Who is the referee for Plymouth vs Sunderland?

Which referee will take charge of Plymouth vs Sunderland and what is his record like in matches involving the Black Cats?

Sunderland will be reunited with referee James Bell when they travel to Home Park to face Plymouth, and whether that is a good thing probably depends on your point of view.

The Black Cats are unbeaten whenever Bell has been the referee, including a previous trip to Plymouth. Some will see that as a good omen, others will have a ‘we’re due’ mentality and see it as a bad sign.

Let’s have a closer look at James Bell though and his previous encounters with Sunderland.

Who is the referee for Plymouth vs Sunderland?

James Bell will take charge of the game and he is a relative newcomer to Championship football. In fact, this will be just his 16th career Championship game.

He does, though, have extensive experience in the lower leagues and Sunderland got well-acquainted with him during the awful League One days. They are yet to be officiated by him in the Championship though.

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Bell will be assisted by Akil Howson and Sian Massey-Ellis at Home Park, while Charles Breakspear will be on Fourth Official duty.

James Bell stats (23/24 season)

Championship Games: 7
Yellow Cards: 31
Red Cards: 1
Penalties awarded: 2

James Bell record in Sunderland Games

Rochdale 2-2 Sunderland (League 1, September 27, 2020)

Sunderland were first introduced to Bell when they travelled to Rochdale during the 2020/21 season.

That was the season that no fans were allowed to attend due to the pandemic, and they missed an entertaining game at the Crown Oil Arena. Well, an entertaining 45 minutes at least.

Sunderland twice took the lead through Charlie Wyke and Bailey Wright but a Matty Lund brace ensured Rochdale got a point.

Sunderland 2-0 Fleetwood Town (League 1, February 23, 2021)

Bell refereed at the Stadium of Light for the first time later that season. By then, Phil Parkinson had gone and had been replaced by Lee Johnson.

Interestingly, this time it was the second half that contained all of the action.

Again, Sunderland scored with a couple of headers, this time from Aiden O’Brien and Max Power, but this time they were enough to get all three points.

Plymouth 1-3 Sunderland (League 1, May 1, 2021)

If you are looking for a good omen for this weekend’s trip to Plymouth, then this game back in the 2021 run-in may well be it.

Bell booked five players on the day, all for the home side, although Sunderland still needed a late rally to return to the north east with all three points.

Ross Stewart opened the scoring with what was just his second goal for the club only to see Joe Edwards cancel it out in the second half.

A late Chris Maguire penalty and rare Denver Hume goal secured the win for the Black Cats.

MK Dons 1-2 Sunderland (League 1, August 14, 2021)

Bell awarded Sunderland a penalty the next time he saw them too, although Lynden Gooch went and missed it.

Still, despite that it was a nice early season win for Sunderland in the August sun. It was the first away league game since the Covid restrictions had been lifted, and the fans were sent home happy.

Ross Stewart and Elliot Embleton scored either side of halftime for Lee Johnson’s men. Former Sunderland midfielder Ethan Robson set up Troy Parrott to half the deficit a few minutes later, and Gooch’s missed penalty ensured a nervy finish.

Accrington 1-1 Sunderland (League 1, January 15, 2022)

The last time Bell referees a Sunderland game was just two weeks before the infamous debacle at Bolton.

As was customary back them, it was a deeply frustrating one for Sunderland. An Aiden O’Brien goal put them ahead just after half-time but there wasn’t enough nous to hold on.

The annoyingly inevitable equaliser came six minutes from time courtesy of Mitchell Clark – ten minutes after the hosts were reduced to ten men.

James Bell record in Sunderland matches

Matches: 5
Sunderland wins: 3
Draws: 2
Sunderland defeats: 0
Sunderland players sent off: 0
Opposition players sent off: 1
Sunderland penalties awarded: 2
Opposition penalties awarded: 0

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