Referee Michael Naylor will make his second visit to Spotland in that capacity for Tuesday night’s encounter with Northampton.

The Sheffield-based official is in his fourth season on the league list, but his only Dale games to date are our JPT defeat at Port Vale in August 2010 and last season’s 4-1 home win over Cheltenham.

However, Michael was on the line for the promotion six-pointer with Bournemouth in April 2010, when his flag denied Brett Pittman what would have been a late winning goal for the visitors.

Fans will remember the match finished 0-0 in front of over 5,000 fans.

Mr Naylor has made good progress since joining the league list and in 2011/12 he refereed the League Two play-off semi-final first leg between Crewe and Southend.

He also received a high number of Championship appointments last term, including the final home game for champions Cardiff against Bolton, while in the third round of the FA Cup he refereed Tottenham v Coventry.

Last month Michael oversaw the Capital One Cup third round tie between Sunderland and Peterborough and a fortnight ago he took charge of the local derby — Mansfield v Chesterfield — in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

In total this term, Mr Naylor has refereed eight games, showing 18 yellow cards.

Photo: Action Images

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