Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has provoked widespread anger among football fans after revealing that he used to entertain himself with private challenges during matches he officiated, raising fresh questions about the professionalism of top-flight officiating in the years before video assistant referee technology was introduced.
Dean, who hung up his whistle in 2022 following a 22-year career that saw him take charge of 553 Premier League fixtures, was speaking on Jamie Vardy's Having a Party podcast when he disclosed the unusual habits. He explained that he and fellow officials would sometimes turn matches into informal contests, seeing how long they could avoid making decisions or straying from a fixed position on the pitch.
"There used to be games that we used to have, as a laugh, we used to say, 'Right, we'll kick off now, right? See how long we can go without blowing a whistle,'" Dean said. He added that this was something he attempted "a few times in the Premier, before VAR obviously," claiming he once managed to go between 20 and 25 minutes into a match without making a single call, deliberately allowing play to continue rather than stopping for infringements.
Dean went further, describing another self-imposed game in which he tried to remain inside the centre circle for as long as possible during live play. "I used to stand in the centre circle and see how long I could stay in the centre circle before I had to leave," he explained. "That was just me joking about. The lads used to be on the line saying 'you can't'. I said 'I'll try it'. I just used to run around but don't come out of it. Got about 15 minutes once in one game, without leaving the centre circle."
The comments have triggered a strong backlash on social media, with supporters branding the admissions "unprofessional" and "disgusting." Many have questioned whether such behaviour compromised the integrity of matches Dean officiated, given that decisions over whistle timing and positioning can directly influence the flow and outcome of a game.
Dean's revelations appear to relate to matches played before VAR was fully rolled out across the Premier League in 2019, suggesting the alleged games took place under the previous leadership of the refereeing body now known as Pro Ref, formerly PGMOL. There is currently no independent evidence confirming whether these self-styled challenges genuinely occurred during official matches, and refereeing insiders have expressed bewilderment at the claims. Pro Ref has declined to comment on the matter.
This is not the first time Dean has found himself the subject of criticism over his conduct on the pitch. During his active career, he was frequently characterised as a divisive and attention-seeking official, known for theatrical gestures and a self-described sense of "arrogance" in how he handled games. In a widely circulated 2015 clip from BBC's Final Score, pundit Garth Crooks memorably labelled Dean a "petulant schoolteacher," saying: "He wants to be the star too often. It's really getting on my nerves because he's spoiling great games. It's not about you, Mike, it's about the games."
With Dean now several years removed from active officiating, the latest controversy has reignited long-standing debates about referee conduct, transparency, and the standards expected of match officials at the highest level of English football. Whether the Premier League or Pro Ref will issue any formal response beyond their declined comment remains to be seen.
Based on reporting from Independent Football.