Will Finnie will make his Spotland debut on Saturday when Dale host local rivals Oldham Athletic.
This is only the second time Mr Finnie has taken charge of a Dale game and we hope the outcome is the same as last time.
That was last December when Will was in the middle at Plymouth, where a stunning Dale performance saw them return north with a 4-0 win.
The Luton-based official is in only his third year on the National List, so his appointment to this local derby suggests he is near to the top of the early season ratings.
Promoted from the National League at the end of the 2018/19 campaign, Will began his EFL life at Scunthorpe v Swindon in August 2019.
He continued to referee throughout League One and League Two in that season and also last term, when his 33 games saw 92 yellow cards and five red.
This season, Mr Finnie has officiated seven games, the most recent being Doncaster v Morecambe last weekend. He has shown 11 yellow cards and one red.
Fourth official on Saturday is the ever-popular Andy Haines…