Ref Watch: Birmingham City (H)

Referee: Simon Mather
Assistant Referee: Anthony Da Costa, Danny Jarvis
Fourth Official: Michael Barlow

Simon Mather is something of an old hand now – he’s been on the EFL circuit a while, but hasn’t stepped up to the Championship. He got promoted from the National League in at the end of the 2020/21 season, and has been around us ever since.

In terms of the Imps, he hasn’t been to the Bank for a while. The last time was our 0-0 draw with Barnsley in April 2023, and he was in charge of our 3-0 win against Cheltenham Town the year before. He’s had a couple of cup games as well, in 2023 as we drew with Barrow, winning on penaltiesand against Accrington as we crashed out of Papa John’s Trophy on penalties.

Imps v Cheltenham – Credit Graham Burrell

Up until 2021/22, he was working the National League circuit, and his only ‘appearance’ against City came as a fourth official in our game against Sunderland. He did like a red card during his time in the National League. In his first season, 2018/19, he seemed fairly restrained, with one red card in 20 matches and an average of just three yellows per game. The following season he had fewer games, just 16, but issued more yellows (61) and more reds (5).

However, he was clearly a respected referee as he was awarded the Harrogate and Boreham Wood National League play-off semi-final, before stepping up. This season, he’s mainly officiated in League Two, where taking five matches, and just two at our level.

Against Barnsley, April 2023 – Credit Graham Burrell

Interestingly, he’s had as many games as anyone at that level, but of the 55 officials to have reffed in the basement division, he is 53rd for fouls per game – just 19. For context, there were 24 in our last game, and 38 when we played Stevenage.

In terms of consistency, he is 47/55 for fouls per tackle, so it does suggest he has officiated ‘fairer’ games as those positions align, and that tends to suggest a ref who calls it fairly, rather than being overly picky. He’s 46 for yellows per game as well, pointing to a referee that, hopefully, we won’t be talking about on Sunday.