FA urged to investigate Mike Dean after ex-referee admits playing secret games during Premier League matches

The Football Association is facing calls for a formal investigation into Mike Dean after the former Premier League referee admitted he used to set himself private challenges during live matches, including attempting to go as long as possible without blowing his whistle or leaving the centre circle.

Dean, 58, who retired from top-flight officiating in 2022 after 22 years as a Premier League referee and a further year as a video assistant referee, made the confession on Jamie Vardy’s Having a Party podcast.

“There used to be games that we used to have, as a laugh,” Dean said. “We used to say, ‘Right, we’ll kick off now, right? See how long we can go without blowing a whistle.’ Done that a few times in the Premier, before VAR obviously. Went 20–25 minutes without blowing a whistle a few times.”

Dean also described a separate challenge he set himself involving the centre circle. “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 said. “Got about 15 minutes once in one game, without leaving the centre circle.”

The comments have drawn a sharp reaction. A Mirror Football poll of more than 500 readers found 71 per cent believe Dean’s remarks warrant a formal investigation, with 29 per cent saying no further action is necessary. Pro Ref, the body that oversees refereeing in England, declined to comment.

Dean was clear that the behaviour predates the VAR era, which was introduced in the Premier League in 2019. Howard Webb currently serves as chief refereeing officer, having taken over from the previous leadership under whom Dean says the incidents occurred.

Not everyone in refereeing circles has taken the claims at face value. Former Premier League referee Graham Scott dismissed them in an interview, calling the stories “nonsense”.

“I worked with Mike loads at times, they’re not true stories,” Scott said. “It’s kind of the audio equivalent of clickbait, to try and get people interested and laughing.”

A report from BBC Sport indicated that senior refereeing figures also regard Dean’s comments as “unfounded”. Whether the FA chooses to treat the matter as requiring formal scrutiny remains to be seen, but the public pressure following Dean’s podcast appearance shows little sign of easing.