“Red Card Alert! Wolves Face Blackburn with ‘Card-Happy’ Ref in High-Stakes FA Cup Clash!”

Wolves are set to face Championship play-off contenders Blackburn Rovers in the fourth round of the FA Cup this weekend. The match is scheduled to kick off at 12:30 PM on Saturday at Ewood Park, with both teams vying for a coveted spot in the fifth round of the competition.

The Football Association has released the list of refereeing appointments for the upcoming fixtures, and Wolves will encounter a fresh face in charge. **Lewis Smith** has been appointed as the match referee, supported by **Richard West** and **Robert Hyde** as assistant referees, while **Sunny Singh Gill** will serve as the fourth official.

This game marks a significant milestone for Smith, as it will be the first time he officiates a senior Wolves match. The 30-year-old referee has previously overseen five of Wolves’ under-21 games but has never been in charge of a first-team fixture. On the other hand, Blackburn Rovers are somewhat familiar with Smith, having had him officiate two of their past matches—both of which ended in victories for Rovers.

Smith has developed a reputation for being a strict enforcer on the pitch. So far in the 2024/25 season, he has issued **93 yellow cards** and **4 red cards** across 29 matches, along with awarding a total of **648 fouls**. This averages out to approximately **3.21 yellow cards**, **0.14 red cards**, and **22.34 fouls** per game, indicating that players from both Wolves and Blackburn will need to tread carefully to avoid disciplinary issues.

Given that any red cards handed out during the match will result in suspensions carrying over into both the Premier League and the Championship, maintaining discipline will be crucial for both squads.

Wolves will be eager for Smith to deliver a fair and consistent performance, as they aim to secure a spot in the fifth round for the **sixth time since 2000**. The Wolves faithful are also hoping for a successful cup run that could lead to a long-awaited trip to Wembley, especially after falling agonizingly short last season when they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Coventry City.