Who's the referee for Birmingham City vs Sunderland?

If Sunderland are going to win at Birmingham this weekend, they are going to have to overcome a referee with whom they have an awful recent record.

There are some days that fundamentally change a football club’s path. For Sunderland, the most recent one of those was the 6-0 defeat to Bolton in League One, and they will be reunited with a central figure in it this weekend.

The referee that day was Stephen Martin, and he will take charge of this weekend’s clash between Birmingham City and Sunderland.

So, let’s have a closer look at Martin’s storied and, for Sunderland at least, difficult history with the Black Cats.

Who is the referee for Birmingham City vs Sunderland?

IMAGO / PA Images

Stephen Martin will be in charge, and that hasn’t always been great news for Sunderland.

To be fair, he only started officiating Sunderland matches 2018 just as everything was falling apart for the club, so we can’t really blame him!

That said, five of his last six matches involving Sunderland have ended in defeat for the Black Cats. The other one was a win against Birmingham, though.

Martin will be assisted at St Andrews by Mark Dwyer and Mark Russell. Meanwhile, Martin Woods will be on fourth official duty.

Stephen Martin stats (23/24 season)

Championship Games: 14
Yellow Cards: 68
Red Cards: 1
Penalties awarded: 2

Notable Stephen Martin Sunderland Games

Martin has been refereeing Sunderland since the 2018 season so this will be the 14th time he has shared a pitch with the Black Cats.

It has been largely bleak too, including two 1-0 defeats this season. There is also a penalty shootout defeat to Oxford in there and a 2-1 home defeat to MK Dons in League One.

Here are four notable recent games in more detail – if you dare.

Bolton 6-0 Sunderland (League One, 29 January 2022)

You know, if you look at the Sunderland team that day, you really do wonder just how on earth that result happened. It featured Dennis Cirkin, Danny Batth, Corry Evans, Dan Neil, Elliott Embleton, Lynden Gooch and Ross Stewart.

The three substitutes used were Jack Clarke, Alex Pritchard and Patrick Roberts, with Train Hume and Anthony Patterson unused on the bench.

Still, happen it did, and thank whatever deity you happen to believe in that it did. In some other universe, the alternative is playing out where Sunderland were not humiliated that day, Lee Johnson kept his job, Alex Neil didn’t come in, promotion wasn’t achieved, Jack Clarke and Patrick Roberts didn’t sign permanently, and the club is still stuck in League One.

Sunderland 2-1 Birmingham City (Championship, 15 April 2023)

This one was played out in the middle of Sunderland’s huge defensive crisis at the end of last season and it proved to be a real battle.

Trai Hume partners Danny Batth in central defence and he scored the equaliser after George Hall had given the visitors the lead.

Amad Diallo bagged the winner, but a red card to Dennis Cirkin a few minutes later made for a tough last 11 minutes and didn’t exactly help with the defensive problems either.

Sunderland 0-1 Cardiff City (Championship, 24 September 2023)

Sunderland’s first encounter with Stephen Martin this season so far wasn’t a happy one at all.

In fact, it was a deeply frustrating afternoon in which Sunderland laboured to score and were then undone by a very late set-piece.

Annoyingly familiar.

Bristol City 1-0 Sunderland (Championship, 16 December 2023)

The last time Sunderland encountered Stephen Martin was the last game before Michael Beale took over.

Mike Dodds was in charge for his third and final spell of his second interim spell, but he saw his side sink to a disappointing defeat.

Tommy Conway scored the only goal of the game midway through the first half.

Stephen Martin record in Sunderland matches

Matches: 13
Sunderland wins: 3
Draws: 4
Sunderland defeats: 6
Red Cards: 1
Penalties awarded: 0

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