Referee: Ricardo, Ruebyn
Assistant Referee: Smith, Daniel, Burgess, Adam
Fourth Official: Khan, Abbas
We’re experiencing a referee for the first time this evening – Ruebyn Ricardo. He’s a not technically a first-year official, having officiated in the National League last season, and this campaign. Of course, that means he’s been in charge of Chesterfield games before, but not us.
In 2022/23, he took charge of just seven matches, showing three red cards. He got his first Football League game that season, part of a scheme that has National League referees stepping up. He took charge of an uneventful Crewe and Swindon tie. However, it was a big moment for him—he became the youngest-ever referee from the Black community to be appointed to a league fixture at the age of 25.
We are incredibly delighted to share the news that Ruebyn Ricardo today becomes the youngest ever Referee from the Black community to be appointed as Match day Referee for a league fixture between Crewe Alexander and Swindon Town age of 25yrs old. Good luck Ruebyn! pic.twitter.com/iqFmBTLKnA
— BAMREF Official (@BAMREFOfficial) April 29, 2023
Last season he took charge of two Chesterfield matches, and in both they scored four – 4-3 v Dorking and 4-1 against Aldershot. He showed fewer reds per game than in his first campaign but still flashed six in 24 matches. One of those was in his first League One match between Northampton and Exeter City.
This season he’s had three matches, one in League Two, one in the EFL Trophy and another in the National League. His last game, Hartlepool and Woking, saw him flash eight yellow cards and a red card and wave away a strong penalty appeal.
That makes this an interesting appointment, a new referee for us as well as a few fringe players in the squad. It’s almost making me want to turn out rather than watch at home, which would be unusual for me in this competition. I’m actually a bit of a Jonah in the EFL Trophy – the only matches I’ve seen since we won at Wembley in 2018 have been Doncaster (lost 2-1), Man Utd U21s (lost 1-0), Wolves U21s (2-2, lost on penalties, didn’t actually go into the game but went to the ground beforehand!), Mansfield (lost 2-1).
Perhaps I should stay at home and watch on Imps+ if it’s available!