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Ref-Watch: Blackburn (A)

In the first of a new regular segment, we turn our attentions to the men in the middle. This week, the spotlight falls upon GEOFF ELTRINGHAM for our clash up at Ewood Park.

Saturday's away fixture with Blackburn Rovers sees Geoff Eltringham take charge of what has the potential to be a fiesty encounter, with the Royals and Rovers both eager to claim all 3 points off the back of the international break.

A keen Sunderland supporter, hailing from the Tyne, Geoff has not been shy with administering cards this season: over the course of 5 Championship matches, he's dished out 20 yellows and 2 straight reds in total, with Barnsley's Dale Jennings and Yeovil's Byron Webster given marching orders earlier in the campaign.

He has only called for a penalty kick once in the 2013/2014 Championship season so far, pointing to the spot during Blackpool and Watford's match in August: Watford's Troy Deeney, known by Reading fans for scoring from the spot in our 3-3 draw with Watford at the Madejski, on this occasion failed to convert, with Blackpool going on to record a 1-0 home victory.

Interestingly, Geoff has only ever refereed one Royals match prior to Saturday: our 1-0 victory at Pride Park (or should that be the iPro Stadium) against Derby County on the 14th of February 2012. Noel Hunt headed home from a Jimmy Kebe cross, to seal maximum points and contribute to our title-winning surge up the Championship table.

Here's hoping for an entertaining and non-controversial clash on Saturday with Geoff at the helm.