Long-serving Football League referee Andy D’Urso will take charge of Dale’s promotion six-pointer at Chesterfield on Tuesday.
The Essex-based official has been on the list since 1994/95, with only Scott Mathieson, of the current referees, having longer service.
Mr D’Urso even spent some time officiating in the Premier League, although the over-riding memory from that experience is of him being surrounded by a group of baying Manchester United players for daring to give a penalty against them at Old Trafford many years ago.
That was in Andy’s formative days as a Premier League referee and although he went on to establish himself at that level and earn a FIFA badge, he was removed from the Select Group after making a few errors that were technical rather than serious.
Nevertheless, Mr D’Urso has continued to receive high profile Football League appointments, including the League One play-off final between Doncaster and Leeds in 2007/08.
He was also the man in the middle for the Bury v Accrington game on the final day of the 2008/09 season, allegedly blowing up early after the mongs, sorry fans, had invaded the pitch thinking they had won promotion.
We last met Andy in September 2011 for the Carling Cup tie at Aldershot, which Dale lost 2-1 for what is their only defeat to a team from a lower division in the competition.
Andy’s full Dale record is:
27 Aug 1994 Gillingham (a) D 1-1
7 Oct 1995 Gillingham (a) L 0-1
9 Nov 1996 Barnet (a) L 2-3
31 Mar 1997 Fulham (a) D 1-1
13 Apr 1999 Cambridge (a) D 1-1
18 Apr 2009 Darlington (h) L 0-2
13 Mar 2010 Shrewsbury (a) W 1-0
20 Sep 2011 Aldershot (a, CC) L 1-2
So far this season, Andy has refereed 18 matches, showing 60 yellow cards and five red.
His most recent game was last Tuesday where Andy refereed Peterborough v Kidderminster in the FA Cup.