Keith Stroud is back on the EFL referees' rota, according to the Daily Mail, after his penalty blunder last season in Burton Albion's match against Newcastle United saw him suspended for the rest of the season.

Stroud's misinterpretation of the laws of the game in the Brewers' 1-0 defeat to Newcastle in April left him on the sidelines for the rest of the campaign - but he is now back in the fold with the EFL set to announce he will be included in the 18-man list for 'select group 2'.

Matt Ritchie's converted 29th-minute penalty looked set to send Newcastle on the way to victory over Albion - but Stroud adjudged Dwight Gayle to have encroached into the penalty area and gave the Brewers a free-kick.

Referee Keith Stroud gave a free-kick to the Brewers when he should have ordered Newcastle to re-take the penalty
Referee Keith Stroud gave a free-kick to the Brewers when he should have ordered Newcastle to re-take the penalty

In accordance with law 14, Stroud should have let the Magpies' winger re-take the penalty instead - but his mistake let Nigel Clough's side off the hook, with his own blushes spared by Ritchie's eventual 68th-minute curling winner.

Albion fans can expect to see Stroud in the Championship again next term, with 'select group two' mainly taking charge of second-tier matches.

Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) previously released a statement clarifying the penalty incident shortly after the April clash, admitting that Stroud had "misapplied" the law.

"In the Championship game between Newcastle United and Burton Albion, referee Keith Stroud awarded Newcastle a penalty in the 29th minute," the statement read.

"As Matt Ritchie took the kick, Dwight Gayle encroached in the penalty area. An indirect free-kick was awarded to Burton but the Laws of the Game state that the penalty kick should have been retaken.

"Unfortunately, the referee has misapplied the law. Keith and his team are understandably upset at the lapse in concentration and apologise for the mistake."