Messageboard regular Sandyman will need to sit down when he sees the referee for Saturday’s clash with Sheffield Wednesday is his old friend Peter Walton.
Mr Walton, a Select Group official, was a regular at Dale games in the early days of his league career, but Sandyman’s ire was raised after his performance the last time we saw him.
The match was at home to Wycombe in September 2006, when Walton failed to send off the visitors’ goalkeeper, despite him pole-axing Morike Sako just outside the area to prevent what would have been a goalscoring opportunity (I’m not sure I can add the word ‘clear’ when referring to Sako!)
Wycombe went on to win the game 2-0 and Walton compounded his error in his newspaper column in the Daventry Express the following week with some selective journalism as to why Dale fans were angry with him.
Unfortunately the archive has disappeared off the internet, so you’ll have to take our word for it.
Other Dale games refereed by Mr Walton include the 2-1 home win over Leyton Orient in September 1998 that saved Graham Barrow’s job and both matches in the FA Cup tie with Rotherham three months later.
Fans may recall that Mark Monington was sent off against Orient and also in the cup replay at Millmoor!
Walton also sent off Gareth Griffiths in a 2-2 draw at Torquay in November 2002.
No wonder Sandyman has it in for him!
Peter was also appointed to Dale’s postponed Boxing Day game at Notts County, although Saturday’s appearance at Spotland could see that changed for our trip to Meadow Lane in April.
The Northamptonshire referee joined the Select Group in 2003 and was granted an extension to continue this season, despite passing the retirement age of 48.
He has refereed 16 Premier League games so far this term, most notably Blackpool v Manchester United last month.
REFWORLD PROFILE: http://refworld.com/referee/23/0/peter-walton