Premier League ref Simon Hooper to take Swindon derby friendly
Premier League referee Simon Hooper will take charge of Swindon Town's opening pre-season friendly against Swindon Supermarine on Saturday, July 4, 2026. For the second straight year, the PGMOL official will referee the traditional Swindon Supermarine Swindon Town derby, with kick-off at 12 pm at the Imagine Cruising Stadium.
Key Takeaways
- Simon Hooper returns for a second year to officiate the cross-town Swindon pre-season friendly.
- The match kicks off at 12 pm on July 4 at Swindon Supermarine's Imagine Cruising Stadium.
- Ian Holloway plans to field two separate Swindon Town teams for 45 minutes each.
- The early slot allows Town to prepare for a training camp in Alicante from July 6.
- Wiltshire Times is running live matchday coverage of the derby.
Why is a Premier League referee at a friendly?
Simon Hooper is not an ordinary appointment for a non-league friendly. The 44-year-old has been part of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited Select Group since 2018 and regularly takes charge of top-flight fixtures.
Hooper is also a Swindon Town supporter and one of two Premier League referees who back the Robins, alongside Graham Scott, who was born in Oxford. For the second consecutive summer, he will officiate a match between two clubs from his home town.
When he ran the same fixture last summer, his handling drew notice. Hooper opted not to book Tom Nichols after the Town forward appeared to chop down Frankie Monk as he raced through on the halfway line.
When and where is Swindon Supermarine vs Swindon Town?
The Swindon Supermarine Swindon Town fixture is scheduled for Saturday, July 4, 2026, with a 12 pm kick-off at the Imagine Cruising Stadium. Swindon Town travel across town to face Bobby Wilkinson's side in what both clubs treat as their traditional opening pre-season friendly.
The noon start comes slightly earlier in the schedule than Ian Holloway would have preferred, largely because of Swindon Town's trip to Spain. Town only returned to training at the start of this week and will head for Alicante on July 6, and are still building up the fitness of the squad.
Playmaker Stats lists the encounter among its pre-season 2026/27 match previews for the day.
How are the managers approaching the match?
Ian Holloway has said he intends to field two separate Swindon Town line-ups during the 90 minutes, giving each group a full half to impress. Despite the early calendar slot, the former Blackpool boss has described himself as very excited about the occasion.
On the Supermarine side, Wilkinson is bedding in a number of new signings as Marine get their pre-season under way. Town, meanwhile, will use the friendly to sharpen a squad that Holloway wants to build upon after a strong end to last season.
Where can fans follow the Swindon derby?
As Town and Marine get their pre-season schedules started with this traditional cross-town clash, local interest is high. The Wiltshire Times is providing pre-season matchday live coverage of Swindon Supermarine v Swindon Town.
For broader kick-off alerts and broadcast updates across the football calendar, check our Streaming & TV Alerts hub. Yahoo Sports UK also flagged Hooper's appointment ahead of the fixture.