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Friend Reunited For Spurs Clash
Written by Newcastle Utd
Kevin Friend will take charge of Newcastle's Premier League home fixture against Spurs on Sunday
By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor
Kevin Friend will take charge of Newcastle's Barclays Premier League home fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday (4pm kick-off).
It will be the second time this season that the Leicestershire-based official has overseen a Magpies match, having refereed a 1-1 home draw against Stoke City in February.
On that afternoon against the Potters, Friend booked six players including Jack Colback and Sammy Ameobi.
In total during the 2014/15 campaign, he has refereed 29 games across the Premier League, FA Cup, Capital One Cup, Championship and League One, handing out 119 yellow cards and four reds.
The 43-year-old officiated in the Leicestershire Senior League and Midland Football Alliance before being promoted to the National List of Referees, and later to the Select Group of Referees ahead of the 2009/10 campaign.
And Friend refereed his first top flight fixture in September 2009, as Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Fulham.
He was the man in the middle of the 2012 Community Shield, which saw Manchester City triumph 3-2 over Chelsea in a thriller at Villa Park, and also given the top job in the 2013 Capital One Cup final, where Swansea beat Bradford City.
On Sunday at St. James' Park, Friend will be assisted by Harry Lennard and Andy Garratt, with Neil Swarbrick the game's fourth official.
Tickets for Newcastle's home Barclays Premier League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur are still available. To secure your seat at St. James' Park, click here.