Former referee Mike Dean admits to games during matches, drawing criticism

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has revealed he used to set himself personal challenges during matches, such as seeing how long he could go without blowing his whistle, a disclosure that has drawn widespread criticism from fans and raised questions about professionalism in top-flight officiating. Speaking on Jamie Vardy's "Having a Party" podcast, the 58-year-old described the activities as games played "as a laugh" with his assistant referees. "We used to say, right, well kick off now, right? See how long we can go without blowing a whistle," Dean said. He stated he once went 20 to 25 minutes without using his whistle in a Premier League match before the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system in 2019. Dean also admitted to another challenge: "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 recalled once managing about 15 minutes in a single game. The comments have provoked a strong reaction on social media, with many supporters labeling the behavior as unprofessional and demanding accountability.