Referee for tonight’s SPFL Premiership Lanarkshire Derby with Hamilton at Fir Park is Calum Murray.
Murray is an experienced whistler with well over fifteen years in the top flight and this is his fourth ‘Well match of the campaign.
The first being the opening day success of St Mirren, the win coming courtesy of Lee Erwin’s first senior goal in a 1-0 success.
The second, in early December, was also at Fir Park but was a 0-1 reverse to Champions Celtic. Anthony Stokes scored the game’s only goal, but 10-man ‘Well had a great chance to nick a point late on through Erwin but he sent his header wide of the post.
Most recently, he handled the disappointing 3-2 defeat at the Global Energy Stadium. ‘Well, buoyed by several new faces, went down to three stunning goals despite strikes from Conor Grant and Fraser Kerr.
Somewhat surprisingly though, that Saints game earlier in the campaign was his first in North Lanarkshire for eighteen months.
He only took charge of one ‘Well match last term, that was the 2-0 defeat at McDiarmid Park – Stevie May and Nigel Hasselbaink on the score sheet.
Previous to that, it was February 2013 and a 3-0 for Stuart McCall’s side over Inverness (Michael Higdon double and a Nicky Law strike) at Fir Park.
Murray took charge of another two Motherwell matches that same campaign, the instantly forgettable 2-0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox in the Scottish Communities League Cup and the 3-2 victory over Ross County at Fir Park.
Back in 2011, he also handled the Scottish Cup Final between Motherwell and Celtic at Hampden.
His overall record in charge of the Steelmen is fairly mixed. Of the 24 games he has taken charge of, Motherwell have won ten, drawn four and lost ten. The Fir Parkers have scored 31 whilst 33 have hit the back of the ‘Well net.
70 players have seen yellow on those sixteen matches, 36 of which were shown to a player wearing Claret and Amber.
Three players has been sent for an early bath, Bob Malcolm in the famous 1-0 win over Celtic back in early 2008, Jim Goodwin, for a second bookable offence, in that match this term and Simon Ramsden in the defeat to Celtic before Christmas last year.
Calum will be ably assisted by Alan Mulvanny and Graham McNeillie with Kevin Graham on fourth official duties. Bryan Robertson is the Referee Observer and Richard Gray is the SPFL Delegate.