Plymouth Argyle’s season-opening Carabao Cup first-round tie against Exeter City at Home Park will be refereed by Dean Whitestone, with an 8pm kick-off on Monday. The Devon derby, broadcast live on Sky Sports, marks the final fixture of 35 first-round matches.
Who is the referee for the Plymouth Argyle vs Exeter City match?
Dean Whitestone, a veteran EFL official, enters his 21st season as a referee and has primarily overseen Championship games since 2019. He took charge of two of Plymouth Argyle’s matches during their 2024/25 Championship campaign, including the 0-0 draw away to Stoke City on January 4 and the 2-1 home win over West Bromwich Albion on February 1, where Ryan Hardie scored two late goals. Last season, Whitestone issued 73 yellow cards and two red cards across 23 matches.
What is Plymouth Argyle’s recent form?
Plymouth Argyle finished the 2025 League One season in 8th place with 73 points (22 wins, 7 draws, 17 losses) and a goal difference of +12 (75 scored, 63 conceded). Their recent form includes a 4-game winning run, with their last result a 3-2 victory over Northampton on May 2, 2026.
What’s the history between Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City?
Whitestone has officiated a Devon derby before, in September 2016, when Plymouth Argyle defeated Exeter City 2-0 in League Two at St James Park. Goals from Graham Carey and Arnold Garita secured the win, with only one yellow card shown to Exeter’s Nauris Bulvitis. For Monday’s match, his assistants will be Jack Clench and Richard J. Morris, with Harley Hetherington as the fourth official.
