Mike Dean ‘in fantasy land’ over claims of referees’ games, says ex-boss Keith Hackett

Dean, who refereed in the Premier League until 2022, generated controversy after claiming he would “joke about” during matches, seeing how long he could go without blowing his whistle or leaving the centre circle.

Ex-Premier League referee Mike Dean. Pic: Adam Davy/PA Wire.

Mike Dean’s former boss insists the referee would not have been able to play the “games” he claims to have done while officiating.

Dean, who refereed in the Premier League until 2022, generated controversy after claiming on the ‘Jamie Vardy’s Having a Party’ podcast he would “joke about” during matches, seeing how long he could go without blowing his whistle or leaving the centre circle.

Keith Hackett, Dean’s former boss at Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) between 2004 and 2010, insisted he could not have got away with doing so.

Hackett wrote on X: “Mike Dean is in fantasy land!! The examination of performances assessors is forensic. When I was boss referee’s performances were forensically examined.

“Dean on my watch could not have done what he said with the monitoring systems in operation.” Hackett added he was “satisfied (Dean) is talking nonsense” and said: “He clearly has damaged his reputation. The fallout does not help current refs.” Dean has been approached for comment.

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.

Refereeing is currently overseen by Pro Ref – the new name for PGMOL – which has been approached for comment.

Another former referee, Graham Scott, wrote in The Athletic: “I am supremely confident that neither story is true, and that he has embellished both out of all recognition.” Dean told the Vardy podcast: “There used to be games that we used to have, as a laugh, we used to say, something like ‘we’ll kick off now, right? See how long we can go without blowing the whistle’.

“Done that a few times in the Premier League, before VAR obviously. Went 20 to 25 minutes without blowing a whistle a few times. Let it go, let it go, let it go.

“I used to do another thing in the Premier League. I used to stand in the centre circle and see how long I could stay in the centre circle before I had to leave. That was just me joking about. But the lads used to be on the line saying ‘you can’t’. I said ‘I’ll try it’.

“I just used to kind of run around, kind of go, but don’t go out of it. Got (to) about 15 minutes once in one game, without leaving the centre circle.”