Saturday?s referee for the game with Birmingham City in the FA Cup is Rob Styles of Hampshire.
Rob Styles
Styles needs no introduction to football fans, his reputation goes before him as a man who stands no nonsense from the players, whether the decision he has just made was right or wrong.
Both the Royals and Birmingham have had games under Styles control this season, he was the referee in our home Carling Cup round three game to Sheffield United back in October, Reading won the game 2-0 with a brace of goals from Dave Kitson. He was also the only player who received a yellow card that night.
Birmingham have had the pleasure of his company twice this season, the first time was a 0-0 draw with Fulham in August, three players were booked in that game. And more recently in their 1-0 defeat at home to Everton, one card was shown that day.
In all competitions, Styles has been in charge of 27 games so far this season, showing the yellow card 90 times and the red just twice. His highest total this season for one game is eight yellows, which came in the Carling Cup semi final first leg between Blackburn and Manchester United.
Styles has not taken charge of a game this season where he has not shown a card.
