Former referee Mike Dean sparks outrage after revealing secret games during PL matches
Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has faced fierce criticism after revealing that he and other officials sometimes challenged themselves to go long periods without blowing the whistle during matches.
Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has sparked widespread criticism after revealing that he used to play unusual “games” while officiating top-flight matches.
Speaking on Jamie Vardy’s Having a Party podcast, the former official said referees would sometimes challenge themselves to see how long they could allow a match to continue without blowing the whistle.
Dean claimed he managed to go between 20 and 25 minutes without stopping play on several occasions during the pre-VAR era. He also revealed that he once tried to remain inside the centre circle for around 15 minutes, describing the challenges as something officials did for amusement.
The comments have prompted an angry reaction from supporters and renewed questions about the professionalism of refereeing in English football.
Dean, who officiated more than 550 Premier League matches before retiring from the field, has been one of the competition’s most recognisable officials and was later involved in VAR.
Ref Support UK chief executive Martin Cassidy criticised the remarks, arguing that they could give people another excuse to abuse referees at every level of the game.
The comments have also drawn attention because Dean’s career included several high-profile controversies, including a public dispute with former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger.
However, Dean has not suggested that the challenges were intended to favour particular teams or influence specific results.
His remarks instead offer a controversial glimpse into the informal behaviour he says existed among some officials before VAR transformed the way Premier League matches are managed.
