Former Premier League referee Mike Dean regrets controversial podcast comments but defends his career

The former referee Mike Dean regrets his controversial comments on a podcast this week, but insists he always did his job “properly and professionally” during his 25-year career.

Dean sent shockwaves through football when he claimed on the Jamie Vardy’s Having a Party podcast he would “joke about” during matches and would see how long he could go without blowing his whistle or leaving the centre circle.

The eye-catching remarks were immediately met with widespread criticism from former officials with the integrity of the game questioned, but Pro Ref – the new name for Professsional Game Match Officials Limited – is yet to make a public comment on Dean’s remarks.

After Dean started his refereeing career in 1985, he was promoted to the full referees’ list in 1997 before he was appointed to the select group of Premier League referees in 2000 until he retired in 2022.

The 58-year-old, from Wirral, released a statement on Friday where he insisted it was never his intention to “criticise or undermine the integrity” of his fellow officials before he reflected on the controversy during his appearance on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday programme.

Asked by the presenter Simon Thomas if in 25 years he ever deliberately failed to apply the laws of the game, Dean said: “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. 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.

“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.

It is understood Dean’s claims have been met with bemusement by those with current involvement in officiating, with some noting a lack of factual detail in his stories.

Dean continued: “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.

“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.

“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.