Officials announced for Luton Town’s first Premier League home match against West Ham
Luton’s first ever Premier League match at Kenilworth Road against West Ham United on Friday night will be refereed by Paul Tierney.
The 42-year-old from Wigan has taken two games so far this season, the 2-2 draw between Arsenal and Fulham last weekend, sending off Cottagers defender Calvin Bassey for two bookings, including one for time-wasting, plus Sheffield’s United’s Carabao Cup exit on penalties to Lincoln on Wednesday night.
Last term he had the whistle for 34 matches, showing 129 yellows and three reds, including the FA Cup Final between Manchester City and Manchester United.
Tierney has been an official since 2007, with his first Luton game a 2-2 draw at Rotherham United in the FA Cup in November 2009, Tom Craddock and Mark Nwokeji on target for the visitors.
He was promoted to the Premier League in August 2014, with his first top flight fixture, Swansea City’s 3-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion.
Tierney then had Luton twice in that 2014-15 campaign, as the Hatters’ 2-1 home defeat to Swindon Town in the Capital One Cup, controversially sending off Luke Rooney late on for two bookings, the second an alleged dive inside the area.
He also took Town’s trip to Hartlepool in League Two that term, Mark Cullen and Jim Stevenson sealing a 2-1 victory.
Tierney’s only other Hatters game came in the Capital One Cup in August 2015, Luton drawing 1-1 at home to Stoke City, eventually losing the penalty shootout 8-7.
Since then, he was promoted to the FIFA list of referees in 2018, removed in 2022, and has refereed 159 Premier League matches, showing 460 yellow cards and 17 reds.
Tierney has also refereed international games, including a World Cup qualifier including between Moldova and Austria in September 2021, plus the 2021 Carabao Cup Final as Manchester City defeated Spurs 1-0, two Championship play-off finals and the 2017 FA Trophy Final.
The assistant referees are Neil Davies and Scott Ledger, with the fourth official Craig Pawson.
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