Referee Michael Bull makes the long journey from Essex to Spotland this weekend to visit the ground where he started his league refereeing career.

Mr Bull is completing only his second season in the Football League and his first appointment at this level was Dale’s home fixture with Hartlepool at the start of our promotion campaign.

Fans will remember Dale strolled to a 3-0 win that afternoon, in which even George Donnelly contributed!

Three months before that game, Mike was the referee for the Blue Square Premier League play-off final at Wembley, where Newport defeated Wrexham to win promotion to the Football League.

He had also refereed the League Two fixture, Wycombe v York, in February 2013 as part of a scheme assessing officials ahead of potential promotion.

So far this term Mr Bull has been in charge of 31 matches. He has shown 83 yellow cards and eight red.

His recent appointments include Nottingham Forest v Rotherham, Reading v Blackburn and Accrington v Carlisle on Easter Monday.

Photo: Action Images

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