The man in charge of the npower Championship match between Peterborough United and Huddersfield Town is STUART ATTWELL.
The former Premier League referee was demoted to the lower Leagues earlier this year after a number of high profile mistakes!
Attwell became the youngest referee, aged just 25, to officiate a Premiership match in August 2008 when he took charge of the Blackburn v Hull match. He spent just one season in the Football League before he moved up to the Premier League!!
Just a month after taking charge of his first Premier League match, he made his first big mistake when he awarded a “ghost” goal in a Championship match between Watford and Reading!
Controversy has followed the Warwickshire based referee when he was accused of ‘losing control’ of a Derby v Nottingham Forest derby. In this match he disallowed two Derby goals, booked eight players and sent off Forest’s Lewis McGugan.
He also annoyed Wigan manager Roberto Martinez in April 2010, who accused the referee of lying about his reasons for sending off Gary Caldwell in April 2010.
Stoke’s Danny Higginbotham has also claimed Attwell could be too easily influenced by players?which doesn`t bode well for Posh as many teams get away with so many blatant dives to win free kicks and penalties!!
Later that year, Attwell awarded Liverpool a highly controversial Dirk Kuyt goal against Sunderland. He had awarded the Black Cats a free-kick inside their own half and Michael Turner touched the ball back to Simon Mignolet, apparently for the goalkeeper to take the set-piece but Attwell ruled the ball was active which allowed Fernando Torres to set up Dirk Kuyt to finish into an empty net!
The final straw came in December last year when he sent off former Bolton defender Gary Cahill for denying Tottenham’s Scott Parker a goalscoring opportunity. The offence took place near the halfway line!! Needless to say the red card was rescinded.
Attwell is determined to build up his experience and get back to that elite group of Premiership referees: “I have learned a great deal from my involvement in the Select Group over the last four years and I am now looking forward to building on that valuable experience.
“I strongly believe I have a lot to offer refereeing, and I now look forward with commitment and enthusiasm to the new challenge that I am undertaking.
“This is supported by a determination to continue my career development, and return to the Select Group as soon as possible.’
Attwell has refereed 12 matches so far this season issuing 34 yellow cards and two red cards. He last took charge of Posh in November last year when Posh drew 1-1 with Middlesbrough. He issued six yellow cards in that game, three to either side. Huddersfield last had Attwell officiate their match in April 2009 when is booked eight players in Towns 2-1 away win over Scunthorpe.
Peterborough United v Huddersfield Town
Location: London Road
Date: 22nd October, 2012
Kick-off: 7:45pm
Referee
Stuart Attwell
Assistants
Chris Knowles
Richard Kendall
Fourth official
Stephen Ross
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