Sunday’s game between the Latics and Leeds United at the DW Stadium had the potential to be a highly charged affair with everything at stake for both clubs, unfortunately as circumstances have transpired over the past two weeks it will be nothing more than a competitive friendly with nothing to play for but pride for either side.
The man charged with ensuring the light-hearted affair will stay that way is Northumberland official, Scott Duncan.
This will be Duncan’s third Latics game of this particular campaign, hmm, I hear you murmur, ”His name does ring a bell”, well it should, those two previous games have both brought maximum points for the Latics and both have been in recent weeks, he oversaw our 0-1 away win at Birmingham in March, but he will be best remembered for officiating in the 3-2 home win against Rotherham and awarding the free kick in the dying embers of the game after Nick Powell had been assaulted off the ball by the Rotherham keeper.
He has been in charge of seven Latics games in total, three of which came last season.
The Newcastle born whistle blower kicked off last season with us when we both travelled to the Ricoh Stadium on the first day of the new campaign, unfortunately we lost 2-0 to Coventry and had three players booked, Craig Morgan, Kev McNaughton and Cisco Junior, cheers for that Scott.
He made amends of a sort when we played Gillingham at the DW Stadium in January, coming from two goals down we scored the winner in the 6th minute of stoppage time to take all the points in a dramatic finale, he did book both Max Power and Michael Jacobs, but he also did play on until we scored, so thanks there Scott, meant sincerely this time.
He was also in charge of our 3-0 demolition of Bury at the DW Stadium in February, though Craig Davies did find his way into the book that day.
The 2014/15 season saw Scott Duncan in charge of one Latics game, our away defeat to Bolton on the 7th November which signalled the end of Uwe Rosler’s reign as manager, he also had us twice in 2013/14, he was in charge of our trip to the Den back in December when we lost to Millwall, that day he issued two yellow cards Andy Keogh of Millwall and Latics defender Stephen Crainey, he was at the DW Stadium in March for our home win over Watford, booking Martyn Waghorn and three Watford players.
Duncan has ref’d Birmingham twice this season, their 2-2 home draw against Wolves on the opening day of the season and their 0-1 home defeat against Reading in October.
This is Scott Duncan’s fifth season as a Football League ref following his promotion to the National List at the start of the 2012/13 season.
Of his 33 games so far this season twenty-one have been in the Championship, five in League 1, two in League 2 and three in cup comps.
Scott Duncan Card Watch 2016/17
Games – 37
Yellows – 110
Reds – 10
Wigan Athletic v Leeds United
Referee – SCOTT DUNCAN
Assistants – Adam Crysell and Robert Hyde
Fourth Official – Michael Salisbury
Check out the latest PWU Podcast – The Last Game
Relegation confirmed at the weekend, but in reality we all knew it had been coming for quite a while now.
20 attempts at goal away at Reading, yet we still managed a nil return, that is now 22 games where we have drawn a blank this season.
We run through the managerial candidates and despite a large number of names in the running three of the panel go for the same guy, the name might surprise you.
Leeds up on Sunday at 12 noon, then the curtain will fall on a very disappointing season.
Don’t forget the latest All Gone Latics Fanzine will be on sale before the Leeds game and also at the Latics Legends game on the 19 May
Shout out to the gang at the Mudhutter for their great gesture to the Josephs Goal charity.
The podcast can be listened to by clicking the embedded player below or downloaded to listen at you leisure by visiting www.buzzsprout.com
We are also available on itunes and we have an app for your tablet or mobile, just follow the instructions here
