Who is the referee for Sunderland vs Coventry?
Matthew Donohue will be the referee when Sunderland host Coventry on Saturday, and he is certainly an official with which the Black Cats have some history.
Most of that history has been very good, in fairness. He oversaw an iconic play-off win and was on the pitch for arguably the best goal most of us will have seen Sunderland score.
However, it's probably fair to say that recently Donohue has not been a good omen for Sunderland.
Who is the referee for Sunderland vs Coventry?
Matthew Donohue
IMAGO
Greater Manchester official Matthew Donohue will take charge of Sunderland vs Coventry and he should lend an experienced had to it.
He has more than 100 Championship games behind them, although we know he has also publicly been called ‘incompetent’ by at least one manager.
Donohue will be assisted by Paul Hodskinson, who was also part of his team on his last visit to Wearside, and Robert Hyde. Simon Mather, meanwhile, will be the fourth official.
Matthew Donohue stats (23/24 season)
Championship Games: 13
Yellow Cards: 51
Red Cards: 0
Penalties awarded: 2
Matthew Donohue previous Sunderland Games
Sunderland 4-2 Gillingham (League 1, February 19, 2019)
Sunderland’s first introduction to Matthew Donohue was back in the Jack Ross days, and he turned out to be very helpful to the cause.
An entertaining game at the Stadium of Light saw Sunderland twice take the lead in the first half through Lee Cattermole and Tom Flanagan only for Gillingham to twice level through Tom Eaves and Brendon Hanlan.
After the break it all went in Sunderland’s favour after Donohue awarded a pair of penalties. Will Grigg and Aiden McGeady successfully converted.
Sunderland 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday (League One play-off semi-final, May 6, 2022)
Sunderland did not encounter Donohue again for more than three years, but when he did return to the Stadium of Light he picked a brilliant time to do it.
The play-offs semi-final first leg win over Sheffield Wednesday was one of the best atmospheres Wearside has seen in recent years and will long be remembered.
Donohue won’t be remembered as part of it, which is a very positive thing for a referee. Ross Stewart got the only goal in first half stoppage time.
What a night.
Reading 0-3 Sunderland (Championship, September 14, 2022)
Speaking of memorable matches, Donohue was also the man in charge when Sunderland beat Reading at the Select Car Leasing Arena last season.
It was the game the striker injury crisis hit its stride with Ellis Simms forced off just a week after Stewart pulled up in the warm-up at Middlesbrough. It was also the game of that Jack Clarke goal.
The Clarke goal is what it is rightly remembered for, but Sunderland were generally brilliant and Patrick Roberts scored a couple of crackers as well.
Shrewsbury 1-2 Sunderland (FA Cup, January 7, 2023)
Patrick Roberts didn’t have as nice an experience the last time Donohue refereed Sunderland. The former Man City and Celtic man was booked for a dive in the first half when he was clearly tripped in the Shrews’ penalty box.
The winger was livid, and it looked like it was going to be a bad day all round when Matthew Pennington put the League One side ahead with just nine minutes remaining.
However, there was late drama still to come, and Stewart and Luke O’Nien both scored in injury time to win the game.
Sunderland 1-2 Sheffield United (Championship, March 15, 2023)
Well, Donohue really managed to incur the wrath of Tony Mowbray in this one.
The game was all going swimmingly when Edouard Michut gave Sunderland a first half lead. It was a very well deserved one too.
Sadly for Sunderland, James McAtee equalised and the game was decided by a very controversial Tommy Doyle winner.
After the game, Mowbray really let his fury at Donohue be known, calling the official ‘incompetent.’
"It would be great if the referee or linesman could come in here and tell you why he allowed that goal to stand," Mowbray said. "I am sure you have all seen it.
"There were three men offside and one actually goes to try and poke the ball in, which means our goalkeeper stands because he gets a touch he has to stand. He (the attacker) misses it but it bounces in.
"One of my coaching staff has just come out of the office and the referee has apologised and said he got it wrong, which doesn't mean very much to us at the moment. I genuinely sit here and say if you know anything about football it's offside. It's not even in doubt. He's interfering with play, which has made our goalkeeper stand still.
"Between the two of them, I think the linesman and the referee got it badly wrong and, ultimately, cost us points.
"I have been in football since I left school 43 years ago and that is offside. Is that right that an offside goal is allowed because the referee is incompetent and the linesman's communication is really poor.
"It shouldn't happen, yet some guy in a blue suit allowed a goal to stand which should not have stood and we have to suffer the consequences of it.”
Sunderland 1-2 Huddersfield (Championship, November 29, 2023
The last time Donohue was on Wearside he oversaw the defeat that probably spelled the end of Mowbray’s time at Sunderland.
Although he was sacked following the draw against Millwall a few days later, it was the Huddersfield one that was truly damaging.
It was a game that Sunderland dominated but lost, and so perfectly encapsulated why change was deemed necessary.
Matthew Donohue record in Sunderland matches
Matches: 6
Sunderland wins: 4
Draws: 0
Sunderland defeats: 2
Sunderland players sent off: 0
Opposition players sent off: 0
Sunderland penalties awarded: 2
Opposition penalties awarded: 0
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