Olivers Hold the Key to Local Play Off Rivals Ambitions.

Michael Oliver started refereeing at fourteen years of age with the Morpeth Sunday League was his first taste of refeering in senior football. He reached the National List of assistants in 2004 and the National List of Referees aged 22 years in 2007, joining his father Clive on the Referees list. Has already experienced Football league Play Off Semi Finals as an assistant referee and became the youngest National List match official to referee at Wembley when refereeing the Conference Play Off Final in May 2007 as Morecame beat Exeter.

He made his League debut as a referee in a 3-1 victory for Lincoln at Mansfield on 18 August 2007, whilst his Championship debut was at Turf Moor as Burnley beat Scunthorpe 2-0 on 26 January 2008.

Michael Oliver will take charge of his third Preston match, all of which have been at Deepdale. But it will be the first time he has refereed a Q.P.R. game.

This season he has taken charge of 38 matches, producing 90 yellow cards and 5 red cards. His last game was a 3-3 draw between Northampton and Scunthorpe.

His assistants on Sunday are Mark Hutchinson from Nottinghamshire and Richard Smith from West Midlands. The fourth official is Phil Gibbs also from West Midlands and took charge of only one Championship game this season when Preston lost 4-1 at Swansea on 27 January 2009.

Michael Oliver and Preston