Referee Oliver Langford will take charge of his first Championship fixture as Queens Park Rangers host Peterborough United this weekend.
The 28-year-old official from the West Midlands was promoted to the National List of Referees last season and predominantly took charge of League Two games.
His first game in the Football League came at Spotland as Rochdale dispatched of Barnet 3-1 in August 2008. He dished out his first red cards as Gillingham and Brentford clashed at Priestfield.
He sent off both Nathan Elder and Barry Fuller, but it was his inability to act in a different instance that made Bees boss Andy Scott fume.
He said: ‘Garry Richards has head-butted Nathan Elder – I saw it, my whole bench saw it, even the fourth official saw it.
‘Even half the crowd knew what had happened but Richards wasn’t even spoken to by the referee. We’ll look at it again and certainly make the point to the FA that Richards should be banned.”
In his first full season in the Football League he took charge of 26 games dishing out 58 bookings and three red cards.
He has upped his card average during this season already and despite not refereeing in the Championship, has taken charge of a second tier side in Nottingham Forest.
In arguably his biggest game to date he presided over the Reds’ 3-0 League Cup win over Bradford City, sending off Bantams defender Jonathan Bateson.
This campaign Langford has taken charge of four fixtures, but already 16 yellows and a red has stated his intention for the campaign – average just over four cards a game.
This weekend will mark the rookie ref’s first Championship test, but not the first time he has met Peterborough.
He took charge of their 1-1 draw away at relegated Crewe Alexandra last season, booking Micah Hyde and Gabriel Zakuani as the Posh were pegged back in the dying stages.
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