Referee for Forest and Preston matches

Coca Cola League Championship
Sunderland v Nott'm Forest - Tue 14 September

Referee: Lee Mason (Lancs)
Asst Refs: Paul Nicholson (Co Durham) and George Simpson (N/Yorks)

Mr Mason reffed two games involving Sunderland last season - our 3-0 home league defeat of Bradford on Boxing Day and our 1-0 away league loss to Ipswich in April. The Bradford game saw George McCartney and Stephen Wright get yellow cards and the Ipswich game saw Gary Breen, Stephen Byfield and Jason McAteer get yellows; Ipswich's single goal was a penalty in first half stoppage time from Easington-born Tommy Miller.

Coca Cola League Championship
Sunderland v Preston North End - Sat 18 September

Referee: Alan Kaye (Wakefield)
Asst Refs: Alec Clyde (South Yorks) and Alan Greaves (South Yorks)

Mr Kaye was the man in the middle for us twice last season: first, when we played a 1-1 draw at home with Burnley in November when he booked Julio Arca and Darren Williams, then again when we beat Walsall 3-1 at the Bescot in March, with only Kevin Kyle going in his notebook that time.