Gameweek 15 of the Championship gets underway on Friday night when table toppers Leicester City host Daniel Farke’s Leeds United, and the league has just revealed the referees that will be officiating each game.
With that in mind, Football FanCast has created a handy list of who will be in charge of what game this week, as well as their respective statistics for the season thus far, per transfermarkt.
Leicester City vs Leeds United
Referee: Dean Whitestone
Matches | 9 |
Yellow Cards | 28 |
Second Yellow Cards | 0 |
Red Cards | 1 |
Penalties Awarded | 1 |
The weekend’s Championship action gets underway with what is arguably the game of the weekend, Leicester City vs Leeds United. The Foxes have taken the league by storm so far this season, and after a rough start, Leeds look back to their best.
Taking charge of the game is Dean Whitestone, who will have Lee Venamore and Mark Stevens as his assistants and Stephen Martin as the fourth official.
Whitestone has taken charge of nine Championships games so far this season, given out 28 yellow cards one red card and awarded one penalty as well.
He has yet to take charge of a Leicester game this year, but he was the official for Leeds’ draw against Sheffield Wednesday in September.
Birmingham City vs Ipswich Town
Referee: Leigh Doughty
Matches | 3 |
Yellow Cards | 9 |
Second Yellow Cards | 1 |
Red Cards | 0 |
Penalties Awarded | 0 |
The first of Saturday’s 3pm games sees Wayne Rooney’s Birmingham City host the high-flying Ipswich Town in a game that will be officiated by Leigh Doughty.
His assistants for the game will be Nigel Lugg and Bhupinder Singh Gill, while Scott Oldham will be the fourth official.
So far this season, Doughty has taken charge of three Championship games, in which he has dished out just nine yellow cards and just one second yellow card. He has yet to show a red card or award a penalty.
He has yet to take charge of a game for either team this season.
Bristol City vs Sheffield Wednesday
Referee: Lewis Smith
Matches | 3 |
Yellow Cards | 11 |
Second Yellow Cards | 0 |
Red Cards | 0 |
Penalties Awarded | 0 |
Bristol City host bottom-of-the-table Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday afternoon in what is a must-win game for the visitors.
The referee for the game will be Lewis Smith, who will have Shaun Hudson and Blake Antrobus as his assistants, while Gavin Ward will take up the role of the fourth official.
This will be Smith’s fourth Championship game of the season, and so far, he has given out 11 yellow cards in his previous three and hasn’t shown a red card or awarded a penalty either.
He hasn’t been the referee for either side yet this season.
Huddersfield Town vs Watford
Referee: Sunny Singh Gill
Matches | 7* |
Yellow Cards | 34 |
Second Yellow Cards | 1 |
Red Cards | 0 |
Penalties Awarded | 3 |
Watford will make the long trip to face Huddersfield Town on Saturday afternoon with both sides struggling in the lower half of the table, although with three points more than their hosts, the Hornets will be slight favourites.
Taking charge of the game will be Sunny Singh Gill, in what will be his first Championship appearance of the season, and so his statistics have come from his games in League One.
He will have Paul Hodskinson and Alex James as his assistants, with David Webb as the fourth official.
In his seven League One games this season, Gill has dished out 34 yellow cards, one second yellow card, no red cards, and he has awarded three penalties.
Millwall vs Southampton
Referee: James Linington
Matches | 8 |
Yellow Cards | 32 |
Second Yellow Cards | 0 |
Red Cards | 0 |
Penalties Awarded | 3 |
One of last season’s relegated sides, Southampton, make the short trip to East London on Saturday to take on a struggling Millwall side that are stuck all the way down in 18th place.
The referee for this encounter will be James Linington, who will have Andrew Fox and Andrew Dallison as his assistants and Benjamin Speedie as the fourth official.
In his eight Championship games this season, Linington has given out 32 yellow cards, no second yellow cards, no red cards, and has awarded three penalties.
Saturday will be the first time he has refereed a game for either side this season.
Preston North End vs Middlesbrough
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Matches | 9* |
Yellow Cards | 43 |
Second Yellow Cards | 0 |
Red Cards | 1 |
Penalties Awarded | 3 |
It will be a battle between ninth and tenth when Preston North End welcome Middlesbrough to Deepdale on Saturday afternoon as the visitors look to leapfrog their hosts while Preston will want to extend their two-point gap.
Taking charge of the game is the incredibly experienced Anthony Taylor; however, he hasn’t refereed a Championship game this season, so his statistics have come from his games in the Premier League.
Taylor’s assistants for the game will be Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn, while Sam Allison will be taking on the role of the fourth official.
In his nine top-flight games this season, Taylor has shown 43 yellow cards, no second yellow cards, one red card and awarded three penalties.
Plymouth Argyle vs Coventry City
Referee: Darren England
Matches | 2 |
Yellow Cards | 14 |
Second Yellow Cards | 0 |
Red Cards | 0 |
Penalties Awarded | 2 |
There is an early season six-pointer this weekend when Plymouth Argyle welcome Coventry City down to the West Country on Saturday afternoon. The Pilgrims are sat in 19th place on 15 points, while Coventry sit one place below them, also on 15 points.
The official in charge of this must-win game will be Darren England, who will have Neil Davies and Simon Long as his assistants and James Bell as the fourth official.
England has only refereed two Championship games so far this season, in which he has dished out 14 yellow cards, no second yellow cards, no red cards, and awarded two penalties.
He has yet to take charge of a game for either side this season.
Rotherham United vs Queens Park Rangers
Referee: Sam Barrott
Matches | 6 |
Yellow Cards | 22 |
Second Yellow Cards | 2 |
Red Cards | 0 |
Penalties Awarded | 3 |
We have another early season six-pointer on Saturday as Rotherham United welcome Queens Park Rangers to Yorkshire. The game will be Marti Cifuentes’ first game in charge of the Hoops following his hiring earlier this week.
Sam Barrott will be the official in charge of this must-win game, and he will have Jonathan Hunt and Matthew Smith as his assistants, with Ben Toner acting as the fourth official.
Barrot has taken charge of six Championship games so far this season, in which he has given out 22 yellow cards, two second yellow cards, no red cards, and he has awarded three penalties.
He was the referee for Rotherham’s 2-1 win over Norwich City earlier this season, but this will be his first QPR game this season.
Stoke City vs Cardiff City
Referee: Oliver Langford
Matches | 7 |
Yellow Cards | 33 |
Second Yellow Cards | 0 |
Red Cards | 1 |
Penalties Awarded | 0 |
The high-flying Cardiff City make the long journey to take on Stoke City on Saturday afternoon. Both sides will be full of confidence as the Bluebirds beat Bristol City 2-0 last weekend while the Potters beat Middlesbrough by the same scoreline.
Oliver Langford will be the referee in charge of this encounter, while Hristo Karaivanov and Matthew McGrath will be his assistants, with Adam Herczeg taking on the role of fourth official.
In Langford’s seven Championship games so far this season, he has dished out 33 yellow cards, no second yellow cards, one red card, and he is yet to award a penalty.
He was the referee for Stoke’s 1-0 loss away to Norwich City in September, and he was also in charge when Cardiff lost to QPR back in August.
One team will be hoping their luck changes under the experienced official.
Swansea City vs Sunderland
Referee: Robert Madley
Matches | 6 |
Yellow Cards | 30 |
Second Yellow Cards | 1 |
Red Cards | 1 |
Penalties Awarded | 1 |
Swansea City will play host to Sunderland on Saturday afternoon, and with just four points separating the two sides, this should be a cracking watch.
Robert Madley will be the referee for this game, and he will have Craig Taylor and Robert Merchant as his assistants and Ben Atkinson as the fourth official.
Madley has made six appearances in the Championship this season, giving out 30 yellow cards, one second yellow card, one red card, and he has awarded one penalty.
He was in charge of Swansea’s 1-1 draw with Coventry City in August, but he hasn’t refereed a game for the Black Cats this campaign.
West Bromwich Albion vs Hull City
Referee: Andrew Kitchen
Matches | 4 |
Yellow Cards | 11 |
Second Yellow Cards | 1 |
Red Cards | 0 |
Penalties Awarded | 1 |
The last of Saturday’s 3pm kickoffs sees West Bromwich Albion host Hull City in what should be a great watch, considering both teams are currently on 23 points and a positive goal difference of 23.
The game will be refereed by Andrew Kitchen, who will have Rob Smith and Adam Crysell as his assistants, with Geoff Eltringham as the fourth official.
In Kitchen’s four Championship games this season, he has shown just 11 yellow cards, one second yellow card, and no red cards, and he has awarded one penalty.
Kitchen has yet to officiate a game for either side this season.
Norwich City vs Blackburn Rovers
Referee: Josh Smith
Matches | 9 |
Yellow Cards | 32 |
Second Yellow Cards | 0 |
Red Cards | 0 |
Penalties Awarded | 1 |
The only game on Sunday sees Norwich City host Blackburn Rovers in what should be an interesting game, as neither side has had a great start to the season, with the visitors in 12th place and the hosts all the way down in 17th.
Josh Smith will be the referee for this clash, and he will have Sam Lewis and Matthew Jones as his assistants, while Tom Nield takes up the role of the fourth official.
Smith has refereed nine Championship games this season, in which he has given out 32 yellow cards, no second yellow cards, and no red cards, and he has awarded one penalty.
This game will be his first involving Norwich this season, but he was the official for Blackburn’s 4-0 thumping of QPR, so we reckon the hosts will be hoping he doesn’t bring the same result.
Rotherham United vs Ipswich Town
Referee: Graham Scott
Matches | 3 |
Yellow Cards | 22 |
Second Yellow Cards | 1 |
Red Cards | 0 |
Penalties Awarded | 1 |
The final game of this round of fixtures sees Rotherham host Ipswich Town, as both of these sides still have a game in hand on the rest of the league.
The visitors will be heavy favourites ahead of the match as they currently find themselves in second place with a positive goal difference of 14, while the hosts are down in 22nd with a negative goal difference of 12.
Graham Scott will be the referee for this game, with Wade Smith and Nick Greenhalgh as his assistants and Rebecca Welch as the fourth official.
Scott has taken charge of three championship games already this season, in which he has given out 22 yellow cards, one second yellow card, no red card, and he has awarded one penalty.
This will be the first game involving either of these sides he has officiated.