Dale’s home game against Tamworth on Saturday will be refereed by JAMES OLDHAM.

This is the first time we have met the Derbyshire official since March 2023 when he took charge of Dale’s 1-0 defeat at Grimsby towards the end of the League Two relegation season.

His last game at Spotland was at the end of March 2022 for a 2-0 win over Carlisle United in which Liam Kelly (pen) and Conor Grant were on target.

Earlier in that season, James was in the middle for Dale’s Papa John’s Trophy tie at Port Vale, where an injury time Max Taylor own goal gave the home side a 1-0 win.

Mr Oldham’s other two Dale appointments were further back in time, including one at which no fans were present.

In October 2019, he oversaw our trip to AFC Wimbledon, where a patched-up Dale side had the likes of Calvin Andrew in central defence as they went down to a 3-2 defeat to The Dons.

James was then at the Crown Oil Arena at the start of October 2020 for Dale’s game versus Fleetwood which was played behind closed doors.

A late Fabio Tavares goal handed Dale a 2-1 win that afternoon, although they weren’t successful again on home soil until the following April after a dreadful run of form that didn’t seem to bother the manager of the time!

James is in his seventh season on the National List having been promoted after just one year refereeing in the National League.

That season culminated in the ultimate non-league appointment when he refereed Salford v AFC Fylde in the 2018/19 play-off final at Wembley.

Before Tuesday night, when he was in the middle at Bradford v Mansfield, James had overseen 20 games across League One, League Two, the National League and the cups this term, with 85 yellow cards and two red cards being brandished. His last match in the National League was Eastleigh v Hartlepool in November.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters