Michael Barlow will be the man in the middle for Bristol Rovers’ Sky Bet League Two clash against Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
The Pirates’ final home game of the season will be Barlow’s second-ever Bristol Rovers fixture, having also officiated the Gas’ away fixture against Crewe Alexandra, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
In comparison, Barlow has refereed two Cheltenham matches, a 2-2 draw against Walsall in the 2024/25 season and a 1-1 draw against Harrogate Town this term, both games coming at the EV Charger Points Stadium.
About to begin his tenth year refereeing, Michael Barlow began his career in the U18s Premier League and international youth friendlies. He also made appearances in the National League and National League North in the 2018/19 season, before making his refereeing debut in the English Football League in the 2024/25 season.
This term, he has refereed 22 fixtures across seven competitions, with nine games in Sky Bet League Two. His last match in the fourth tier was at the end of March, with Swindon Town drawing with Fleetwood Town.
The most recent match Barlow oversaw was the FA Youth Cup semi-finals between Manchester United and Crystal Palace, which saw the Red Devils progress to the finals in extra time.
Barlow will be joined by Joseph Larkin and Andrew Aylott as the Assistant Referees and Ben Atkinson as the Fourth Official.
