Simon Hooper from Wiltshire will take charge of Queens Park Rangers’ home clash with Brighton & Hove Albion this evening.
Teams: Queens Park Rangers v Brighton & Hove Albion
Competition: Football League Championship
Date: Friday 7th April 2017
Assistant: Daniel Robathan (Bedfordshire)
Assistant: Akil Howson (Leicestershire)
Fourth Official: Geoff Eltringham (Tyne & Wear)
You’d have to been in a cave not to notice the unmitigated cock-up that was the Keith Stroud show in the Newcastle United v Burton Albion fixture. It would be fair to say that Mr Stroud has been an official on the decline in recent years and this latest slip could be the nail in the coffin of the 47-year-old.
This evening’s referee is no stranger to controversy either – criticised for disallowing a Cameron Jerome over-head kick for a high foot was something that did not go down particularly well at Norwich City last season.
Hooper joined the National List of referees in 2008 and has recently joined Select Group 2 – he has taken charge of 26 Championship games this term, including one QPR fixture. He has also refereed Rangers in their short-lived FA Cup run this season.
He is being assisted by Daniel Robathan (Bedfordshire) and Akil Howson (Leicestershire) with Geoff Eltringham (Tyne & Wear) the fourth official.
Mr Robathan has been assistant in three Rangers games this season, in the home victory over Norwich City (2-1) in Ian Holloway’s first game back, as well as home defeats to Derby County (0-1) and Burton Albion (1-2). This is Mr Howson’s first involvement with Rangers this season.
Fourth official Mr Eltringham was the man in the middle for Rangers’ last game at Derby County. He has also overseen QPR defeats at home in the aforementioned Burton Albion game (1-2) and Aston Villa (0-1).
Thus far this season he has taken charge of 37 games and has dished out 132 yellow cards – giving him an average of 3.57 cards per game. He has also issued three red cards – most recently involving his favourite club Norwich City and defender Mitchell Dijks.
Swansea City 0-0 QPR – 19.10.2010
Goals: NONE
Yellow: Alan Tate, Gary Monk, Angel Rangel, Darren Pratley; Kaspars Gorkss, Adel Taarabt, Alejandro Faurlin.
Burnley 2-0 QPR – 26.10.2013
Goals: Danny Ings 65, 88pen
Yellow: David Jones, Keith Treacy; Danny Simpson, Richard Dunne, Joey Barton, Junior Hoilett
QPR 2-1 Huddersfield Town – 18.01.2014
Goals: Charlie Austin 55, 79; Nahki Wells 68
Yellow: Clint Hill, Tom Carroll, Andy Johnson
QPR 1-0 Wigan Athletic – 25.03.2014
Goals: Yossi Benayoun 16
Yellow: Ravel Morrison, Yossi Benayoun; James McArthur
Red: Yossi Benayoun
QPR 2-2 Cardiff City – 15.08.2015
Goals: Clint Hill 33, Charlie Austin 56; Sean Morrison 63, Scott Malone 90
Yellow: NONE
Brentford 1-0 QPR – 30.10.2015
Goals: Marco Djuricin 56
Yellow: Alan McCormack, Marco Djuricin; Clint Hill, Matt Phillips, Daniel Tozser.
QPR 2-3 Middlesbrough – 01.04.2016
Goals: Jamie Mackie 31, Tjaronn Chery 86; Jordan Rhodes 18, Gaston Ramirez 51, Ben Gibson 57
Yellow: James Perch
Huddersfield Town 2-1 QPR – 17.09.2016
Goals: Kasey Palmer 14, Elias Kachunga 62; Idrissa Sylla 76
Yellow: Mark Hudson, Jonathan Hogg; Tjaronn Chery, Ariel Borysiuk, Seb Polter, Idrissa Sylla.
QPR 1-2 Blackburn Rovers – 07.01.2017
Goals: Jake Bidwell 61pen; Joel Lynch 8og, Liam Feeney 58
Yellow: Ben Marshall
