Officials are named for Luton's Championship clash against fierce rivals Watford
Experienced referee is in charge at Kenilworth Road
Luton’s hotly-anticipated Championship derby against old foes Watford will be refereed by Stephen Martin at the weekend.
The Staffordshire official has taken just five games so far this term, four in the second tier and one League Two contest, with his last match the 1-1 draw between Norwich City and Leeds United at Carrow Road earlier this month. He also produced 11 yellow cards when taking Middlesbrough’s 2-0 home win over Stoke City, making it 34 cautions already, at an average of just over six per fixture.
Last year Martin, who has been officiating since 2008, had 21 matches, brandishing 104 bookings and showing two reds as well, however Town’s clash with the Hornets will be the first time he has refereed Luton since the Hatters' 4-0 Championship triumph over Preston North End on in March 2022, Luke Berry scoring twice, Fred Onyedinma and a Bambo Diaby own goal on target too.
He also took Town’s 2-0 defeat at Sheffield United that season, dismissing defender Reece Burke and then had the whistle for Town's 5-0 thrashing of Coventry City as well. The campaign before, Martin had Luton’s 2-0 success over the Sky Blues, sending off the visitors’ Kyle McFadzean, while he was in charge of Luton's 1-0 loss at Brentford, showing reds to both Tom Lockyer and Ivan Toney, although Lockyer's was later rescinded.
Martin, whose first Hatters match was a 2-0 win at Fleetwood in the Blue Square Bet Premier in April 2012, Nathan Pond’s own goal and Andre Gray’s strike doing the business, has had four other Hatters fixtures over his lengthy career, Town winning one, drawing one and losing two, scoring five goals and conceding seven. Assistant referees for the game are Mark Dwyer and Carl Fitch-Jackson, with the fourth official Declan Bourne.