Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has insisted he always performed his duties "properly and professionally" during his 25-year career, following backlash over his remarks on a podcast. In a statement released on Friday and subsequent appearance on Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday, Dean expressed regret over his comments but maintained he never deliberately failed to apply the laws of the game.
Dean's controversial podcast claims
Dean caused a stir in the football world when he appeared on the 'Jamie Vardy's Having a Party' podcast, claiming he would "joke about" during matches and test how long he could go without blowing his whistle or leaving the centre circle. These comments were met with immediate criticism from former officials, who questioned the integrity of the game.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited, now known as Pro Ref, has yet to publicly respond to Dean's remarks. Dean, 58, from Wirral, began his refereeing career in 1985 and was promoted to the full referees' list in 1997. He was appointed to the select group of Premier League referees in 2000 and retired in 2022.
Response on Soccer Saturday
During his Soccer Saturday appearance, presenter Simon Thomas asked Dean directly whether he had ever intentionally failed to apply the laws of the game in his 25-year career. Dean replied: "No, because if I did, I wouldn't have got as many games as I did. And I wouldn't have been on the list for 25 years. I did my job properly and professionally for the full 25 years."
Dean added: "I have no regrets over the way I refereed the game of football. I enjoyed what I did and I think the players enjoyed what I did as well." He acknowledged the controversy, stating: "It is one of them comments, if you had your time again, you wouldn't say it, but it's been said now and been out there. There is nothing I can do now."
Mixed reactions and Dean's clarification
It is understood that Dean's podcast claims have been met with bemusement by those currently involved in officiating, with some noting a lack of factual detail in his stories. Dean sought to clarify his approach to refereeing, saying: "It is one of them where as a ref, I like to go out and my threshold was always high as a ref and not to give free-kicks."
He explained: "I would give a minimum amount of free-kicks as I can and if I can keep the game flowing, I would keep it flowing. Yes, if I've got to step in, I'll give the free-kick but it is just one of them things you learn by your mistakes." Dean concluded: "Obviously I've said something this week that has come out a little bit wrong, I think I could have worded it a bit better than I said but you live and learn. Hopefully we can move on. We'll see what happens."
