Ref-Watch: Milton Keynes Dons (H)

One of the Football League’s most experienced officials, David Coote has been part of the National Group since 2010, and will be hoping that a chance in the Premier League will beckon soon.

He’s certainly got a decent CV, having taken charge of the 2014 League One Play-Off Final at Wembley, as well as Chelsea’s game against Fiorientina earlier this month. Ok it was only a friendly, but no other Football League whistle-blower can say they took charge of game involving the reigning Premier League champions!

Also on Coote’s CV are four previous games involving the Royals. In the last two of those games alone, he handed out 14 yellow cards and one red. The latter went to Kaspars Gorkss in a 3-1 win at QPR, one of three victories we have enjoyed when Coote, whose father played professional cricket for Nottinghamshire, is the man in the middle. The other wins came against Ipswich and Coventry, whilst we have also lost to Bournemouth under his control.

In 2014-15, the he took charge of 29 games in all competitions, showing 116 yellow cards and four reds – an average of just over four cards per game. As well as this he gave seven penalties, with three coming in one game as Millwall and Derby played out a 3-3 draw.

So far this season, he has refereed three games, all of which have been in the Championship and all of which have been draws with 11 yellow cards and one penalty added into the mix. With two of Reading’s first three league games also ending in draws, it’s not hard to see where this game is likely to be headed…