City referee to take charge of a big play-off game
Peterborough-born referee Josh Smith will officiate a big play-off match this week.
Smith, who still lives locally, is the man in the middle for the League One play-off semi-final second leg clash between Stockport County and Stevenage on Wednesday night (8pm kick off).
County are defending a 1-0 lead following an awful first leg which was settled by a 94th minute comedy goal after a blunder by former Peterborough United youngster Carl Piergianni.
Smith started refereeing aged 14 in the Peterborough & District Junior Alliance League and also took charge of games in the Peterborough Sunday Morning League and the United Counties League. His father Nigel Smith was also a well known local referee.
Smith became the youngest assistant referee in the EFL aged 22 before switching to refereeing. He is now a referee at Championship level and has taken charge of occasional Premier League games.
Smith has refereed a play-off semi-final before. He was in charge of Colchester United's 1-0 League Two semi-final play-off win over Exeter City in 2020. A teenage Kwame Poku played in that game.