Ref Watch...Martin Atkinson

Last updated : 10 November 2006 By Les Roberts

There's probably something about referees and buses in there but, in all

honesty, they're nothing like each other.


Just to re-cap, up until last week's defeat at Fulham, he had refereed

just one other Everton match in the last three seasons and that was last

term's 0-1 defeat at home to Portsmouth.


So we have a reverse clean sweep when Mr Atkinson is the man in the

middle.


The good news though is that Villa's record isn't much better.


Up until he refereed their 1-1 draw with Tottenham last month , the only

match he had taken charge of since 2004/05 was last season's 0-5 webbing

at Arsenal.


The other good news is that at least it isn't Graham Poll!

"Hi I'm MArtin Atkinson...you may remember me from such games as Portsmouth at home and Fulham away..."