Phil SumblerKeith Stroud will take charge of the Swans first home league game of the campaign tomorrow evening when Sheffield United at the visitors at the newly named Swansea.com Stadium.
He has been an International FIFA assistant referee and ran the line in the 2003 FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Southampton.
He also served as a Premier League referee for two seasons before returning to the EFL list in 2009/10. Keith has refereed over 300 EFL games, including the League Two Play-Off Final in 2013 between Bradford City and Northampton Town.
In 2012 Keith was the referee for the Cerebral Palsy Paralympics Final between Russia and Ukraine, and in 2015 refereed the Cerebral Palsy World Championships Final with the same teams as the finalists.
Stroud was in charge of the first leg of our play off semi final two seasons ago when he awarded us a penalty (which Ayew missed) and also sent off Brentford’s Rico Henry – a decision that was later on overturned on appeal although it was a decision that the manager Steve Cooper agreed with at the time “You look at the Jake Bidwell one against Bristol City earlier on in the season. I don’t think you can if you compare it to that and if you do what you do you’re endorsing dangerous and reckless challenges” he said after the game.
“There’s a lot of contention. You saw some in the Premier League too. The fact is it was 50:50 and there’s no way it can be overturned.”
Cooper blasted Stroud as well the same season after failing to show a second yellow card to Reading’s Lucas Boye at the Liberty – saying after the game: “I politely spoke with the ref at half-time. I’ve come across him before. He’s a really experienced referee and a decent guy but I think he knew he let himself down a bit.
“I asked him and he’s obviously going to have his excuses and reasons, and the fourth official’s reaction as well, they knew they probably weren’t at their best.”
Stroud will be assisted by Ian Cooper and Sam Lewis whilst Sam Allison is the fourth official.
