Taylor goal two minutes from time saw the Millers get all three points.

The year before saw six goals when Graham was in the middle for our three-all draw with Burton Albion. Kevin Ellison, Ryan Cresswell and Adam Le Fondre gave the hosts a three-nil lead but a second-half hat-trick from Shaun Harrard got a point for Burton.

New Years Day 2011 was a five-nil win for the Millers against Port Vale, Nicky Law, Ryan Taylor (2), Will Atkinson and Mark Randall scoring the goals. On thirty-two minutes Graham sent-off Vale ‘keeper Stuart Tomlinson after he came racing out of his area and bowled over Marcus Marshall with his challenge.

Graham has been in the middle for a few Millers games in the past, the first one being at Millmoor in January 2002 when Grimsby Town were the visitors. Rob Taylor put the visitors ahead ten minutes from the end of the first half with Alan Lee getting an equaliser for the Millers ten minutes from time.

This season in the thirty-two games Graham has been in the middle of he has shown a whopping one hundred and thirty-two yellow cards and twelve red cards.


Running the line at the New York Stadium on Saturday will be . . . .

Barry Gordon from County Durham
and
Neil Sharp from Cleveland

The Fourth Official will be . . . .

Wayne Grunnill from East Yorkshire