Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has defended his refereeing career after sparking backlash over comments that he and other officials played “secret games” while officiating matches.
Dean, 61, made the revelations during an appearance on the Jamie Vardy’s Having a Party podcast, where he said one of the challenges involved seeing how long he could go without blowing his whistle.
“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,’” GB News reported on Saturday that he told the podcast.
He added: “Done that a few times in the Premier, before VAR obviously. Went 20 to 25 minutes without blowing a whistle a few times. Let it go, let it go, let it go.”
The former official also said he would sometimes challenge himself to remain in the centre circle for as long as possible.
He said: “I used to stand in the centre circle and see how long I could stay in the centre circle before I had to leave.
“Got about 15 minutes once in one game, without leaving the centre circle.”
The comments drew criticism from supporters, prompting Dean to issue a statement on social media defending his record.
“Throughout my 25 years as a professional referee, I have always applied the Laws of the Game to the best of my ability.
“My approach as a referee was always to allow the game to flow, and whenever possible I preferred to apply a high threshold for contact, which the players liked.
“However, if I saw a foul challenge that needed me to take the appropriate action, I would give it from the correct position.
“At no stage was it my intention to question, criticise or undermine the integrity of refereeing in this country. I have always respected the profession and the responsibility that comes with being a referee.”
One supporter wrote: “Why are they laughing at this? It’s disgusting from a supposed top referee. Messing around while fans pay hundreds of pounds for matches to be officiated professionally.”
Another added: “What else was going on that he’s not disclosing? And they call themselves professional.”
Dean refereed in the Premier League for 22 years, taking charge of 553 fixtures between 2000 and 2022.
He later served as a video assistant referee during the 2022/23 campaign before leaving officiating in 2023.
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