Ref-Watch: Cardiff City (A)

Keith Stroud will become the first referee to take charge of two Reading games this season when he officiates the Royals’ trip to Cardiff on Saturday. This comes after he was the man in the middle when Steve Clarke’s team beat Middlesbrough 2-0 at the start of the October. Stroud gave a penalty which Nick Blackman scored (of course) which followed Danny Williams’ 15^th second opener.

It was his eighth game being the whistleblower for a Reading match, and out of those, we have won four, drawn one and lost three. He has previously sent off three players in games involving Reading, with Matt Mills being the culprit on two of those occasions.

Since taking charge against Boro at the Madjeski Stadium, the Hampshire official has reffed his second Premier League game of the season, sending off James Collins as Watford beat West Ham 2-0 last weekend. Stroud also showed a red card on Tuesday night – giving James Perch his marching orders as Derby beat QPR 1-0. That took his tally to three red cards and 56 yellow cards in a total of 16 games this season. Along with this, he has awarded four penalties.

After what many people have described as ‘one of the worst ever refereeing performances’ on Tuesday from Brendan Malone, you’ll be pleased to hear that Keith Stroud is one of the country’s most experienced officials outside of the top flight.