Mick
Life President
Refwatch 2015/16 .................... number 52 of 52.
I should imagine both clubs can't wait for the season to end. Just after we played them last, half way through the season, we were 7th and they were 8th. Both clubs have plunged 7 places in the second half of the season and they remain one place below us.
Thirteen (unlucky for many) years ago Trevor Kettle started his inglorious career with a Bury defeat. It would be good, on both counts, if he could end it in like manner.
Yes, Sunday's man in charge of this low, low key match is the loose cannon that is Trevor Kettle. Or, rather, ex Wing Commander Trevor Kettle who used to work for the RAF and Ministry of Defence. His Armed Forces days are behind him and he now works as the Sales Director for a firm of precision engineers in Melton Mowbray.
His “LinkedIn” profile states “I am a task-driven and team focused individual who thrives of delivering a quality output whatever the scenario. My strengths are my inter-personnel, simplifying complex matters and providing clear guidance to ensure successful output.” Hmmm.....
His most recent Southend match was this season's defeat at Burton when a solitary Prosser o.g. produced our first ever defeat with Kettle in charge. Two yellows apiece, ours went to Leonard and Wordsworth.
Previously it was last season's comfortable home win (2-0) against Carlisle; a bit of an anti-climax on the Kettle front with just one yellow card for them.
Before that his last two visits to the Hall were co-incidentally both against Cheltenham. Firstly when he was good enough to send off one of theirs early on in our 4-0 win in 2011/12 (that was the last time we scored 4 goals at home in a League match – helped more than a little by Jack Butland) and more recently the season before last when a late, late penalty earned Cheltenham a point. Yellows for Prosser, Corr and Straker and one of theirs.
This is his 13th season as a League referee and his matches have been littered with controversy and condemnation throughout. I am sure there is not the slightest truth in the rumour that he only obtained and retained his position by virtue of his marriage to the daughter of the man who used to be in charge of Football League referees (Mr Ashworth). A referee noted for extreme over-reactions and maverick decisions. His general decision making varies between random and perverse.
This is his 20th Southend match and we have a fantastic record with him in charge (won 13, drawn 5, lost 1); in fact there is no referee we have a better set of results with.
However his matches have not been uneventful and include:
11/12 Cheltenham H – sent off one of theirs
11/12 AFC Wimbledon A - sent off one of theirs
10/11 Barnet A - not great - booked Hall & Easton
09/10 Brentford H - not great - booked Macca
09/10 Orient H decent game - booked Macca
08/09 Stockport H - sent off Harding
07/08 Oxford H - 8 yellows
07/08 Oldham A - sent off Richards (successfully appealed)
06/07 WBA H - 7 yellows
05/06 Bradford A - sent off one of theirs
05/06 Bournemouth H - sent off one of theirs
03/04 Canvey H - 5 yellows
03/04 Canvey A - 8 yellows and sent off Warren
03/04 Carlisle H - just 2 yellows but it was one of his first matches
He has actually had a couple of reasonable matches, especially a couple of seasons ago, when I have seen him, but needless to say these have been few and far between. His most recent away games were 2012/13 win at Aldershot (4 yellows, only Straker for us) and, in the same season our win at Wycombe in which he cautioned both of our forward pairing of Corr and Assombalonga.
Strangely his card count last season dropped to below average but he's got his game together this season with an above average 108 yellows and 10 reds from 30 matches. That's more like it !!
Assistants are Barry Gordon from Birtley, Tyne and Wear and Joe Clark from Walsall. Simon Mather is carrying out Fourth Official duties just as he did just up the road in Rochdale back in March.
I should imagine both clubs can't wait for the season to end. Just after we played them last, half way through the season, we were 7th and they were 8th. Both clubs have plunged 7 places in the second half of the season and they remain one place below us.
Thirteen (unlucky for many) years ago Trevor Kettle started his inglorious career with a Bury defeat. It would be good, on both counts, if he could end it in like manner.
Yes, Sunday's man in charge of this low, low key match is the loose cannon that is Trevor Kettle. Or, rather, ex Wing Commander Trevor Kettle who used to work for the RAF and Ministry of Defence. His Armed Forces days are behind him and he now works as the Sales Director for a firm of precision engineers in Melton Mowbray.
His “LinkedIn” profile states “I am a task-driven and team focused individual who thrives of delivering a quality output whatever the scenario. My strengths are my inter-personnel, simplifying complex matters and providing clear guidance to ensure successful output.” Hmmm.....
His most recent Southend match was this season's defeat at Burton when a solitary Prosser o.g. produced our first ever defeat with Kettle in charge. Two yellows apiece, ours went to Leonard and Wordsworth.
Previously it was last season's comfortable home win (2-0) against Carlisle; a bit of an anti-climax on the Kettle front with just one yellow card for them.
Before that his last two visits to the Hall were co-incidentally both against Cheltenham. Firstly when he was good enough to send off one of theirs early on in our 4-0 win in 2011/12 (that was the last time we scored 4 goals at home in a League match – helped more than a little by Jack Butland) and more recently the season before last when a late, late penalty earned Cheltenham a point. Yellows for Prosser, Corr and Straker and one of theirs.
This is his 13th season as a League referee and his matches have been littered with controversy and condemnation throughout. I am sure there is not the slightest truth in the rumour that he only obtained and retained his position by virtue of his marriage to the daughter of the man who used to be in charge of Football League referees (Mr Ashworth). A referee noted for extreme over-reactions and maverick decisions. His general decision making varies between random and perverse.
This is his 20th Southend match and we have a fantastic record with him in charge (won 13, drawn 5, lost 1); in fact there is no referee we have a better set of results with.
However his matches have not been uneventful and include:
11/12 Cheltenham H – sent off one of theirs
11/12 AFC Wimbledon A - sent off one of theirs
10/11 Barnet A - not great - booked Hall & Easton
09/10 Brentford H - not great - booked Macca
09/10 Orient H decent game - booked Macca
08/09 Stockport H - sent off Harding
07/08 Oxford H - 8 yellows
07/08 Oldham A - sent off Richards (successfully appealed)
06/07 WBA H - 7 yellows
05/06 Bradford A - sent off one of theirs
05/06 Bournemouth H - sent off one of theirs
03/04 Canvey H - 5 yellows
03/04 Canvey A - 8 yellows and sent off Warren
03/04 Carlisle H - just 2 yellows but it was one of his first matches
He has actually had a couple of reasonable matches, especially a couple of seasons ago, when I have seen him, but needless to say these have been few and far between. His most recent away games were 2012/13 win at Aldershot (4 yellows, only Straker for us) and, in the same season our win at Wycombe in which he cautioned both of our forward pairing of Corr and Assombalonga.
Strangely his card count last season dropped to below average but he's got his game together this season with an above average 108 yellows and 10 reds from 30 matches. That's more like it !!
Assistants are Barry Gordon from Birtley, Tyne and Wear and Joe Clark from Walsall. Simon Mather is carrying out Fourth Official duties just as he did just up the road in Rochdale back in March.