Mike Dean Under Fire After Admitting He Played ‘Minigames’ While Refereeing Premier League Matches

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean is facing backlash from football fans after admitting he used to play "minigames" while officiating top flight matches, with some supporters now calling for an official investigation.

Dean, who retired from refereeing in 2023 after more than two decades at the top level, made the comments on Jamie Vardy's podcast, Having a Party. He said that during some games, he and other officials would see how long they could go without blowing the whistle, just for fun.

"There used to be games we would have for a laugh," Dean said. He recalled going 20 to 25 minutes at times without a single whistle, adding that this was before VAR came into the game.

Dean also said he used to challenge himself to stay in the center circle for as long as possible during matches. He claimed his best effort was around 15 minutes in one game.

The comments quickly spread online, with many fans saying the admission raises real concerns about how seriously referees were taking their jobs. One user on X said Dean's honesty made it clear why fans often distrust officials, while another called his mindset "baffling."

Senior figures in the refereeing world have also pushed back, questioning whether Dean's claims even add up since he gave no clear detail on when these games supposedly happened. Current officiating bosses have stressed that fairness and focus remain central to how referees are trained and expected to act today.

Dean did not shy away from the criticism. He admitted that part of the reason behind his behavior was wanting to feel more involved in the action than he should have been. He said he enjoyed celebrating good calls or a well played advantage, sometimes even cheering along with his team through his earpiece.

Still, many fans were not convinced by the explanation. Some called for a closer look into whether these habits affected how games were officiated, with one person online arguing that deliberately delaying a whistle could count as changing the outcome of a match.

For now, no formal investigation has been announced, but the reaction online shows the story is far from dying down.