Referee: Charles Breakspear, Charles
Assistant Referee: Matthew Sowerby, Aaron Hallam
Fourth Official: Matt Archibald
We’ve seen this referee already this season, but he’s been around for a while. The earliest Lincoln City match overseen by Charles Breakspear in the available records dates back to the 2012/13 Conference season. In January of that campaign, Forest Green Rovers visited Sincil Bank and left with a 2-1 victory, a frustrating afternoon for the Imps as the visitors made their chances count. Breakspear was again the man in the middle a few months later in April, when City travelled to Aggborough. That meeting ended in a difficult afternoon for Lincoln, with Kidderminster Harriers recording a 3-0 win.
There was then a long gap before Breakspear next took charge of a Lincoln fixture. His next involvement came during the 2019/20 League One campaign. In February of that season, City travelled to Roots Hall to face Southend United, with the home side edging the contest 2-1 in what proved to be a bad game for the Imps.
Lincoln crossed paths with Breakspear again the following season. In December of the 2020/21 League One campaign, Sunderland were the visitors to Sincil Bank and produced a dominant display, leaving with a 4-0 victory on a difficult afternoon for City against one of the division’s stronger sides.
The referee’s next Lincoln appointment came in January of the 2021/22 season when Burton Albion visited Sincil Bank. It was another close encounter, but the Brewers managed to secure a 2-1 win, taking the points from a narrow contest.
More recently, Breakspear oversaw Lincoln’s trip to Wigan Athletic in December of the 2023/24 League One campaign. On that occasion, neither side was able to find the breakthrough, with the match ending 0-0 and the Imps returning from the DW Stadium with a point after a tightly fought contest.
His most recent Lincoln City match came earlier this season. In January, Peterborough United arrived at Sincil Bank and were involved in the highest-scoring game on the list. City produced an impressive attacking display to win 5-2, making it Lincoln’s most emphatic result in matches refereed by Breakspear.
I really like Charles Breakspear. After the Posh game, I wrote this: “A word on referee Charles Breakspear. Excellent. He let the game flow, was unfussy and contributed to the entertainment only by enforcing the rules, rather than becoming the view.”
This season, he is 22/65 for fouls per game (24), 35/65 for fouls per tackle and 33/65 for yellows per game. All run-of-the-mill, consistent and (hopefully) an indication of a good, experienced referee who knows what he is doing.