Samuel Barrott will referee Dale’s third away game of the season at Swindon on Saturday.

The Holmfirth official is in his third season on the National List and he will have good memories of Dale as we featured in his first appointment at this level.

That came in September 2020 at Morecambe in the EFL Trophy, where Dale scored two late goals in their 2-1 win.

We most recently saw Samuel at Spotland in February, where he oversaw the 1-1 draw with Port Vale in which James Ball scored a dramatic injury-time equaliser for Dale.

Mr Barrott’s first two campaigns at league level were both very busy, with him refereeing 69 matches in total, including two FA Cup third round ties and last season’s FA Vase Final at Wembley.

He has been busy again in the first three weeks of this term and Saturday will be his fifth game already. Last Saturday, Samuel refereed the thrilling 4-4 draw between Accrington and Burton, while in midweek he was at Oxford v Lincoln.

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