Select Group Two official Keith Stroud has been appointed the referee for the Swans trip to Sunderland in the EFL Championship on Saturday afternoon.
It will be the third time that Stroud has officiated a Swansea City game this season, having been the man in the middle for the Swans defeat at league leaders Leicester City last month and the Boxing Day drubbing at Southampton.
Referee Stroud will be assisted by Andrew Dallison and Robert Merchant, with Scott Tallis the 4th Official for the game at the Stadium of Light.
The last time Stroud officiated a game between the two sides, was in January 2023, when the Swans took all three points in the north east after a 3-1 victory over the Black Cats, when he also sent off Luke O’Nien for the home side after just 18 minutes.
Although, if you browse Keith Stroud’s statistics when officiating Swansea City games, you’ll understand why he is one of the most unpopular officials with Swansea City fans.
Keith Stroud EFL Championship Record 2023/2024
This will be the Hampshire official’s 17th Championship game so far this season, during which he has handed out 78 yellow cards and 1 red card.
Five of those yellow cards were shown to Swansea players – Nathan Wood during the 3-1 defeat at Leicester City and Liam Cullen, Josh Tymon, Jay Fulton and Joe Allen during the Swansea’s 5-0 defeat at Southampton on Boxing Day.
Stroud also awarded a penalty against the Swans during the game at the King Power stadium, which Stephy Mavididi duly scored.
This will be the third Sunderland game that Stroud has taken charge of this season, the others being the goalless draw at Coventry City in August and the 1-0 defeat at Leicester City in October.
During those two games, no less than seven Sunderland players have been booked – Luke O’Nien, Trai Hume and Dennis Cirkin at Leicester and Pierre Ekwah, Luke O’Nien, Dennis Cirkin and Alex Pritchard.