Hands up who remembers ‘The Slump Starts Here’!
Chesterfield at home in November 2009 was the relevant game and Saturday’s referee, Phil Gibbs, was the man in the middle that afternoon on what was his last visit to Spotland.
Of course, Dale lost 3-2 to Chesterfield and robshaker, who seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth, leapt onto our messageboard with glee to report news of Dale’s impending doom.
That was the second time Mr Gibbs had refereed Dale that season as he was also in charge of the first home game of the 2009/10 promotion campaign against Aldershot.
Fans may recall we won 1-0 that afternoon thanks to a rather fortuitous last-minute penalty, which was converted by Tom Kennedy.
Earlier in the game, Phil had sent-off Nathan Stanton for dragging back Marvin Morgan as he broke for goal.
We also saw the 47-year old Assistant Headteacher at Notts County in October 2008 when Lee Thorpe’s brace helped Dale to a 2-1 midweek win.
Mr Gibbs was also in charge at Exeter on Easter Monday 2013 when two late goals from Ian Henderson and Bobby Grant gave Dale another 2-1 victory that set them on their way to avoiding a tense relegation scrap in the season’s final month.
Saturday actually sees the Walsall official make a return to the middle after six