One of the league’s most experienced officials comes to Spotland on Tuesday when we welcome Tony Bates from Staffordshire for the sixth time in the last two-and-a-half years.

He was last here 12 months ago for the FA Cup replay against Luton, which Dale contrived to lose 2-0 despite dominating most of the action and chances.

Tony has been a league referee for 14 years, with his first game being Dale’s visit to Swansea on the opening day of the 1996/97 campaign.

Fans will remember Dale lost 2-1, but we were delighted when Jan Molby missed a penalty and was then sent off by Mr Bates.

Earlier that year, Mr Bates was one of the English linesmen at Euro ’96, which was, of course, held in this country.

In total, Tony has refereed 17 Dale matches, while a little bit of research shows that he was also on the line when we beat Rotherham 5-3 in the FA Cup in November 1995, sending millions of visiting fans back to Millmoor well before the final whistle!

Here is Mr Bates’ full record at Dale matches:

17 August 1996 Swansea C v Rochdale Lost 1-2

30 November 1996 Rochdale v Scunthorpe U Lost 1-2

26 April 1997 Rochdale v Cambridge U Won 3-0

16 August 1997 Rochdale v Mansfield T Won 2-0

23 January 1999 Rochdale v Brentford Won 2-0

11 January 2000 Rochdale v Macclesfield T Won 3-2 (AWS)

16 September 2000 Rochdale v Torquay U Won 2-1

29 September 2001 Rochdale v Mansfield T Won 3-1

14 September 2002 Rochdale v Shrewsbury T Drew 1-1

7 February 2004 Rochdale v Mansfield T Won 3-0

8 March 2005 Rochdale v Northampton T Won 1-0

1 September 2007 Rochdale v MK Dons Won 3-2

3 May 2008 Rochdale v Shrewsbury T Drew 1-1

30 August 2008 Rochdale v bury Drew 1-1

28 March 2009 Rochdale v Exeter Drew 2-2

25 July 2009 Rochdale v Blackpool (Fr) Drew 1-1

11 November 2009 Rochdale v Luton (FAC) Lost 0-2

This season Tony has so far refereed 12 matches, showing 32 yellow cards and three red.

REFWORLD PROFILE: http://www.refworld.com/referee/127/1/tony-bates