Pompey rivals Sheffield United are set to make official their anger with match official Oliver Langford following his appointment and performance during Wednesday night’s fixture at Fratton Park.

Sheffield United are preparing a formal letter which they’ll send to the Football League and Pro Ref following the decision to appoint Oliver Langford as the match official for their game against Pompey on Wednesday.

The West Midlands referee, who oversaw a 3-2 win for the Blues at Fratton Park, has a chequered history with the Blades.

Last season the 38-year-old sent off two United players (Djibril Soumare and Japhet Tanganga) before half-time in a 1-0 defeat to Charlton at The Valley.

Meanwhile, according to our sister title, The Sheffield Star, Langford didn’t even give a foul when Paul Coutts had his leg broken by a horror tackle at Burton Albion in 2017.

Those tensions were heightened further when visiting right-back Hamza Choudhury was sent off in midweek for a second bookable offence on the stroke of half-time at PO4.

That decision didn’t go down well with Sheff Utd boss Chris Wilder, who was also seething by the ref’s decision not to award his side a late penalty or his failure to punish substitute Ebou Adams for catching Mark McGuinness with a high foot just before he went on to score the game’s 89th-minute winner.

According to Wilder, Langford’s ‘controversial’ appointment for the fixture was baffling given his previous experiences when officiating Sheff Utd games.

The 59-year-old also believed the small number of Wednesday night matches should have provided the authorities the ability to pick a more appropriate referee.

As a result, Wilder revealed the Blades would now be making formal their grievances.

Referee Oliver Langford watches on as Pompey defender Jayden Meghoma bursts forward with the ball during the Blues' 3-2 win against Sheffield United on Wednesday night. | Jason Brown

placeholder image — Referee Oliver Langford watches on as Pompey defender Jayden Meghoma bursts forward with the ball during the Blues' 3-2 win against Sheffield United on Wednesday night. | Jason Brown

Speaking ahead of his side’s trip to Bristol City on Saturday, Wilder said: ‘There were four domestic fixtures (on Wednesday night) and we get a controversial referee that has been involved in the incidents that I’ve said over a number of years.

‘I just don’t get the appointment. We're off an international break and I’m sure some Premier League referees would want to get back up to speed after having three weeks off.

‘And then the point that I made (about a lack of up-and-coming referees to improve the standard.) If an up-and-coming young referee is managing that fixture, I would get that he potentially could make mistakes as he's coming through.

‘I'd rather have that, those referees that are doing that and maybe making their mistakes and then going on to have a referee in the Championship or a referee in the Premier League.

‘I'm sticking to what I said. Where are the young referees coming through? Like I said, four domestic fixtures and we get a controversial referee that's played a part in quite a few incidents now.

‘I spoke to our chief executive and we’re compiling a letter that’s going into the EFL and to Pro Ref regarding our thoughts on all the things I’ve just said.

‘And we’ll see what the reaction is from the relevant authorities that will deal with it.’

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