Gary Sutton is the man in the middle when Keith Hill, David Flitcroft and a host of other individuals return to Spotland this Saturday.

This is only Mr Sutton’s third game at Spotland. He was here last November for the 2-1 home defeat to Brentford and also back in August 2005 when Dale drew 1-1 with Cheltenham and had Neil Brisco sent-off.

That, incidentally, was Gary’s second game at league level.

We also saw him for the 0-0 draw at Walsall in February 2011, but Mr Sutton’s previous Dale game before that was the supposed promotion-clincher at Torquay in April 2010, which saw around 1,000 Dale fans descend on Plainmoor waiting for over 40 years of hurt to end.

Dale lost 5-0!

We had also met Gary earlier that season when he was the man in the middle for Dale’s U2/glass-induced 2-1 defeat at Rotherham.

He also refereed a 3-2 defeat at Barnet in November 2006 and the 2-1 loss at Wrexham on Boxing Day 2005, when a very bizarre penalty was awarded against Gareth Griffiths.

Last season Mr Sutton refereed 37 games, showing 104 yellow cards and nine red.

Photo: Action Images

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