East In Charge For Cardiff Clash

Rookie official Roger East from Wiltshire is the man in the middle as Rangers travel to Ninian Park on Wednesday night.



Image courtesy of refworld.com

Mr East is better known for his exploits as an assistant referee as he emerged as one of the country`s select crop of linesmen. He spent seven years on the national list before joining the select list in 2007 and joined the Fifa list for two years before trying his hand at refereeing.

During his time as an assistant he cites the 2003 playoff final between the two sides the best game he has been involved in. He oddly told of an offside decision against the Bluebirds as one of his greatest career decisions.

He said: “Mainly because it was Cardiff at the Millennium and my decision in the second period of extra time an offside decision which was correct, and gave me great satisfaction.”

He also assisted Jeff Winter in the 2004 FA Cup Final as Manchester United defeated Millwall while also assisting Martin Atkinson in the 2006 Community Shield as Liverpool defeated Chelsea.

The first Football League match that Mr East officiated was Macclesfield`s 3-3 draw against the MK Dons in August 2007. He oversaw six goals and booked seven players.

He officiated 29 games in his first Football League campaign booking 65 times and dishing out five red cards, averaging him 2.14 cards per game. He dished out two reds in a single League One fixture sending off Brighton`s Gary Hart and Huddersfield`s Chris Brandon for a late confrontation.

It must be something about the sea air that sends Mr East into a flurry of reds cards, as after revisiting the Withdean Stadium for the Seagulls game against Barnet. He sent off Glen Murray and Kenny Gillet in the fixture as Brighton cantered to a 4-0 League Cup win.

East raised the ire of Coventry City earlier on in the campaign as he gave this weekend`s opponents Cardiff City welcome relief by disallowing a Freddy Eastwood goal. Mr East had initially signalled a goal but called play back for a handball against Scott Dann on the advice of his assistant referee.

He started the season with a plethora of bookings but has calmed down a tad after the turn of the new year. So far this campaign he has officiated 22 games dishing out 54 yellows and five reds, giving him a season average thus far of 2.68 cards per game.

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