Newcastle United v West Ham United
Premier League, St James’ Park, Saturday 30 March 2024, 12.30pm GMT
Referee: Rob Jones
Assistant Referees: Ian Hussin and Wade Smith
Fourth Official: Darren Bond
VAR: David Coote
Assistant VAR: Eddie Smart
Rob Jones has been confirmed as the referee for West Ham United’s Premier League match away at Newcastle United on Saturday.
A referee in the English Football League since 2016, the 36-year-old Merseysider took charge of his first top-flight clash in December 2019, and was promoted to Professional Game Match Officials Limited’s (PGMOL) Select Group One ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.
Jones has been the man in the middle at three finals during his career so far, the last of which being Wycombe Wanderers’ victory over Oxford United in the EFL League One Play-Off final in July 2020, little under a year after he refereed Oxford’s win over West Ham in the third round of the EFL Cup.
In total, Jones has held the whistle at four games involving the Hammers, most recently a 4-0 Premier League thrashing for David Moyes’ men over Norwich City at Carrow Road, in May 2022.
This season, he has undertaken fourth official duties at three West Ham matches, and acted as the Video Assistant Referee in the draws at home to Brighton and away to Sheffield United, both in January.
Most of his appointments this term have come in the Premier League, but Jones has also refereed games in the EFL Cup, FA Cup, EFL Championship, UEFA Europa Conference League and UEFA Europa League, as well as a UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying match and a senior friendly on the international scene.
Ian Hussin and Wade Smith will serve as the assistant referees at St James’ Park.
The pair run the line in the Premier League regularly, including alongside Jones during West Ham’s aforementioned win at Norwich at the end of 2021/22.
Hussin has been a top-flight assistant referee since the 2014/15 campaign, and has worked 14 matches in the division so far this season. He also served with Jones during Austria’s 1-1 draw with Moldova in an international friendly in September 2023.
Smith has worked as an assistant at 20 Premier League games so far this term, but this Newcastle trip will be the first time he has officiated at an Irons fixture since a 1-1 home draw against Aston Villa just over a year ago.
Darren Bond will work as the fourth official on Saturday.
An experienced whistler across the EFL, Bond was also the fourth official during West Ham’s draws against Crystal Palace and Sheffield United earlier this season, while he has refereed four games in the Premier League in 2023/24.
Finally, Video Assistant Referee duties are set to be overseen by David Coote.
Affiliated to the Nottinghamshire FA, Coote began refereeing at the age of 16 and worked his way up through the Notts Alliance League, Northern Counties East Football League, the Northern Premier League and the Conference North.
A veteran of 102 Premier League matches as referee, the 41-year-old was the man in the middle as West Ham were defeated by Aston Villa on their travels back in October.
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League, London Stadium, Tuesday 2 April 2024, 8.15pm GMT
Referee: John Brooks
Assistant Referees: Simon Bennett and Dan Robathan
Fourth Official: Tim Robinson
VAR: Andy Madley
Assistant VAR: Constantine Hatzidakis
The match officials for next Tuesday night’s Premier League visit of London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur have been confirmed.
John Brooks is set to be the man in the middle, taking charge of his second West Ham game this season following August’s 3-1 home win over Chelsea.
The Leicestershire-born official was promoted to Select Group One in June 2021 and refereed his first Premier League match in December of the same year.
He has held the whistle during 17 top-flight clashes this season, most recently during Chelsea’s 3-2 triumph over Newcastle United on 11 March.
Serving alongside Brooks at London Stadium will be assistants Simon Bennett and Dan Robathan.
Both are extremely experienced operators, with over 150 Premier League matches under their belts apiece. Bennett has worked in the UEFA Champions League over 25 times, and ran the line twice at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Tim Robinson is set to be the fourth official. One of the Premier League’s newest regular officials, he refereed West Ham’s 1-1 draw at home to AFC Bournemouth in February.
Finally, Andy Madley will oversee Video Assistant Referee duties. He has held the same role in two Hammers matches this term, most recently in the dramatic 2-2 draw with Burnley on 10 March.
