Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has made a startling admission about his time in charge of top-flight matches, claiming he sometimes amused himself with private challenges during games rather than sticking strictly to officiating duties.
Speaking on Jamie Vardy's podcast this week, Dean, who spent more than two decades as one of England's most recognisable referees before retiring in 2022, described how he and colleagues would occasionally set themselves informal targets to pass the time on the pitch.
"We used to say, 'We'll kick off now. Right, see how long we can go without blowing a whistle,'" Dean explained. "I've done that a few times in the Premier League, before VAR obviously – [I] went 20, 25 minutes without blowing a whistle."
He went further, revealing another self-imposed game he liked to play while on duty. "I used to do another thing. I used to stand in the centre circle – see how long I could stay in the centre circle before I had to leave. That was just me joking about. I got about 15 minutes once."
The comments have raised eyebrows within refereeing circles, particularly at Pro Ref, the body responsible for overseeing match officials in English football. Sources close to the organisation have expressed scepticism about the claims, noting that a referee remaining stationary in the centre circle for a quarter of an hour without drawing attention from players, coaches or broadcasters would be almost impossible to achieve during a live match. No evidence has emerged to support Dean's account, and officials say they have no record of such behaviour ever occurring.
This is not the first occasion on which Dean has generated headlines with candid remarks since stepping away from active refereeing. After retiring in 2022, he briefly worked as a video assistant referee before being removed from that role in 2023 following an incident during a Tottenham versus Chelsea fixture. On that occasion, referee Anthony Taylor made an error that Dean, serving as VAR, did not intervene to correct. Discussing the episode later on Simon Jordan's podcast, Dean referred to Taylor as a "mate" and explained that he had deliberately avoided calling for a monitor review because he did not want to add to the criticism Taylor was already facing. "Any more grief than he already had" was how Dean described his reasoning for staying silent at the time.
Throughout his career, Dean became something of a cult figure among football supporters, known for his theatrical style and apparent comfort in the spotlight. His mannerisms even inspired a chant among fans – "Mike Dean, it's all about you" – reflecting his larger-than-life presence on the pitch. Despite the light-hearted reputation, Dean was widely regarded as one of the more competent officials of his generation, overseeing 561 Premier League matches across his 22-year tenure. He also holds the record for the most red cards issued by a referee in the competition's history, having sent off 114 players during his time in the middle.
Whether Dean's latest anecdotes are taken as harmless nostalgia or scrutinised more seriously by refereeing authorities remains to be seen, but they have once again placed the outspoken official in the news since hanging up his whistle.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.