Mark the Ref

MARK Brown will be the man in the middle for Saturday’s game against Rochdale.

Brown started officiating Football League matches in 2010 and despite being in his fourth year of being an official referee, Mark has only refereed two Argyle matches - both in the 2011/12 season - and both resulting in Argyle defeats.

The first was a 2-0 away defeat at Barnet with yellow cards on the day for current captain Conor Hourihane and former left back Robbie Williams. Brown’s second Argyle match was at Home Park against Gillingham. The Gills won a high tempered game 1-0 with defender Joe Martin scoring the winner in the first half.  The Pilgrims picked up three yellow cards in the final fifteen minutes of the match for Simon Walton, Durrell Berry and Nick Chadwick, while Gillingham had goal scorer Joe Martin sent off for two yellow cards.

This season Mark has refereed a total of 18 matches, issuing 37 yellow cards, 4 red cards and giving 6 penalties. One of those reds was for a former Pilgrim who now plays for Rochdale; striker George Donnelly was given a straight red by Mr Brown in a 2-1 win for Rochdale at Accrington Stanley in September.